Your field of view can change in an instant.

One moment you're flooded with love, the next you're upset. One day everything is great at work, the next week there's a crisis. A few simple words can shift everything—"I love you," or news that someone has passed. The view changes so suddenly.

The challenge is to ride the waves without thrashing.

Riding the wave doesn't mean white-knuckling through the storm. It means observing—keeping your emotions within reins. Someone annoys you, but your awareness catches it before annoyance spirals into rage. You feel the wave, but you don't let it take you under.

I see this constantly at work. Panic strikes, stress abounds. People are upset about this, that, and each other. And then the next day, news comes that brings relief. The crisis that felt existential yesterday is barely remembered.

The danger is letting panic drive us—blind us. Lizard brain literally narrows your perception, tunneling your vision to survival mode. You lose the broader view precisely when you need it most.

This too shall pass. That awareness is half the battle. All you can do is take the next best step. The other half is knowing yourself—what keeps you regulated, what brings you back to center.