Unflappable: How to Be Your Own Best Friend
Seven strategies to cultivate equanimity, an often overlooked virtue, the calm in the eye of the storm.
I wanted to hike up to the summit by myself, to see the sunrise, but I got lost in the woods. I didn’t trust that the path I was on could possibly be the right one.
So, I tried to forge my own path. My gut told me I was close to the top. But I was still unsure. It was dark.
You can imagine my elation when, in the distance, I heard someone else hiking along nearby. Our paths crossed.
“Are you trying to get to the summit? The view is absolutely gorgeous up there, for the sunrise. I know how to get there! ”
I argued with her for a minute about her proposed route. It didn’t feel right to me.
“No, follow me! I’ve been there. I’ll take you. You can trust me.”
So against my better judgment, we set out. But she took me right back to the trailhead. I had to completely start over.
“I don’t like to disappoint people. That’s part of my nature,” she said as she disappeared into the shadows.
It was like a horrible, final dig to my heart. I didn’t feel disappointed. I felt mad. Frustrated. Defeated. Betrayed…
