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Modern Distractions and the Quiet Return to Yourself

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We live in a world that is constantly asking for our attention.

Not always loudly. Sometimes it’s subtle. A quick glance at the phone. A habit of filling silence. A pull to stay mentally “on” even when nothing is actually happening.

And slowly, without noticing, we can start living more reactively than presently.

Same world, deeper view… but only when we pause long enough to actually see it.

The nature of modern distraction

Most distractions today don’t feel like distractions in the moment. They feel normal. Even necessary.

But if you begin to observe them closely, you start to notice a pattern—they pull us out of direct experience and into constant stimulation.

Not to label them as bad, but to simply become aware.

Digital noise

Our phones are often the first and last thing we touch in a day.

  • Scrolling without intention
  • Checking notifications out of habit
  • Moving from app to app without realizing how much time has passed
  • Short-form videos that keep the mind in constant motion

None of this is unusual anymore. But it does something quietly—it fragments attention.

The mind that never stops

Even when we’re not on our phones, the mind continues the movement.

  • Replaying conversations
  • Imagining future outcomes
  • Comparing our lives to others
  • Trying to solve problems that are not happening in the present moment

It’s not wrong. It’s just busy.

And sometimes, busyness can become a way of avoiding stillness.

The pace of life

We’ve learned to equate movement with productivity.

  • Always rushing, even when there’s no urgency
  • Filling every quiet moment with sound or content
  • Overbooking our time so there’s no space left to just be

But depth doesn’t grow in rush. It grows in space.

Subtle forms of escape

Not all distractions look like technology.

Sometimes it’s:

  • Shopping to shift a feeling
  • Seeking validation through responses or attention
  • Constantly trying to improve or fix ourselves
  • Mistaking information for transformation

Even “growth” can become a distraction if it keeps us from actually being here.

What begins to change when you notice

You don’t have to remove everything.

You just start noticing.

And in that noticing, something quiet happens—you begin to return.

Return to:

  • the moment you are actually in
  • the experience happening right in front of you
  • the simplicity of being aware

This is where perception starts to deepen.

Not because the world changes…
but because you are no longer moving through it on autopilot.

Same world.
Deeper view.

A softer way of living

Maybe the goal isn’t to escape distraction completely.

Maybe it’s just to notice when you’ve been pulled away… and gently come back.

Over and over again.

Not perfectly.
Not forcefully.
Just consistently.

Because life is not happening in the next scroll, the next thought, or the next moment of stimulation.

It’s happening here.

Always here.

A Flys Purpose – Learning To Appreciate

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Flies are easy to dislike, but they’re actually doing a lot of quiet, essential work in the background of life. If you shift the lens just a little, they start to look less like annoyances and more like tiny recyclers keeping the world moving.

First, they’re nature’s cleanup crew. Many flies, especially species like the housefly, feed on decaying organic matter. That means they help break down dead plants, food waste, and even animal remains. Without them (and organisms like them), the world would literally start piling up with decay.

They’re also surprisingly important for pollination. We always think of bees, but flies visit flowers too, transferring pollen as they go. Some plants actually rely heavily on flies to reproduce.

Then there’s their role in the food chain. Flies are a major food source for birds, frogs, spiders, and other insects. So even if they feel small and insignificant, they’re supporting entire ecosystems.

And here’s one people don’t think about much: flies help with nutrient recycling. By breaking things down, they return nutrients to the soil, which helps plants grow. It’s like they’re part of this invisible loop—nothing wasted, everything transformed.

If you want a more metaphorical way to see them:

flies are reminders that even the parts of life we resist have a role. They move toward what we avoid—decay, mess, endings—and turn it into something that feeds new life. There’s something almost poetic in that.

You don’t have to love them hovering around your food—but maybe you can see them as little workers in a much bigger system, doing a job most of us wouldn’t want to do.

Here are some ways to keep flies out without harming them:

1. Open the “exit door” strategy
When a fly gets in, open a window or door and turn off indoor lights if it’s daytime. Flies naturally move toward light, so they’ll often find their way out on their own.

2. Use a simple catch-and-release
Grab a cup and a piece of paper. Gently place the cup over the fly, slide the paper underneath, and carry it outside. It’s quick, and once you get the hang of it, surprisingly easy.

3. Make your home less inviting
Flies, like the housefly, are drawn to food smells and moisture.

  • Keep fruit in the fridge or covered
  • Take trash out regularly
  • Wipe down counters after meals
    You’re not fighting them—you’re just removing the invitation.

4. Natural scent deterrents
Flies dislike certain smells. Things like basil, mint, lavender, or eucalyptus near windows can help discourage them from coming in.

5. Gentle airflow
A fan near entry points can help—flies aren’t strong fliers, so moving air makes it harder for them to settle inside.

Walking Away to Come Back

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“How can you walk away from something and still come back to it?”
— Coraline

I used to think this meant returning to a person or a place.

But I think it’s about life itself.

We spend so much of our time believing happiness is waiting somewhere else. Somewhere bigger, louder, more exciting. A different house. A different body. A different stage of life. We quietly assume this ordinary day cannot possibly be “it.”

So we mentally walk away.

We chase improvement. We chase identity. We chase the feeling that something is missing.

And maybe we even reach some of it — the goals, the recognition, the change.

But then something unexpected happens.

It doesn’t fill what we thought it would.

Because stimulation is not the same thing as peace.

Slowly we begin to notice the small things we once overlooked — morning light in the kitchen, a familiar laugh from another room, simple meals, quiet routines, the people who were beside us the entire time.

You only understand the value of water when you’ve been thirsty.

And sometimes we only understand the value of our lives after we’ve tried to outgrow them.

We come back.

Not because life became smaller,
but because our sight became clearer.

We didn’t actually return to the same life.
We returned with understanding.

Sometimes the journey away is necessary, because it teaches us how to finally see what was already enough.

We didn’t come back to less.

We came back to what was real.

The Collapse Before The Finish Line

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The collapse before the finish line……

do you know what I’m talking about?

Those runners who begin a strenuous marathon….at first the momentum is strong. The adrenaline is pumped, they are excited, they are waving to people!

Then, towards the middle the smile turns into a smirk, the pace has become slowed, they are focusing on their breathing, one step at a time….

Towards the end, they see the actual finish line.

That’s when the tears come, all of sudden they become so weak though they are so close! So close! The finish line is right there!

And then they either finish strong through the grace of God or who knows ..or they collapse…….

…

……

….

……..

…

……

…

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But what happens then…….

Support comes. Family, friends, even strangers carry that runner to the finish line. They cross together. Celebrating strength, growth, perseverance, determination, courage, bravery……

There are people who are collapsing right now. They need your help. They are so close to that finish line but they cannot do it without your help.

There are so many ways we can encourage, support, and lift others. And the smallest ways believe it or not are the most powerful.

Be that person. And let others CARRY YOU TOO.

You have to let others carry you too!

Love and light my friends. We got this!

Why Don’t We All Want to Heal?

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Lately, I’ve been sitting with a question that keeps returning to me:

Why don’t more people want to do the work of inner healing and change?

Not in a judgmental way.

More in a quiet, wondering way.

Because once you begin that work, once you start peeling back the layers, tending to old wounds, and inviting God into the hidden places — something shifts. Life doesn’t become perfect, but it becomes lighter. Clearer. More honest.

And from that place, it can be hard to understand why someone wouldn’t want that too.

I think part of it is this: healing asks for truth. And truth can feel terrifying when you’ve spent years surviving by avoiding it.

The Bible says, “The light exposes everything” — and exposure requires courage. Not everyone is ready to look at themselves without armor.

There’s also comfort in what’s familiar.

Even pain can feel safe when it’s all you’ve known. Change asks us to release identities we’ve built around wounds, stories we’ve repeated so often they’ve started to feel like home.

Scripture reminds us that people sometimes “love darkness rather than light,” not because they are bad, but because light asks something of them.

And then there’s humility. Inner healing isn’t about self-improvement alone — it’s about surrender. Admitting we don’t have it all figured out. Letting God lead us somewhere new. “God gives grace to the humble,” but humility is a doorway many are afraid to walk through.

Jesus once asked a man who had been suffering for years,

“Do you want to be healed?”

It seems like an obvious question, until you realize it isn’t.

Healing changes everything.

What I’ve learned is this: the work is deeply personal. You can’t drag someone into transformation. You can’t convince soil to be ready for seed. The same seed is offered, but each heart receives it differently.

So instead of trying to wake anyone up, I try to live awake.

I try to embody the peace that comes from inner work.

The softness that comes from forgiveness.

The strength that comes from renewal.

“Be transformed by the renewing of your mind,” Scripture says — not by forcing others to change, but by allowing yourself to be changed.

Maybe that’s how healing spreads.

Quietly.

Gently.

By example.

And maybe those who are meant to begin their own journey will recognize something familiar in the light …..

and follow it when they’re ready.

Things CAN Get Worse

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You know something I never say, “it can’t get worse than this.”

Call me superstitious or what but I’ve watched enough movies and read enough books that prove the point that it can and possibly will be worse when you test the theory.

Last year towards the end of 2024 my mom had an incredibly rough year.

She lost both of her parents. It happened very fast. My Grandma was in her early 80s and my Grandpa was in his 90s. My grandma passed and then 80 days later my grandpa.

During that ordeal my mom broke her ankle and was healing and plus she had been dealing with all sorts of family drama from her side. It was a nightmare for her. That’s actually an understatement.

Anyways one day we were talking on the phone and she was expressing how she was ready for the new year and that it can only go up from here not get any worse.

I said, “mom don’t say that.”

And she was like, “what..”

and I said, “saying things can’t get worse. They always can. You’ve watched movies! You just don’t say that!”

And then she was like, “wow marie, I didn’t realize how superstitious you were.”

And I was like, “‘mom that’s just truth. Same with if you want to make God laugh you tell him your plans.”

Well guess what you guys…….

My moms foot is still healing by the way but she calls me yesterday and says,

“Marie, I still want you to come up and visit….but umm….”

Me – “mom what is it?”

Her – “I slipped on some ice and broke my back ribs.”

*silence*

Me – “mom!! Are you serious!!! Mom!! This is what i told you! You said it can only go up from here and not get worse and you just broke your ribs!”

Her – “Marie don’t make me laugh, it hurts. I am never saying that again.”

lol oh my gosh. Thank goodness my mom has a great sense of humor and was in good spirits and we had a really good laugh about it.

But let this be a lesson folks!

Don’t test the unknown.

Soften The Heart #33 : Children Are a Gift — Even When Our Childhood Didn’t Feel Like One

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“Children are a gift from the Lord; they are a reward from Him.”

Psalm 127:3

Children are one of the clearest pictures of God’s heart. Their curiosity, honesty, wonder, and purity remind us of what truly matters. Scripture tells us that children are a gift — not because of what they do, but because of who they are: reflections of God’s creativity and love.

As parents, this verse reminds us to slow down and cherish our kids, to remember that they’re not burdens or interruptions but blessings entrusted to us. They bring joy, purpose, and a fresh view of the world.

But for many adults, this verse can stir something deeper.

Not everyone grew up feeling protected, valued, or cherished. Some people carry wounds from a childhood where they were mistreated, overlooked, or harmed. And hearing “children are a gift” can feel confusing — even painful.

So if that’s you, here’s something important to know:

**God’s intention for children was always good.

Your pain was never His plan.**

When the Bible calls children a gift, it is describing how God sees them — not how every human treats them. Some adults act out of their own brokenness, and their choices leave deep marks on innocent hearts. But your mistreatment was never a reflection of your worth. You were always precious. You were always a gift. Someone else simply failed to honor what God created.

And God grieves with you.

He is “close to the brokenhearted” (Psalm 34:18) and fiercely protective of the vulnerable. Jesus Himself said it would be better for a person to be thrown into the sea than to harm a child (Matthew 18:6). That means He saw you. He cared. He never agreed with what was done to you.

The good news?

God restores what was wounded.

He heals the childhood parts of us that were hurt, silenced, or forgotten. And He gently rebuilds what was broken — identity, trust, safety, and hope.

So whether you grew up cherished or neglected, this verse has a message for you:

Cherish the children in your life today — including the child you once were.

Let today be a reminder to love your kids with intention and tenderness…

but also to let God love and restore the parts of you that didn’t receive that same tenderness growing up.

Children are a gift.

And that includes you — the child you used to be, and the person you are becoming.

Unpeeling the Layers: Beginning Shadow Work

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“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will direct your life and you will call it fate.” — Carl Jung

We all have parts of ourselves that we hide — not because they’re bad, but because somewhere along the way, we were taught they shouldn’t exist, or we felt embarrassed or shame.

The truth is, your “shadow” isn’t evil. It’s simply the unseen — the pieces of you that crave your love and understanding.

A huge part of my very own shadow work has been working through the trauma of being adopted. Emotions and feelings that I battled internally by myself.

Healing takes time; remember that.

What Is Shadow Work?

Shadow work is the practice of bringing light to those unseen parts.

It’s about facing your fears, triggers, insecurities, and buried emotions with honesty and compassion.

When you do, something incredible happens:

what once controlled you from the dark begins to heal in the light.

Shadow work isn’t about fixing yourself — it’s about remembering yourself. It’s about making the connections.

How to Begin Shadow Work

1. Create a safe space

Find a quiet place where you can be fully honest. Light a candle, journal, or simply sit in reflection. Shadow work requires gentleness and patience — you’re opening emotional layers that have been closed for a reason.

2. Observe your triggers

Notice what upsets, annoys, or frustrates you in others.

These moments are mirrors — reflections of something within you asking to be seen. Instead of judging the feeling, get curious about it.

3. Meet your emotions without judgment

When anger, jealousy, or sadness arises, don’t push it away. Ask it what it’s trying to show you. Often, our strongest emotions lead directly to our deepest wounds.

4. Journal through the layers

Writing can help you uncover truths you didn’t know you were hiding. Be honest, messy, and real — no one ever has to read it.

Shadow Work Prompts to Begin

• What emotion do I avoid feeling the most, and why?

• What do I criticize most in others that might live within me too?

• What parts of myself do I struggle to accept or show to the world?

• When do I feel unworthy, and where did that belief begin?

• What am I still holding resentment about, and what lesson might be hidden inside it?

• What situations make me feel small, and who taught me that shrinking was safer?

• What am I afraid people would think if they truly knew me?

• What does my inner child need from me right now?

• In what ways do I self-sabotage when things start going well?

• If my pain could speak, what would it say?

Remember: You Are the Light and the Shadow

Shadow work isn’t about becoming “perfect.” It’s about wholeness — learning to hold both the light and the dark with love. Yin and yang.

Each layer you peel back reveals more truth, more compassion, more freedom.

Healing begins the moment you stop running from yourself and start listening.

The Real Reason We Don’t Have World Peace (And How We Can Find It Within)

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“Peace cannot be kept by force; it can only be achieved by understanding.” – Albert Einstein

We talk about world peace as if it’s something out there — a dream we keep chasing but can’t quite reach. Yet maybe the reason we can’t find peace in the world is because we haven’t yet found it within ourselves.

Government shutdowns, wars, and constant divisions are only mirrors of a deeper human truth: we are disconnected. From each other. From nature. From the still voice inside us that remembers what really matters.

The Surface of Conflict

On the surface, countries fight over land, money, and power. Politicians argue over who’s right. But beneath it all lies the same root cause: fear.

Fear of losing control. Fear of not being enough. Fear of not being heard.

When fear leads, compassion fades. And when compassion fades, peace cannot survive.

The Inner War

The world is simply a reflection of the collective inner world of its people.

So many of us carry anger, guilt, resentment, or unhealed wounds — and those emotions ripple outward. We argue, we judge, we close our hearts. It’s no wonder nations do the same.

The truth is, world peace begins with inner peace.

When you choose to forgive someone instead of holding onto pain… when you pause before reacting in anger… when you take a breath instead of shouting back — you shift the frequency of the world around you.

That’s not just poetic. It’s energetic law.

The Forgotten Connection

We’ve been taught to see differences instead of similarities — race, religion, gender, politics. But beyond those layers, we are made of the same dust, the same breath, the same light.

When you look into someone’s eyes and see yourself reflected there, peace is already happening.

We forget that we are not separate waves crashing against each other — we are the same ocean, simply moving in different forms.

The Hope That Still Lives

World peace might never come from a treaty or a politician’s promise.

It might come from something much quieter — the mother teaching her children to be kind, the friend who listens without judgment, the stranger who offers a smile when you need it most.

Every small act of love is a piece of peace.

And when enough of us find peace inside ourselves, the world will no longer have a choice but to reflect it back.

Understanding Your Luteal Phase: The Inner Autumn of Your Cycle And How To Honor This Season

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Your inner Autumn is the luteal phase of your cycle — the days after ovulation and before your period (one or two weeks before you begin).

Just like the season, it’s a time of slowing down, turning inward, and releasing what you no longer need. You may feel more sensitive, reflective, or craving rest. It’s your body’s way of preparing for renewal.

What’s Happening in Your Body

After you ovulate, your body begins to produce more progesterone, a hormone that helps prepare your uterus for a possible pregnancy. If no fertilized egg implants, hormone levels eventually drop, signaling your body that it’s time to shed the uterine lining — which becomes your period.

This phase usually lasts around 10–14 days. (as mentioned one to two before your period. Side note: every woman’s body is different. Some may last longer or shorter.)

How You Might Feel

As hormones shift, it’s normal to notice changes both physically and emotionally. Some common experiences during the luteal phase include:

•Feeling more tired or sensitive

• Bloating or breast tenderness

• A stronger need for rest and reflection

• Cravings for comfort foods

• Desire for alone time or quiet

• Moody/Irritable

• The need to clean or organize

You may also notice that while your energy is lower, your intuition and emotional awareness become stronger. This is a beautiful time to reflect, tidy up loose ends, and nurture yourself.

How To Honor Your ‘Inner Autumn’ As A Woman – Luteal Phase

1. Slow the pace

Say gentle “no’s” to things that drain you. Schedule fewer social plans and more cozy, restorative time. Allow yourself to rest without guilt — this is nature’s built-in reset.

2. Nourish your body

Eat warm, grounding foods: roasted vegetables, soups, oats, root veggies, and herbal teas (especially cinnamon, ginger, and chamomile). Focus on complex carbs and magnesium-rich foods (like bananas, dark chocolate, nuts, and leafy greens) to ease PMS and support calm. Stay hydrated, especially if you tend to bloat or get constipated.

3. Nurture your emotions

Journal what’s coming up — your luteal phase often reveals what’s not aligned in your life. Be gentle with yourself; your sensitivity is heightened for a reason. Create small rituals of comfort (warm bath, candlelight, quiet evenings).

4. Support your energy

Choose slower, grounding movement like yoga, stretching, or walking. Prioritize sleep and listen to your body’s cues to rest earlier. Practice breathwork or meditation to calm mental chatter.

5. Spiritually honor it

See this time as your “inner autumn” — a season of release, reflection, and preparation for renewal. Ask yourself: What am I ready to let go of before my new cycle begins? Light a candle or take a mindful moment each evening to thank your body for all it’s doing.

Your luteal phase is a teacher — it asks for presence, patience, and trust in your natural rhythms.

When you honor it, you often notice fewer PMS symptoms, more emotional clarity, and a deeper sense of peace with your body.