Reflections From the Therapy Chair: Thoughts from the space where stories unfold

What's a reminder I keep nearby for days that feel heavy?

Heavy days look different for everyone but they are a unique part of the human experience. I often find myself thinking, “Today came with extra plot twists.”

Through doing this work, I have learned that helping other humans process and make sense of emotional overwhelm does not make me immune to experiencing that same overwhelm. Heavy days can easily cause me to lose track of how far I have come and all the great things I have left to accomplish in this world. Even though each of our journeys is unique, we all stumble, soar, and fumble through similar experiences. Talking about them, sharing little moments of struggle, and helping one another along the way reminds us that we’re not alone. These shared threads—like invisible sparkly yarn connecting us—bring us closer together, stitch by stitch, laughter by sigh, story by story.

Some days my brain feels like a wild ball of tangled yarn, impossible to unravel. On those days, I lean on mantras and little daily rituals that help me breathe, pause, and remember that even hard moments drift away eventually.

A few of my favorites:

• “Feelings are visitors, not forever.” — Thich Nhat Hanh-inspired

• “Every storm runs out of rain.” — Maya Angelou

• “The trees are about to show us how lovely it is to let things go.” — Anonymous

• “Fall seven times, stand up eight.” — Japanese proverb

• “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” — Proverb/Anonymous

• “My best looks different every day—and that’s okay.” — Anonymous

Sometimes it’s the simplest things that ground me: a warm drink in hand while watching cars glide past, each carrying someone with their own story. I imagine each cloud in the sky carrying my chosen affirmation, floating gently into the universe. When I feel myself rushing, I pause, breathe, and notice the small rhythm of life around me.

Allowing myself little acts of whimsy on tough days is surprisingly restorative. Finding the humor in the mundane and the sparks of love in the shadows reminds me that we’re all wandering through this world for the very first time, doing the best we can with what we have.

These tiny, playful practices are like magic breadcrumbs—they help me find my way back to calm, clarity, and self-compassion, even when my mind feels impossibly tangled. I can choose to be a friend to myself rather than an enemy.

✨ Micro-Practices for Hard Days

• Pick one affirmation and imagine attaching it to a cloud, letting it float away.

• Watch the world quietly from a window with a hot drink, noticing stories in the passing cars. Make up a story for the person in the car.

• Draw or doodle something silly—stick figures, imaginary pets, or tiny monsters in the margins of your to-do list.

• Whisper a mantra to yourself while taking three deep breaths.

• Step outside barefoot for a few moments and feel the ground beneath you.

• Lay on the ground and pretend that you are a starfish, just calmly existing in nature.

• Give yourself permission to do one absurdly small act of joy: spin in a circle, wear mismatched socks, use a silly straw, practice your red carpet walk, shake it out, or hum a favorite tune.

• Write a tiny note of gratitude on a scrap of paper and tuck it somewhere to find later.

• Write the uncomfortable thoughts on paper and crumple it up.

• Take one slow bite of something you love, savoring the flavor as fully as possible.

Try one of these little acts today—or invent your own. Notice how even the tiniest spark of play or pause can shift your mood, untangle your thoughts, or remind you of your own resilience. There’s no right or wrong way—just what feels like a small kindness to yourself in this moment.

What’s one whimsical (playful or quirky) act you could try today, or one mantra you could create just for yourself?