Forming a Canyon

[DISCLAIMER]

Throughout my life, I’ve frequented Palo Duro Canyon (PDC) which is a canyon system of the Caprock Escarpment located in the Texas Panhandle near the cities of Amarillo and Canyon, and is the second largest canyon system in the United States. According to one source:

The canyon was formed by the Prairie Dog Town Fork Red River, which initially winds along the level surface of the Llano Estacado of West Texas, then suddenly and dramatically runs off the Caprock Escarpment. Water erosion over the millennia has shaped the canyon’s geological formations.

As I was born and predominately raised in Amarillo, I recall learning about the significance of water erosion (the process of soil being detached and transported away by the force of water, such as raindrops or flowing water). That’s what shaped PDC, of which I’m fond.

Even on a much smaller scale, the eroding effect of water can play an important role near one’s own inner-city home. As an example, sinkholes are caused by water dissolving underlying rock, which creates underground cavities. According to one source:

The formation of sinkholes involves natural processes of erosion or gradual removal of slightly soluble bedrock (such as limestone) by percolating water, the collapse of a cave roof, or a lowering of the water table.

Sinkholes often form through the process of suffosion. For example, groundwater may dissolve the carbonate cement holding the sandstone particles together and then carry away the lax particles, gradually forming a void.

Whether regarding a sinkhole within an urban area or a canyon associated with a rural area, water erosion relates to a powerful force—albeit a sometimes slow process. When further contemplating this matter, I’m reminded of a book that I’ve been steadily reading.

As Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT) is informed by Stoic philosophy, this blog entry is part of an ongoing series regarding a book entitled The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living by Ryan Holiday and Stephen Hanselman.

The authors credit a quote to Zeno of Citium, the founder of the Stoic school of philosophy, who reportedly stated, “Well-being is realized by small steps, but is truly no small thing” (page 167). Regarding this citation, authors of The Daily Stoic add (page 167):

The famous biographer Diogenes Laertius attributes this quote to Zeno but admits that it might have also been said by Socrates, meaning that it may be a quote of a quote of a quote. But does it really matter? Truth is truth. In this case, the truth is one we know well: the little things add up.

Forming a canyon, such as PDC, is accomplished by little things adding up. Although each individual water droplet could easily be discounted, water erosion over time is influenced by tiny beads of liquid. Regarding this perspective, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 167):

Someone is a good person not because they say they are, but because they take good actions. One does not magically get one’s act together—it is a matter of many individual choices.

It’s a matter of getting up at the right time, making your bed, resisting shortcuts, investing in yourself, doing your work. And make no mistake: while the individual action is small, its cumulative impact is not.

Formation of PDC reportedly occurred over the millennia. Thus, the cumulative impact of individual water droplets over time was significant. So, too, is the process of improving one’s own mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”).

No matter what so-called mental health “influencers” on social media may tell you, generally speaking, there’s no overnight solution to wellness. Even a sinkhole that may suddenly appear took time to form. In conclusion, authors of The Daily Stoic state (page 167):

Think about all the small choices that will roll themselves out in front of you today. Do you know which are the right way and which are the easy way? Choose the right way, and watch as all these little things add up toward transformation.

Your mental health improvement takes time. Still, that time begins with a single action in the “right” direction. Forming a canyon takes time and is influenced by droplets of water. Likewise, your mental health progress starts when “little things add up toward transformation.”

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

References:

Daily Stoic. (n.d.). Translating the Stoics: An interview with “The Daily Stoic” co-author Stephen Hanselman. Retrieved from https://dailystoic.com/stephen-hanselman-interview/

Holiday, R. and Hanselman, S. (2016). The daily stoic: 366 meditations on wisdom, perseverance, and the art of living. Penguin Random House LLC. Retrieved from https://www.pdfdrive.com/the-daily-stoic-366-meditations-on-wisdom-perseverance-and-the-art-of-living-d61378067.html

Hollings, D. (2022, March 15). Disclaimer. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/disclaimer

Hollings, D. (2024, February 25). Doing the work. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/doing-the-work

Hollings, D. (2024, May 17). Feeling better vs. getting better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/feeling-better-vs-getting-better-1

Hollings, D. (2023, October 12). Get better. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/get-better

Hollings, D. (2022, November 22). Good man. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/good-man

Hollings, D. (n.d.). Hollings Therapy, LLC [Official website]. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/

Hollings, D. (2023, September 19). Life coaching. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/life-coaching

Hollings, D. (2024, March 4). Mental, emotional, and behavioral health. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-emotional-and-behavioral-health

Hollings, D. (2025, November 16). Mental health, mental illness, and mental disorder. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/mental-health-mental-illness-and-mental-disorder

Hollings, D. (2023, April 24). On truth. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/on-truth

Hollings, D. (2025, April 9). Perception, action, and will. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/perception-action-and-will

Hollings, D. (2024, May 5). Psychotherapist. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/psychotherapist

Hollings, D. (2022, March 24). Rational emotive behavior therapy (REBT). Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/rational-emotive-behavior-therapy-rebt

Hollings, D. (2024, March 24). Smartphone and social media addiction. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/smartphone-and-social-media-addiction

Hollings, D. (2024, April 21). Stoicism. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/stoicism

Hollings, D. (2025, February 28). To try is my goal. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/to-try-is-my-goal

Hollings, D. (2024, August 20). We all make our choices. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/we-all-make-our-choices

Hollings, D. (2024, September 29). Well, well, well. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/well-well-well

Hollings, D. (2025, May 7). Where I grew up. Hollings Therapy, LLC. Retrieved from https://www.hollingstherapy.com/post/where-i-grew-up

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Diogenes Laertius. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diogenes_Laertius

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Palo Duro Canyon. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palo_Duro_Canyon

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Ryan Holiday. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ryan_Holiday

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Sinkhole. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sinkhole

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Socrates. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socrates

Wikipedia. (n.d.). Zeno of Citium. Retrieved from https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zeno_of_Citium