“Your Daily Dose” is a quick two minute read packed with bite-sized wisdom from all the great teachers. But you could also choose to turn it into something more… a powerful daily practice for personal growth. Give it a try!
A message from today’s meditation:
Sometimes we find ourselves navigating life as if we’re adrift in a stormy sea, our emotional state tossed about by the whims of those around us. Every word, every action, becomes a potential storm, leaving us feeling powerless and overwhelmed. But what if there was another way? A way to navigate life with a sense of inner peace and freedom, unaffected by the turbulence of external circumstances?
Today’s journey looks outward at the humans around us, recognizing that everyone is trying their best.
“Every single human being is trying his best. We’re all doing the best we can. But when we believe the thoughts that our brain produces, then we have to compulsively live out those thoughts. When there’s chaos in our heads, there’s chaos in our lives. When there’s hurt in our thinking, there’s hurt in our lives. Love thy neighbor as thyself? I always have. And when I hated me, I also hated you. That’s how it works. If I hate someone, I’m mistaking them for me, and solutions remain hidden.” – Byron Katie
If I am triggered by someone else I have to ask myself the question, “Why am I not free of this? Why is my emotional state completely controlled by something that someone else says or does?” No one can “trigger” something in me, unless I already carry that wound in my nervous system. “What is this wound I need to heal?”
“Our parents, our children, our spouses, and our friends will continue to press every button we have, until we realize what it is that we don’t want to know about ourselves yet. They will point us to our freedom every time.” – Byron Katie
“No-one can disappoint you, only your thoughts about them can.” – Byron Katie
“No one has ever been angry at another human being – we’re only angry at our story of them.” – Byron Katie
“My experience is that the teachers we need most are the people we’re living with right now.” – Byron Katie
Our triggers are built into our bodies and minds through the experiences we have lived through in our past. Our nervous system became conditioned to react (be triggered) in a certain way and this is now on repeat along with our inner narrative about the events of the past.
The journey to freedom begins with self-awareness. By recognizing our triggers and the narratives we weave around them we take the first step towards liberation.
It’s essential to remember that everyone is doing their best even while they may be making mistakes. Sometimes – even while I’m really trying – I still say or do the “wrong” thing too, and that is true for everyone else as well. When we extend compassion and understanding to others, we create space for self-compassion too. And in the inner wholeness that our compassion brings, our wounds will heal, and the same old words and actions from the world around us will just not hit that nerve in the same way any more.
I can walk through the world with my emotional state always at the mercy of what people say or do around me, or I can walk through the world free.
As you walk this journey, consider these guiding affirmations:
- “I observe my thoughts and feelings without judgment, recognizing them as temporary visitors in my awareness.”
- “I question the stories I tell myself about others and about me, seeking truth beyond my assumptions.”
- “I practice self-compassion and extend it to others, knowing we are all doing our best with what we have.”
- “I connect with like-minded individuals who support my journey toward freedom and authentic living.”
We navigate the world in one of two ways: as captives to the actions and words of those around us, or as liberated beings. My wish for you is freedom.
– pierre –
Today’s LIVE meditation is: Tonglen.
Today’s LIVE meditation
https://youtu.be/zAG1C0BfJwo 2025
https://youtu.be/ABdo7H-RcK4 2024
https://youtu.be/EgjXIcleQWk 2023
https://youtu.be/PHWHBvHimkA 2022
Practice the “Daily Dose”
Let’s put it into practice! Choose what works for you – daily, once a week or whenever inspiration strikes. Putting pen to paper wires the neural pathways that will create your new habits.
1 – Affirmation
Write down your favourite affirmation on a sticky note and place it somewhere that you’ll be able to see it the whole day.
- “I observe my thoughts and feelings without judgment, recognizing them as temporary visitors in my awareness.”
- “I question the stories I tell myself about others and about me, seeking truth beyond my assumptions.”
- “I practice self-compassion and extend it to others, knowing we are all doing our best with what we have.”
- “I connect with like-minded individuals who support my journey toward freedom and authentic living.”
2 – A moment of reflection
Use today’s question as a journal prompt. If you don’t have the time to sit down and write, just take a moment to reflect on your response.
Examining Your Internal Stories: Byron Katie suggests that “No one has ever been angry at another human being – we’re only angry at our story of them.” Reflect on a relationship that causes you ongoing frustration or disappointment. Write about the story you’ve created about this person—their motives, their character, their impact on you. Now, imagine setting that story aside completely. What would your relationship with this person look like if you approached them with fresh eyes, seeing them as someone who is simply doing their best?
3 – Quotes to share
Send a quote to someone who needs it, or share them all on social media to spread the good vibes!
4 – Q&A for deeper learning
Read through the questions and answers and write down at least one “aha moment” that clicked for you.
1. How is it possible that no one can trigger me unless I already have that wound in my nervous system?
Your nervous system and emotional responses are shaped by past experiences, conditioning, and unhealed wounds. When someone’s words or actions create a strong reaction in you, they’re essentially activating something that already exists within your internal landscape. Think of it like a musical instrument—if a guitar string is tuned to a certain note, it will vibrate when that same note is played nearby. If you don’t have that particular “string” (wound, fear, or unresolved issue), external events can’t make it resonate. This is why the same situation can trigger one person intensely while leaving another person completely unaffected.
2. Isn’t it unrealistic to expect that everyone is “doing their best”? Some people are genuinely harmful or malicious.
While it’s true that people sometimes cause real harm, understanding that everyone is doing their best doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior or avoiding necessary boundaries. Instead, it means recognizing that people act from their current level of awareness, emotional capacity, and life circumstances. Someone who is deeply wounded, unconscious, or operating from trauma may indeed cause harm—but they’re still operating from their current capacity. This perspective helps free you from the additional suffering that comes from resentment and the stories you create about their motivations, while still allowing you to protect yourself and make wise choices about your relationships.
3. How do I distinguish between healthy boundaries and just being reactive or triggered?
Healthy boundaries come from a place of clarity and self-respect rather than emotional reactivity. When you’re triggered, you’re operating from past wounds and stories, often with intense emotions like anger, fear, or hurt driving your response. Healthy boundaries, on the other hand, are calm, clear, and based on your values and well-being. They’re about what you will and won’t accept in your life, communicated without blame or emotional charge. A helpful question to ask yourself is: “Am I responding from wisdom and self-care, or am I reacting from old wounds and stories?”
4. What if I can’t stop feeling angry or disappointed even when I try to change my perspective?
Emotional healing is a process, not an instant switch. It’s completely normal to intellectually understand these concepts while still feeling triggered. The key is to approach your emotions with patience and compassion rather than judgment. Start by simply observing your reactions without trying to change them immediately. Ask yourself: “What story am I telling myself about this situation?” and “What wound might this be touching?” Sometimes the feeling needs to be fully experienced and acknowledged before it can transform. Consider working with a therapist, counselor, or spiritual teacher who can support you through this process.
5. How can I practice self-compassion when I’ve really messed up or hurt someone?
Self-compassion doesn’t mean excusing harmful behavior or avoiding accountability. It means treating yourself with the same kindness you’d show a good friend who made a mistake. Acknowledge that you were doing your best with the awareness and emotional capacity you had at that moment. This doesn’t mean your actions were okay if they caused harm, but it means you can take responsibility without destroying yourself with shame and self-hatred. True self-compassion actually makes you more likely to make amends, learn from your mistakes, and choose differently in the future because you’re operating from love rather than self-attack.
6. Does becoming emotionally free mean I’ll become passive or stop caring about injustice?
Emotional freedom doesn’t mean becoming passive or indifferent—it means responding from clarity and wisdom rather than reacting from wounds and conditioning. When you’re not constantly triggered by external events, you actually have more energy and clarity to address real problems and injustices effectively. You can take meaningful action from a place of love and wisdom rather than from anger and reactivity. Many of the most effective change-makers in history have demonstrated this kind of inner freedom—they were able to respond powerfully to injustice without being consumed by hatred or bitterness.
7. How do I know if I’m making progress on this journey toward emotional freedom?
Progress often shows up in subtle ways. You might notice that situations that used to trigger intense reactions now create only mild irritation or no reaction at all. You might find yourself genuinely curious about difficult people rather than immediately judging them. You may discover that you’re quicker to question your own assumptions and stories. Other signs include feeling more compassionate toward both yourself and others, having more energy (because you’re not constantly in reactive mode), and experiencing greater peace even in challenging circumstances. Remember that this is a lifelong journey, and progress isn’t always linear—be patient and compassionate with yourself as you grow.