Mastering Presence: Transcending Distractions - Week 8

Calm the Ego with love, persistence, and a range of tools to reclaim focus and inner peace. Be assured, mental noise is all part of the process and an invitation to go beyond our old patterns.

<MichelleCowles, LoveisDivine>

Feb 15, 2025

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Transcending Distractions and Overcoming Mindlessness

In our fast-paced world, distractions are everywhere. They creep in, often subtly, pulling us away from the present moment and creating a fog of mindlessness. Our busy brains are constantly buzzing with thoughts of to-do lists, urgent tasks, and worries about the future. From the pressure to always be productive to the sensory overload of technology, these distractions not only make it harder to be present—they can also erode our sense of self-worth, increase our anxiety, and sap our energy. But there is no judgment here. We’ve been doing the work that helps us to remember every experience is an opportunity to choose something better.

Before we continue with Week 8, let’s review last week and take a moment to note any changes or significant shifts in awareness.

Finding ways to BE. Photo by Xan Griffin

Recap for Week 7: Body Gratitude

Body Gratitude - Week 7

<MichelleCowles, LoveisDivine>

Feb 8

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In Week 7, we asked: What if "mind, body, spirit" is in the wrong order? What if our spirit, not our mind, is the foundation of who we are, and our physical body is the sacred vessel we chose to experience life? Instead of focusing on meeting external beauty standards (who made others the boss of beauty?), we accepted the invitation to embrace our bodies as the perfect form chosen by our spirit.

The learnt imbalance of self-criticism is emotionally and energetically exhausting and more. Did you know much of our dis-ease comes from not loving ourselves? When we shift our perspective and stop judging our bodies based on societal ideals, we can support ourselves to release body anxiety and begin to love our physical form unconditionally.

Take a moment to reflect on your progress and ask yourself:

In what ways have I judged or rejected parts of my body, and how have I shifted my perspective to love and honour it as the sacred vessel it is?

So how did you go? I’d love to hear from you if you want to share.

1. Boundaries? I want to Break Free!

The root of many distractions lies in the lack of boundaries—both with others and with ourselves. When we say "yes" too often, whether it's to social commitments, work requests, or even to our own internal pressure to be productive, we spread ourselves thin. Remember, regardless of how we might justify the need to regularly put everyone else first, this pattern is an unhealed version of not seeing ourselves as worthy of our priority.

I have a beautiful neighbour who has taught me a powerful ‘no’. With warmth and genuine goodwill, she smiles, gently shakes her head and firmly says ‘no’. It holds no rancour; it is simply a complete statement that conveys she is unable to oblige on this occasion.

Activity: If you are a chronic ‘yes’ person, start by giving yourself some breathing space to consider what you are being asked - or what you are asking of yourself! Acknowledge the request and then reply with, ‘I need to get back to you’. This gives an opportunity to check your commitments and answer mindfully rather than as a ‘knee jerk’ response. While you are checking your calendar, consider:

Does the request bring you joy?
- Not sure? Imagine how it feels to be participating. Does it feel warm and inviting, or from obligation?
Check in with your gut - how does it feel? It is the centre of your core knowing.
Become objective: Is saying ‘yes’ preventing the other person from expansion? If we always fill the gap, we rob them of finding other solutions or making new connections, their growth!
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2. Taking Control of Your Energy: Combatting Exhaustion

Many of us turn to quick fixes—eating, drinking, social media or mindlessly watching Netflix, etc—to soothe exhaustion, but these habits can leave us feeling drained and disconnected. Perhaps our mind is ‘on’ at 2 or 3 am churning through our worries or making plans. The best remedy? True rest. Sleep is our most powerful tool for restoring our mind and body. Without enough sleep, it’s nearly impossible to engage with life mindfully.

Activity: Prioritise sleep over the distractions. When you notice yourself reaching for another coffee, your phone, or lying awake in the small hours, take a moment to check in with your gut feeling. What do you really need? Ask it! it will tell you - ‘rest’ or, ‘it’s time for a new job’, or ‘listen to me!’ - whatever the first thought is that comes to mind, trust it.

Then give yourself that gentle walk, an earlier bedtime routine, a notepad next to the bed to jot down thoughts to deal with later, meditation, connection - honouring your feelings and facing this reality you have created. Be compassionate to yourself. There are times when our children are young, unwell, or when those we care for need support through the night. Get creative, nap when they nap and ask for help when you need it.

3. Managing Technology and Overstimulation

Technology has made life more convenient, but it also comes with constant updates, notifications, and the pull of social media and its associated anxieties. You will find more on this in Social Media Sh…ift.

These distractions overload our senses, contributing to stress and self-doubt. There is also a strong thread of unhealed, low vibration energy running through much of social media, energy that seeks to hold us in the old 3D pattern of fear. A break from this digital overstimulation is essential for recalibrating our attention.

Activity: Try a digital detox. Designate specific times during the day where you turn off all notifications and put your phone aside. Consider deleting certain apps, and actively access if watching the news or other traumatic programming is good for your health. Again, how does it make you feel? Use this time to reconnect with yourself, engage in nature, or practice mindfully focusing on a task, hobby or interaction.

4. Internal Distractions

Anxiety and worries about what’s ahead (work, relationships, or other life concerns) unresolved thoughts, or stress about day-to-day life can pull our attention away. As Tolle states, life is in the now. We’ve worked with our Higher Self and with Guides in Week 4

Connection to our Guides, the Divine, and our Greater Purpose - Week 4

<MichelleCowles, LoveisDivine>

Jan 19

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and know we are always being led for our Highest Good if we take time to notice the signs. Reflect on the many times you have worried about what might be and consider how many times the outcome was not terrible. What did the worry achieve?

Activity: Consider. You have a toolkit built over your lifetime, full of strategies for problem-solving difficulties - past learnings to draw on, supports you can seek if needed, the ability to choose something different. Does it really serve to worry about what may or may not happen? How would it feel if you could trust that everything is working out?

Negative self-talk and ruminating on the past erode our self-esteem and energy. The inner critic often distracts us from the present moment, creating self-doubt and feeding into negative self-talk. Our ego does this when we forget that every experience is merely an opportunity to make new choices, learn, grow, evolve - a sequence that is an inescapable part of being human!

Activity: To keep making yourself uncomfortable is like whipping ourselves for the 199 times we didn’t get tying our shoelaces right, rather than celebrating the fact that with enough opportunities, we succeeded! When an old story arises:

Notice negatives or old stories with compassion and acknowledge they are in the past.
Is there something to be learnt as yet? Hint: your emotions will answer this question. Discomfort or anger is a clear ‘yes’.
Yes? Sit with the wounds or the story. We agree to experience a wide range of experiences when we create our Divine plan for this lifetime. Examine what it has taught you. Acknowledge these strengths and refocus on the present.
No? Let it go. Take a deep breath and imagine breathing love into the experience or thought, see or imagine it dissipate and refocus on this moment.

Replace criticism or negatives with “I am learning and evolving through all of my experiences in my Divine Right timing,” and “I am enough, just as I am.”

If you need help to tease out the strengths or learnings from an experience, seek support to process the past. You deserve it!

Make an Appointment

Mental Fidgeting in Meditation

When meditating, it's common for sneaky thoughts to surface—often in the form of a "to-do" list or a sense of urgency about other tasks. These distractions are our busy-brains doing what they do best from fear. What might we discover if we allow ourselves to go within?

Activity: Before you begin, set a timer to honour the time you are creating for meditation. Then gently acknowledge any thoughts as they arise, but don’t engage with them. Instead, return to your breath or your mantra. Over time, you’ll train your mind to let go of these distractions and be more present. *As mentioned in previous articles, if your Ego uses meditation as a way to ruminate over every injustice or trauma (the way mine used to), start with an active walking meditation, or similar.

Important: As always, if this article raises mental discomfort or issues, always seek the support of your doctor or mental health provider before continuing with these activities.

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5. Managing External Expectations and Pressure

The pressure to always be achieving - meeting work deadlines, fulfilling family obligations, or keeping up with societal standards - can pull us out of the present moment and into a constant state of urgency. And I’m not talking about a one-off but the chronic stress from always trying to get everything done. I’ve held jobs where I hardly dared take a day off for fear of what would fall apart in my absence, or where I have bought into the idea of being such an essential cog that a sick child would see me jumping through hoops before I would call in a sick day.

I asked me, and I want to ask you, who taught you this? Bless it, heal it, release it.

Life is so much simpler when we choose it to be. Let go of other’s expectations so they can place their focus where it serves them - their own lives - and get on with making your life how YOU want it to be.

Activity: JOURNAL your thoughts quickly, without poring over what comes to mind:

List the expectations you place on yourself - yes, you can say others place them on you, and you either agree to carry them. Or not.
Are they truly yours? Do they reflect your core values or are they influenced by outside forces?
If it feels like choosing something different will let your parents down, your friends down, dig deeper. Why are you upholding them exactly?
If the expectation relates to work, I want to ask, “Are you working to capacity plus? Do you regularly work at 110 or 120%?” If you have an underlying fear of failure, I can guarantee you are working well beyond most of your colleagues. What would happen if you allowed yourself to lower your capacity to 100 or even 95%? If this makes you squirm, go back to your Job Description to pull back into line.

Reread your entry. Is a pattern emerging? And how do you want it to be?

6. Uplift with Self-Love

Have you noticed how difficult it can be to be loving toward yourself when you’re tired or stressed? Exhaustion often leads to frustration and impatience, making it hard to practice self-compassion.

Activity: Commit to small acts of self-love each day. Whether it’s taking a moment to appreciate your efforts or treating yourself to something that brings you joy, these acts can help reframe your relationship with yourself and invite more peace into your life. You deserve it.

Nature offers the ultimate example of presence. Photo by RoonZ nl

7. Lightworkers and Stillness - an Important Message

For those of us who feel an inner urgency to heal or help others, it’s easy to get caught in the belief that we always need to be contributing. At this present time, there is a greater part of you at work and it is happening beyond your consciousness (for the most part). Fatigue, aches, pains, and other health issues, fewer clients, miscommunications, misalignments presenting as blocks in our directions, unexpected bills, fines, spam, car breakdowns, etc, we are being invited to pause.

None of this makes sense to the energy healer who is focused on alignment, balance and being of service to all. If any or all apply, the greatest offering we can give is to align ourselves first, to offer prayers of harmony to all and do nothing.

As a healer, how can I say this?

Because we are living through many, many energetic shifts our bodies need to recalibrate. These discomforts, regardless of their source, are signs that our energetic field has been compromised, and that rest and recuperation are needed. Be assured that many light beings are working to support us, guiding us to be still.

Remember too, that there are many waves of healers who have volunteered to be on Earth at this time. Not each wave needs to recalibrate in the same way at the same time. Each supports the other to hold space as is needed and all is well.

By taking time for stillness and aligning with our highest selves, we prepare ourselves for the next stage of new Earth. Blessed be.

Activity: Set aside time each day for stillness—whether through prayer, meditation, or simply sitting in quiet reflection. Trust that in these moments of nothingness, a greater part of you is working beyond your conscious mind, bringing healing to yourself and others.

Note: For those of you who are running a busy clinic, or who are parents or carers, I get it. How can you find some space for you, I wonder? Do certain changes need to be made? Get creative. For parents or carers it might be swapping time with a friend, insisting co-parents or carers take a turn, using the time you can find for yourself to simply rest. For healers - listen to your heart and gut. Again, you deserve to look after you.

Finding stillness - again Mother Nature shows the way. Photo by Derek Liang

Becoming Mind-full

Let’s acknowledge the path to transcending distractions and being present isn’t always easy as it could be, yet we are so deserving of a mind-full existence. Setting boundaries, nurturing your energy, self-compassion, and stillness, are our continued goals.

The more we align ourselves with this present moment, the more we align with our true self and create a harmonious ripple effect of peace for all of humanity.

This Week

Daily Prayer / Intent

Please continue with daily prayer, mantra, or intent for harmony within and without. Do you have a favourite you can share?

Love is Divine, with Michelle Cowles

Body Gratitude - Week 7

Connection to our Guides, the Divine, and our Greater Purpose - Week 4

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