Hide And Seek

The Hotpot | January 2026 | By Lisanne

30.1

The sound of our own thoughts is incredibly loud at times.

They rattle on and on, while we spend vast amounts of our lives listening to that internal monologue until it becomes our whole world.
It’s remarkable how we can become so attached to our narrative that we fail to realize that searching for a solution has actually become a form of distraction.

It is notoriously difficult to see the very thing that is blocking our view.
We could spend an entire day playing a sophisticated game of hide-and-seek.

Often, when thoughts become complex, they turn uncomfortable—something we want to flee from. Keeping ourselves “busy” is a brilliant short-term anesthetic; drinking can serve the same purpose. We choose movement over presence just to keep the silence at bay.

Strangely enough, simply allowing ourselves to feel is rarely the first solution we reach for.
When we are angry, we might think the solution is to silence the other person.
When we are anxious, we might think the solution is to control the future.

We can get so caught up in the mechanics of “fixing” that we miss the reality:
the constant seeking is often just a way to avoid being present.

What if the “blockage” isn’t a problem to be solved, but a signal to be heard?
We might treat our emotions like intruders we need to negotiate with, rather than guests who are just passing through.
The moment we stop looking for the exit is often the moment the door finally opens.

So how do we practice “sitting with the noise” without trying to turn the volume down?

I guess it’s a life time practice.

Thank you for reading! The question of today:

Curious to see more reflections like this? Click through to see the rest of the series on emotional competence. I’d love to hear what resonates with you.