Be the Bison
A lesson on managing emotions.
Bison walk into a storm. They do not run from it or waste their energy trying to walk around it.
Recently I was hit with a bout of jealousy. I did not recognize it at first.
Actually, that’s not entirely true. I knew what it was. I just refused to name it.
Why? Because I am a grown woman confident in her abilities! I should be beyond things like peer pressure and FOMI. I should be beyond petty jealousy. And yet, the green monster still anchored itself to me because I refused to acknowledge the storm before me.
All the signs were there. I got grumpy. I became more focused on the what-ifs instead of living in the present moment. The good stuff, the living, was about to pass me by.
And then, because a part of me is quite wise (thank you Mom and Aunties!), I paused.
I took a breath. I looked at what was causing those feelings. Ah. Jealousy.
But you’ll never guess what feeling followed.
Peace.
Yup. As soon as I named that jealousy I saw the storm for what it was, and the talons that held me released a bit.
I accepted it. I acknowledged it.
Then I thought of the bison.
The bison see the storm before them and know they have to go through it. There is no other choice. If they run, it will follow. It will last longer and be more furious. If they try to go around it, they will exhaust themselves and lose their precious resources. They know this by instinct, from hundreds of years of experience. And they survive it every time.
So, take a lesson from the bison.
When you are feeling off, grumpy, and out of sorts. When your words come out as sharp, hurtful bites, pause.
You are an intelligent creature. Chances are you know exactly what is wrong.
Name it. Accept it for what it is. Acknowledge it.
(Yup. I see you, Jealousy!)
Take a breath. Walk through it.
It will still sting, but by naming and acknowledging a thing, it loses its grip and power on you.
Like the bison, you will come out the other side, stronger and more confident for having weathered the storm. But the best part? The gratitude in your heart will grow, for you’ll be given a gift. You will see the world beyond the storm.
Best wishes,
Kimberly
