People habitually rehearse worst-case endings while rarely preparing for positive beginnings or the moment to resume forward motion. Observing a traffic-light system that signals readiness before action inspired attention to anticipation and preparation. Psychological flexibility supports health, resilience, and relationships. Learning to "take in the good" cultivates awareness of positive experiences and prevents their quick fading. Accepting that initial steps are awkward reduces the tendency to mistake clumsiness for failure and enables reengagement after burnout or disruption.
We were jetlagged and hungry, wandering through the cobblestone streets of Copenhagen, when my teenage daughter grabbed my sleeve at a crosswalk. "Did you see that?" she asked, pointing to the traffic light. I had no idea what she was referring to because I was too busy hunting for a bakery with Wi-Fi so I could pull up Google Maps and figure out where I'd gone off course in our route to find the famous Nyhavn Harbor.
Once we were back home, I started to notice how rarely we allow that in daily life. We prepare for endings constantly. We think through worst-case scenarios. We rehearse the breakup speech, the layoff call, and the backup plan. Yet, we almost never give ourselves space to prepare for beginnings. We do not practice coming back after burnout. We do not rehearse for the moment the proverbial light turns green and we need to remember how to move forward again.
Collection
[
|
...
]