Riding the Waves of Life

Srinivas stood outside a busy café, his heart pounding in his chest. He felt like a lonely island surrounded by a sea of laughter and chattering people. The noise made his stomach twist, reminding him of all the times he’d stayed away from crowds because he was scared. 

His brain was always full of worries

— about work, health, money, family and even friends.

But today, something had changed. After talking with a therapist for months, Srinivas had learned to think about his fear in a new way. Instead of running away from it, he decided to look at it like waves in the ocean—coming and going. With a deep breath, he stepped inside. And you know what? He didn’t get swallowed up by the waves of noise and worry. He rode them, and soon, he felt warmth and connection from the people around him.

Not far away, Bhavani, who was 25, was struggling with her own big feelings. Sometimes, it felt like every emotion she had was a huge wave, ready to knock her down. But Bhavani had been learning to understand her emotions with kindness & Self Compassion. One night, when her anger felt like a big wave about to crash, she stopped. Instead of yelling, she talked to a friend. That small choice helped her calm down and feel better.

Vamshi, 37, was stuck in the deep ocean of sadness after his wife passed away from cancer. For a long time, it felt like he was drowning in grief. But with some help, Vamshi understood that sadness wasn’t something to fight against. It was like a long journey. As he remembered the good times with his wife, he started to feel peaceful. One day, he even made a scrapbook, remembering all the happy moments they shared together. It helped him feel better.

Then there was Jessica, 48, who hurt her body in a car crash. Every day, she felt pain, and it was hard. But Jessica had learned something special: she didn’t have to get rid of her pain to be happy.

She could still enjoy little things, 

like walking in the park or 

laughing with friends. 

Even though her body hurt, she found ways to FEEL FREE

Even though Srinivas, Bhavani, Vamshi, and Jessica were all going through different struggles, they learned something the same: 

when life gets tough, it’s okay.

 Sometimes, the challenges we face are like big waves, but if we don’t try to fight them, we can learn to ride them. Each wave they faced made them stronger.

In the end, they all found out that life’s challenges weren’t something to run from. They were just big waves, and if you embrace them, they could help you grow, connect with others, and find strength.

Moral of the Story: 

The tough times in life

—whether it’s feeling anxious, angry, sad, or hurt

— aren’t walls stopping you from being happy. 

They are waves. If you let them come and go, you can grow and become stronger, and they might even help you find the peace you’re looking for.

Question :

1❓ How do you think each person’s experience with their own emotional "waves" changed the way they saw themselves and their struggles? 

2 ❓ Do you think that embracing those emotions helped them find peace, 

or

was it the action they took in the midst of their emotions that mattered more?