If there’s one phrase I’ve been reminding myself of lately, it’s this:

Observe. Don’t absorb.

It’s simple, but it has changed the way I move through my days.

I’ve always been someone who absorbs the energy around me. If you’re sitting three tables away from me in a restaurant, there’s a good chance I know what you’re talking about—and I can definitely tell you the vibe of the relationship.

It’s not because I’m trying to eavesdrop. I just notice everything.

The problem is that if I’m not careful, I don’t just notice other people’s emotions… I take them on.

I can walk into a room feeling calm and leave carrying someone else’s stress. And because I spend my days moving from one conversation to the next, I have to be intentional about not bringing the energy from one interaction into the next.

The hardest place for me to practice this? Home.

Especially when I had spirited teenagers in residence.

I could wake up feeling completely at peace, and within ten minutes hear, “Where are my shoes?” “I have nothing to wear!” “The dog is driving me crazy!” Add a couple of slammed doors, and suddenly my heart is racing too.

Nothing had actually happened to me.

I’d just absorbed someone else’s chaos.

Lately, when I feel myself getting pulled into that whirlwind, I quietly remind myself:

Observe. Don’t absorb.

I can acknowledge that someone is frustrated without becoming frustrated myself.

I can recognize that someone is anxious without taking on their anxiety.

I can be compassionate without carrying emotions that don’t belong to me.

It’s amazing how much calmer life feels when you realize you don’t have to match the energy of every room you walk into.

Sometimes the best thing you can bring to a difficult situation isn’t more emotion.

It’s your peace.

So the next time you find yourself surrounded by stress, frustration, or chaos, remember:

Observe.

Don’t absorb.

Your peace is worth protecting.

XX,

MG