I don’t know how to eat this.

Recently I read this quote from Pim Techamuanvivit, a Thai chef:

In Thai, when we eat something that’s not to our taste, we don’t really say “I don’t like this” or “this is bad.” We say “I don’t know how to eat this.” (กินไม่เป็น)

What a difference that subtle shift makes. It's not that I don't like this feeling, it's that I don't know how to be with it.

What else could we reframe this way? What might become possible for us, if we could stop shutting the door on new experiences?

Something happens when we pay close attention and pause our evaluation and judgement.

When we stay curious long enough to learn how to be with something new, our imagination comes alive.

Feeling awake while learning how to be with something new is more useful and more powerful than our fear of discomfort.

We can pay attention and learn while we absorb anything new and different:

flavours in our foods

kinds of conversations

awareness about our history and society and other stories we’ve been told

ways to move our body

views from different parts of the house

genres for reading and of course,

new ways of writing.

xo,

Photo credit: Steven Lasry on Unsplash