If we really want to communicate, we have to give up knowing what to do. When we come in with our agendas, they only block us from seeing the person in front of us. It’s best to drop our five-year plans and accept the awkward sinking feeling that we are entering a situation naked. We don’t know what will happen or what we’ll do.

Pema Chödron

from the book Start Where You Are: A Guide to Compassionate Living

Read a random quote or see all quotes by Pema Chödron.

Further quotes from the book Start Where You Are:

• The happiness we seek is already here
• Teachings 24/7
• Compassion along the path
• Moving away from comfort and security
• Self-liberate even the antidote
• Bottomless heart
• Underneath there’s something extremely soft
• You are guaranteed to be burned
• Where Do Thoughts Come From
• Learning from everything
• Gloriousness and wretchedness