The stress of being with others could make you feel like taking time to be alone to regroup today. Perhaps because you have been so involved in your previous activities, you may be feeling emotionally drained and maybe even moody. Spending time alone in quiet reflection or meditation today might help you to feel more at ease with your own emotions and could give you the energy you need to be with others later on. While sitting in meditation, you might wish to watch your own feelings as they arise and pass. You may notice that your feelings of discomfort are not the result of your immediate environment, but are simply habitual thoughts that come into your mind. Seeing this might make it easier for you to recognize that your unease does not necessarily come from being with others, but rather from your sensitivity to your everyday thoughts.

Observing our thoughts as they appear can make us more aware of the effects those thoughts have on our mood. If we can see that our irritability does not necessarily come from the people around us or the activities we have engaged in, but rather from the stream of thoughts that progresses through our minds, we will come to understand that simply watching those thoughts and recognizing their patterns helps to lift our mood. As you relax your mind and watch it without holding onto the emotions attached to your thoughts, you will become less stressed and better able to cope with the people and events in your life today.