HOW TO OBSERVE AND NOT ABSORB THINGS: THE KEY TO INNER PEACE

TO OBSERVE AND NOT ABSORB

Are You Living Life, or Is Life Living You?

have you Ever felt drained after a long day of scrolling through social media and trying to absorbing every headline, opinion, and drama about the happenings of the world around like a human sponge?

then You are not alone! In today’s hyper-connected world, we are constantly knowing or unknowingly absorbing emotions, stress, and chaos from everything around us

But here is the secret to inner peace and clarity which many life philosophers and life management gurus and even ancient scriptures try to teach us this very important aspect of life and that is to OBSERVE and not ABSORB it

we all are getting knowingly or unknowingly engrossed in this world wind drama of chaos and we all want to get out of it and find peace within us and our surroundings

these are the findings of great gurus of have lived life the way where living in the moment by just observing things and let it pass away rather than absorbing the whole drama into our lives

i myself am trying to get hold and control of my emotions by holding on to the principles which our spiritual gurus have tried to teach us and which i would like to pass on to my readers as well so that we all Can get benefitted

“You have power over your mind—not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.” – Marcus Aurelius

https://humanmagnetsyndrome.com/hmsblog/observe-dont-absorb-technique-how-to-disconnect-from-the-narcissist/

Let’s break it down with real-life examples and learn how shifting from absorption to observation can transform your life

The Difference Between to Observe and not Absorb

to Observe means : Watching things unfolding around us without getting too much emotionally entangled. It is like being a passenger on a train, looking at the scenery as it passes the way it is without any judgement

to Absorb means : Taking in every detail, letting it affect your mood, emotions, and decisions. It’s like standing in the rain without an umbrella and soaking in all the chaos in the atmosphere

Absorbing life makes you reactive, overwhelmed, and exhausted easily

Observing life makes you calm, wise, and in control

“He who controls others may be powerful, but he who has mastered himself is mightier still.” – Lao Tzu

a Mythological Perspective about Krishna’s Teachings to Arjuna on how TO OBSERVE AND NOT ABSORB

One of the most profound examples on how To OBSERVE and not ABSORB life with unnecessary emotions comes from the BHAGAVAD GITA

On the battlefield of Kurukshetra, Arjuna was overwhelmed with emotions, absorbing the fear, sorrow, and moral dilemma of fighting his own kin. He was ready to give up

But Lord Krishna, acting as his charioteer and guide, taught him the power of detachment and observation

Krishna advised Arjuna to see the battle for what it was—a duty he had to perform without being weighed down by emotions and attachments

He encouraged Arjuna to act with awareness, without attachment to the outcome.

This is the essence of being a mirror, not a sponge.

that is TO OBSERVE AND NOT ABSORB

Instead of drowning in despair, Arjuna learned to focus on his purpose with clarity and wisdom and not get affected with the drama around

This lesson applies to our lives today

When we find ourselves emotionally entangled in situations which is beyond our control, we must step back, observe, and act wisely rather than absorbing every emotion that comes our way and start reacting to it

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Real-Life Examples on how To Observe And Not Absorb

1. The Social Media Storm

to Absorb: You scroll through your feed and you see someone’s perfect vacation and suddenly feel terrible about your own life

You absorb their happiness as a sign of your lack

to Observe: You see the post, acknowledge it, and then move on. You remind yourself that social media is a highlight reel and not a reality

2. Office Drama

to Absorb: Your coworker complains about the boss and after that discussion suddenly you feel stressed too—even though nothing changed in your own workload

to Observe: You listen without internalizing, without acknowledging the negativity. You empathize, but you don’t let it ruin your peace of mind

3. The Rude Stranger

to Absorb: Someone cuts you off in a traffic, and you carry that thought that frustration all day long

to Observe: You take a deep breath, recognize that their bad driving isn’t your problem and you let it go

4. The Breaking News Cycle

to Absorb: You read endless bad news and feel anxious about it, even though most of it is beyond your control

to Observe: You stay informed but detach emotionally. You can focus on what you can change instead of drowning in what you cannot change

Being a Mirror and Not a Sponge

Imagine yourself standing in front of a storm.

A sponge will absorb the raindrops, becoming heavy, drenched and burdened

A mirror on the other hand, however, will simply reflect the raindrops, staying clear and unaffected with the storm

Being a mirror means witnessing the life’s events without drowning in them or absorbing them.

It means staying in the present, acknowledging the emotions, and responding with clarity rather than reacting impulsively

How do we Cultivate the Mindset of a mirror:

Detach Without Disconnecting – Care about the world, but don’t let it consume you

Respond, Don’t React – Take a pause before allowing the external chaos to overcome your emotions

Be Mindfully Aware – Recognize the emotions but don’t let them control you

Let Go off the issues of What is Not Yours – Not every problem is yours to solve; choose your battles wisely

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How to Master the Art - to Observe and not absorb

✅ Practicing Mindfulness – start Taking a deep breath before reacting. Ask yourself, “Is this mine to carry?”

✅ Set Emotional Boundaries – Not every problem requires your emotional investment. Some things need awareness, not absorption

✅ Limit Exposure to Negativity – Control your intake of news, gossip, and drama. Choose what deserves your attention

✅ Detach, Don’t Disconnect – Being detached doesn’t mean being indifferent. It means caring without losing yourself in the chaos

✅ Be an Observer of Your Own Mind – Notice your thoughts without attaching to them. Meditation is a great tool for this

✅ Stay Present and Centered – The more you ground yourself in the present, the less likely you are to get carried away by external influences

Key Takeaways on how to observe and not absorb

🔹 Observing life brings peace; absorbing life brings stress

🔹 Detachment is power—you can care without being consumed

🔹 Not everything requires a reaction. Sometimes, silence is the best response

🔹 Life becomes lighter when you stop carrying things that aren’t yours

🔹 Be a mirror—reflect, observe, and let go. Don’t be a sponge—soaking in everything will only weigh you down

do watch my blog

https://reflectwithsmitha.com/how-is-epsom-salt-the-best-remedy-for-muscle-pain-relief/

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Final Thought: Are You the Sponge or the Mirror?

A sponge soaks up everything—good, bad, and ugly.

A mirror, on the other hand, reflects without attachment

A sponge soaks up everything—good, bad and ugly—leaving itself heavy, burdened, and often filled with negativity

A mirror, on the other hand, reflects everything it sees but remains unchanged, unaffected, and clear.

The world around us is full of chaos, emotions, and distractions, but the power lies in choosing how we interact with all those things

Life will always throw challenges, emotions, and distractions your way.

The key is learning to observe without absorbing, reflect without reacting, and live without carrying unnecessary weight

Do we want to carry the weight of every experience on our minds, or simply acknowledge, reflect, and move forward with calmness and clarity?

The choice is ours

i have decided to take the path of an observer

Which one do you want to be?

Drop your thoughts in the comments! Are you an observer or an absorber? Let’s talk. 😊

here's to conclude with a disclaimer

i am no teacher or saint to preach or teach people

but by god’s grace i come upon such references from books and teachings from spiritual books which gives us a lot of wisdom and ways to live our valuable life meaningfully

and teach ourselves and the people whom we associate with – to live with the right code of conduct and to raise our standard of living

making smaller changes in life will not only help us be a better individual but also bring a valuable change in the society, in the current scenario which is very much required

however small it may be but let’s atleast start from OURSELVES

let’s make the world a better place with our small efforts in all aspects of living

so that’s all friends, hope i could bring some insight in you

until next time, keep smiling

much love .. stay happy .. stay blessed … ALWAYS

SMITHA