Field Notes for Well-being for February 5 2026

Field Notes for February 5, 2026 covers how to open your heart to the companionship of God in daily life and a review of Mel Robbins book "Let Them Theory." 

In the section called Finding the Hidden One, you'll hear about a way to handle life in our troubling times with a key insight from the story of two disciples. The book review of Let Them Theory brings an overview of this powerful book for better emotional adjustment.  

The Field Notes webcast shares the best material from recent editions of my newsletter, blog, and publications. Tracks for the Journey and Signposts for the Journey are dedicated to your well-being through spirituality, psychology, and ethics.

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Hello everyone! This is Larry Payne, your host of Tracks for the Journey and Signpost for the Journey. Welcome to the Tracks for the Journey field notes. I'm sharing the best material from recent editions of my newsletter, blog, and publications. Tracks for the Journey and Signposts for the Journey are dedicated to your well-being through spirituality, psychology, and ethics. The first field note is from my Soul Prince series entitled Discovering the Hidden One. Faithful people have venerated the 14-foot-long linen shroud of Turin for 700 years. Photos show a ghostly face, like the negative of a photograph, believed to be an imprint of the face of Jesus. Scientific tests have produced mixed results with traces of blood authenticated and pollen spores native to Jerusalem. Some scientists, after examination with high-tech equipment, say the same image was impossible to make with the primitive forgery techniques available centuries ago. But carbon dating of the fabric seems to say the cloth is only 800 years old. It's not from the time of Jesus. So, could the image truly be the face of the crucified Christ that's with us today? I'd like to ponder a more personal question though. Could I recognize Jesus as a spiritual companion in my everyday life? I suspect most of us feel like the two disciples on the road to Emmaus. The story in Luke 24 tells of Cleopus and a friend walking from Jerusalem to the village of Emmaus. Their minds were confused in racing a hundred miles an hour because the Jesus they had seen scourged and crucified was now rumored to be alive. His body was missing. The women closest to him claimed they had seen him alive, but what could all of this mean? As they walked, a stranger came beside them. He was curious and very knowledgeable about the scripture. So interesting, of course, but nothing really helpful, until the moment their hearts opened to the resurrected Jesus standing at the table. So the question comes: what kept the minds of these two men from recognizing Jesus? Could it be the confusion of their minds, the stress of their worry, or the narrow focus that they had on the problem? We're like them. We may miss Jesus in confused times. Today's headlines plunge us into that confusion. Social media algorithms suck us into the next shocking story or a madman's shooting. Family relationships grow strained when a relative discusses their voting record. We hear the nice house down the road may hide a predator or an abused spouse that appeared on the news last night. Like the disciples on the road, many struggle to hold a real faith in a world like this. We turn inward for the answers of yesterday in the hope they still make sense. Well, I cannot promise an easy fix, of course, to all of this confusion on this fretful road. I can assert the Spirit of God walks nearby, but maybe we haven't seen her yet. God is usually hidden, unrecognized. Look at the Bible examples. In the bush by exiled Moses, in the field by hungry Ruth, or on the lake shore near distraught Galilean fishermen. The need is not for God to be near, but for our attention to take a second look, which reveals what our glance missed. In that moment of awareness, the hidden Jesus shows up. We may see the guiding light, is the living one ready to join us on our journey. So look around you again and look out. The Christ may be nearer than you think. Let's pause for a moment and let me remind you that a subscription to the Tracks for the Journey podcast is only $3 per month. That unlocks more than 25 shows only available to subscribers, with new ones added each month. Go to the website TracksfortheJourney.buzzsprout.com. The other subscription available is to my signpost newsletter and blog on Substack. For only $5 per month, you'll receive the weekly newsletter, bi-weekly blog, and exclusive bonus writings. It's a great way to keep moving on your journey to well-being. Now let me share a final field note for now. The Let Them Theory book is the hyper-popular work by Mel Robbins that has received great response across the world. It's worth your time to get familiar with the ideas for your own self-development. Robbins is a lawyer and entrepreneur who has become the leader of a training-focused media empire. I think her secret power is the capacity to gain insight into complex issues and relate those to the lived experience of the normal reader. Early in her book, she writes, if you're struggling to change your life, achieve your goals, or feel happier, I want you to hear this. The problem isn't you. The problem is the power you are knowingly giving to other people. Robbins has a basic premise that underlines her theory. She says all of us want to feel safe in our emotional and social world. This creates, quote, a fundamental law of human nature. All human beings have a hardwired need for control. But the fact is there one thing you will never be able to control. You will never be able to control or change another person. The only person you are in control of is you. Your thoughts, your actions, and your feelings. The first part is let them, measuring or excuse me, meaning the choice when stressed about a social situation is to give up our efforts to control and change the other person. That really is impossible, so we just let them have their behavior or opinion. She also goes ahead to say there is a vital second part to the theory. That's called let me. Pausing to allow our emotions to settle, we choose our reaction to the other person. And when we control ourselves and our reaction, which is the only thing we can fully do, we are empowered to live out our values, potential, and energy. So there are two parts. Let them have their opinions, let me choose my reaction. In her book, Robin shares many personal stories that help readers connect to these ideas. She also grounds the book in the truth, excuse me, she also grounds her book in the evidence of psychological research, quoting experts in many fields to build her case. I noted from my experience that the theory is closely related to the well-established psychological modality of acceptance and commitment therapy. She also finds parallels with many major spiritual traditions. So beyond the effectiveness of these basic ideas, I saw value in the awareness of how much my emotions and choices are influenced by the other person and the social connection. I'm not as independent as I think I am, but instead a social creature who makes many choices in unthinking response to the other person. This was matched with the insight by Robbins that my attitude influences others in a powerful way. Having a reaction that is wise in a given situation creates a climate of understanding and progress for everyone involved. So it's no surprise that this book has sold over 10 million copies. To be one of the top sellers of 2025, Robbins has produced an interesting practical work which I can recommend to everyone interested in greater personal satisfaction and positive relationships. So thank you for listening to this edition of Field Notes. I will be publishing this every other week or so to keep you up with the material that is dedicated to your well-being. And I welcome your comments and ideas. So email me at connectfj at yahoo.com. Let me say that again. Connecttfj at yahoo.com. And you can also find more resources at the Tracks for the Journey website, which is tracksforthejourney.com. Keep moving on your journey to well being. This is Larry Payne, and I thank you for sharing this time with me.