When you live from your middle ground, life is in balance. There is no fear, no anxiety or depression. You are in the present moment and content.
Knowing that this place is available to us is reassuring … but our minds have “minds of their own” and still prefer to go into their own tailspin of thoughts about the past or worry about the future.
How do we recognize when our emotions start to sabotage us or our overactive thinking takes over?
By regularly checking in with ourselves.
We may do it as a formal practice such as yoga or meditation, but a really helpful informal daily practice is to do mindful check-ins with yourself.
I use an app called Chakra Chime on my iPhone. It goes off at 8am every morning and 6pm at night. Its a signal for me to STOP and check in with myself.
STOP stands for:
S = Stop for a moment…
T = Take a full deep breath…
O = Observe… What am I aware of right now? … What is alive in me? Can I be with it whatever is coming up right now.
P = Proceed… What do I choose to do now that I have stepped back and been an observer of myself. The options are many…
Stay with what I am feeling deeply right now? Use my mood kit app to explore what’s behind my thinking? Take a break? Reach out to someone who cares? Pack up? Re- schedule? Breath some more? Stretch? Let go of whatever I’m holding on to?
A STOP mindful check-in brings us into the present moment and opens up new possibilities.
In this moment let life unfold.
Slow down to the speed of life.
Listen to your inner wisdom.
… And consider making this a daily practice
Find Your Middle Ground 
I needed this – thank you!
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Glad it resonated with you today Julie!
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Excellent reflection, Val.
How we feel in THIS moment (sad, mad, bad, glad, rad) often stems from what we were thinking a moment ago. If we aren’t mindful as thoughts arise, we relegate the “choice” to a crap shoot or a roll of the dice.
Do ya feel lucky, punk? Well, do ya?
“And yet not choice but habit rules the unreflecting herd.” ~ William Wordsworth
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Thanks for the rad contribution Nancy 🙂
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A great idea, checking in. Being present shouldn’t be reserved for periods of meditation but a goal to try to achieve for the majority if the time. Then all if life becomes a meditation 🙂
Thanks for sharing the link to the apps Val.
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You are welcome Robert! May life become a meditation for all of us. 😃
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So simple and so empowering. Thank you.
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Thanks Colleen! Have a good weekend:)
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You too! 🙂
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This is FABULOUS! Love the acronym for STOP. And the idea of setting my allarm at 8 and 6. Beautiful. thanks.
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Just what we all need when we have lots on our plates 😌
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So simple, and yet so powerful… This mirrors my moment-to-moment practice beautifully, and I also like to add for myself this question: What brings my heart joy right now? And I do my best to drop any thoughts or emotions that don’t serve that joyful vibration… I am thankful to have stumbled onto your blog. Looking forward to following along. Love, gorgeous soul ❤
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Thank you so much Laura Luna 🙂
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Reblogged this on earthshare.
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Thank you Windy!
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I like the acronym. Yes, stopping,calming, looking deeply…that’s the way I think and its good to have reminders. i also have a chime on my phone (although the phone itself often seems to be the problem. bets wishes.
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Thank you Chris. When the phone keeps making noises it could have the opposite affect …. 😉
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I think this is a great tip, Val. Stop, Take a Breath, Observe, Proceed. I can use this!
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Thank you Eliza! It’s a helpful tool 🙂
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I just stopped to write the STOP acronym on my whiteboard as a reminder to myself. Thanks Val!
Diana xo
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Love this, I will use it in my meditation classes this week. Thankyou Val 🙂
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Awesome Karen! 🙏
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I am working on some of the same things! Great read!
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Thank you. I’m glad this resonated 💛
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