by Ever felt like you’re stuck inside yourself, racing from thought to thought without a moment’s peace? Picture this: you wake up in a building with no exits—only a staircase spiraling upward, floor after floor. At first, you might panic. But then you realize: this building is you—your body, your mind, your everyday habits and distractions. And above you? A rooftop that opens onto a never-ending sky.
Starting the Climb
On the first few flights, your mind buzzes with everything you left behind: that text you forgot to send, the meeting you’re dreading, the grocery list you still need to make. Each step becomes a choice: “Do I stop and replay those worries?” Or “Do I keep climbing?” You keep climbing.
Finding a Quiet Corner
Halfway up, something shifts. The chatter in your head quiets down, just a little. You notice the rhythm of your breathing, the feel of each foot on the stair. Suddenly, you’re not so tangled in thoughts. You’re simply… present. It’s like discovering a hidden nook in your own house where nothing else exists but the gentle hush of being.
Seeing Things Differently
A few more flights, and the air feels lighter. You remember times you got stuck in the same loop—worrying about “what ifs,” comparing yourself to others, replaying old failures. But from here, you can almost see those patterns from the outside. You watch them slip away as you turn each corner on the stairs.
Stepping Out onto the Roof
Then you’re there: the rooftop. The staircase ends, and overhead is the sky—vast, open, welcoming. In that moment, you realize you’re not the building. You’re not your worries or your to-do lists. You’re the one standing on the roof, aware of it all, untouched by the noise.
Merging with the Sky
There’s no struggle to “become” something different. You’re simply the space that holds everything. You and the sky have always been inseparable. You feel your edges soften, until there’s only openness.
Bringing It Back Home
You don’t need an actual building to try this. Every time you catch yourself spiraling—pausing your breath for a few conscious seconds, noticing your thoughts without judgment, taking a mindful walk—you’re climbing. Little by little, you leave behind what doesn’t serve you and touch that same quiet rooftop inside.
Next time life feels boxed in, remember this staircase. Even a single mindful breath is a step upward. And when you pause at the top, you’ll see it was never about escaping your life—it was about discovering the vast sky that was inside you all along.
