Good now, beautiful soul.
I woke up feeling… off.
Not in crisis. Not in pain. Just… foggy. Heavy in the chest. No clear reason. No specific memory tied to it.
And my mind, as minds do, tried to assign meaning:
“Did I forget something?”
“Was it something I said?”
“Maybe I didn’t do enough yesterday.”
But before I let the spiral begin, a quiet voice within me whispered:
“This Now moment has nothing to do with yesterday.
And yesterday does not dictate this Now moment.”
I exhaled.
And I remembered that just because a feeling shows up doesn’t mean I need to build a story around it.
In my master’s program right now, we’re studying the brain and consciousness. A recent lecture, my professor, Dr. Fred Travis, reminded us that “The brain is an infinitely dynamic self-organizing system that continually—throughout our lives—is shaped by ongoing experience. Whatever you put your attention on grows stronger in your awareness. All experiences, from ordinary sensory experience to the experience of pure consciousness, is imprinted in physical form in the structure and functioning of the brain.”
I appreciate these synchronicities and reminders. What I put my attention on, in this now moment, is shaping the way my brain behaves and the experiences I have. So the sooner I can catch myself creating a now moment that I don’t want more of, the better!
Giving Grace to Rumination
Rumination is often just love with no place to land.
It’s our caring nature looping back on itself, trying to “fix” what isn’t broken, or relive what can’t be changed.
But presence offers us a path out:
This moment. This breath. This Now.
A Shifting Practice to Try On …
When I wake up feeling emotionally tangled, I’ve learned to ask:
Can I feel this without feeding it?
What is my body asking for right now?
If this fog is a messenger, what might it be saying gently?
These questions don’t require answers. They just help me stay in the room with myself, without judgment.
And from there, I can begin again. I can also choose to go deeper if I’d like.
Journal Prompt (if it resonates):
What weight from yesterday can I lovingly set down today?
Optional Practice:
Before reacting to a lingering mood, take three deep breaths and whisper:
This moment is new. So am I.
A Final Whisper:
The sky changes without asking for permission.
So can you.
Now is not yesterday.
With presence and grace,
Nicole
Part of the Inner Game of Success series — success through stillness.
This is a great message Nicole, and you delivered it masterfully. This perspective of the looping mind is eye-opening. "Rumination is often love with no place to land." And yes, "presence is the way out." I am so glad that I ran across this post this morning, I too was a little off. Thank you. Happy Writing! 🤠🤙