Eckhart Tolle Quote on Feeling Small and How To See Yourself Differently

“If small things have the power to disturb you, then who you think you are is exactly that: small.”

Eckhart Tolle

Beyond the Quote (211/365)

A pebble on the ground will be disturbed by just about anything that crosses its path. It’s too small to stand its ground. Everything from the kicks of a person’s shoe, to the rain the gathers and runs across the ground, to the wind, even, as it gusts up in minor blows, will all affect it. It is in the nature of the pebble to be moved and affected by forces larger than it.

A boulder, however, remains unaffected by most disturbance attempts. For the most part, it’s too big to move. People need to resort to heavy-duty equipment and machinery to move it. Water slams up against it and quickly changes paths to flow around it. Even some of the most intense storms come to no avail in their ability to disturb the boulder.

And what’s the difference between the two? Their size? Sure. But, more specifically? Their weight. The difference is in how grounded each is. The pebble is light, flimsy, and disconnected from the earth. The boulder is heavy, solid, and deeply connected to the earth. Is this a philosophical justification for you to gain weight? Nice try, but not quite.

The weight that you want to gain isn’t physical weight—it’s emotional weight. If you don’t want to be affected by small things, then become more solid in exactly who you think you are. Focus on deepening the connection you have with yourself and bringing clarity to the forefront of your mind so that you know how to better handle the disturbances that come your way. Emotional weight is gained the more you learn how to ground yourself.

Once you do this, not only will you remain undisturbed by the small things (and maybe even the medium or the big things), but you’ll calm the disturbances for all those around you, too. If you look closely at a boulder in a river, you’ll notice that not only is it unaffected by the tremendous strength of the crashing water, but the water slows and calms down as it passes around it. This is effectively what people mean when they call another person the “rock” in their life.

By being emotionally grounded you are able to take the disturbances in life and calm them down for yourself and all those around you. To be called someone’s “rock” is a tremendous compliment, but it certainly has its cost. While water may seemingly be ineffective against boulders, with enough time and persistent effort, water will eventually prevail. And so will wind. And so will most other persistent forces when given enough time. Boulders aren’t indestructible nor are they forever. And you shouldn’t expect yourself to be either.

Rather, you should become as solid as you can be and in the best ways you know how. You should seek to surround yourself with other boulders as that will help keep the aggressive current of life subdued and easier to manage. And you shouldn’t ever equate yourself to a pebble. One of the quickest ways to increase your emotional weight is to simply change your mind about how you see yourself. It’s amazing how far this simple decision can go. For, as long as you’re thinking and seeing like a pebble, how can your actions and perspectives ever change to that of a boulder? Mind like a boulder, first. Life like a boulder will happen, second.

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