04/02/2026
Therapist's Nugget of the Day: Practice a Little More Mindfulness...But With a Twist!
I read a book about 8 years ago, The Essential Guide to Prayer by Dutch Sheets, and something jumped out at me that resonated with what I teach in therapy related to our cognition. It's biblical in nature but does have some practicality behind it.
Something I often tell my clients is that they will interprete what someone says or does by how it makes them feel. How they feel is often a direct reflection of what they think about themselves or the world around them. This book broke it down a little further and I thought the explanation was spot on. We do not just hear what people say...we hear it through what we already believe! Our minds are shaped by past experiences, repeated messages, and deeply rooted beliefs. These internal filters do not just influence what we think but why we think it.
Understanding how our minds work can help us practice more mindfulness in our interactions with others. If you are ever offended by what someone says or does, check yourself first and make sure you are not misinterpreting the message based on how you feel or what you think. So when something someone says stings...pause before reacting.
Ask yourself:
❓️“Am I responding to what was actually said...or how it made me feel?” Because sometimes, we are not reacting to them...we are reacting to a story our mind filled in!
💙 Mindfulness looks like slowing down long enough to check the filter.
🤍 Growth looks like asking for clarity instead of assuming intent.
Next time you feel triggered, try this instead:
💚 “Hey, can you help me understand what you meant by that?”
Clarity over assumptions always!
