October Theme: Reflection & Self-Awareness

A gentle month-long tune-up for your inner compass, humor welcome, perfection not desired or required.

If there’s a throughline across our conversations, it’s this: reflection is navigation. When we pause, get curious, and meet ourselves with worthiness, we move from reactivity to choice. Or, as we love to say, “find your compass for the journey.”

Here’s a simple, international-friendly plan you can use all October (and beyond).

1) Catch the “whispers” early

Shame doesn’t always kick the door in, often it whispers until the room fills up. Name it kindly when it shows up (“Ah, a whisper.”), then choose a micro-repair: a breath, a stretch, a truthful sentence. The goal isn’t to win; it’s to notice.

Try this prompt: “What did shame whisper to me today, and what truth would I rather practice?”

2) Make curiosity your default… even when you pushed the wrong button

Curiosity isn’t nosiness; it’s care in motion. We’ve literally hit the wrong buttons mid-recording and turned it into a learning moment. Keep asking gentle questions, of your body, your partner, your team, your world. Curiosity expands possibilities.

Try this prompt: “If I were just 10% more curious right now, what would I ask?”

3) Use “It is what it is” as a nervous-system reset (not a shutdown)

When you catch yourself in judgment or victim-mind, say, “It is what it is,” not to resign, but to re-center. Acceptance creates the space for wise action; it’s a gear-shift, not a white flag. Pair it with “Of course they did” to release the obsession with other people’s patterns.

Try this prompt: “What changes when I accept this reality first, then choose my next right step?”

4) Build the “worthiness muscle” on purpose

Worthiness rarely arrives as a lightning bolt; we strengthen it through small, repeatable practices—music, mantras, morning voice notes to our future self. The point isn’t never slipping; it’s spotting the slip sooner and choosing again.

Try this prompt: “What’s one 5-minute ritual that helps me remember I’m already worthy?”

5) Step into the Observer and add a micro-pause

Self-awareness isn’t a personality trait; it’s a trainable stance. Practice stepping “one chair back” inside yourself and create a tiny gap between stimulus and response. You’ll be kinder, clearer, and far less likely to default to old patterns.

Try this prompt: “What just got stirred in me, and what response would future-me be proud of?”

6) Let kindness lead (especially when teasing is “normal”)

Our stance: teasing often erodes safety; kindness builds it. In moments, you might default to sarcasm (toward yourself or others) trade it for a clear ask or a boundary. That’s relational self-awareness in motion.

Try this prompt: “If I swapped the joke for a boundary, what would I say?”

October Reading Stack: Reflection & Self-Awareness

These pair beautifully with the practices above—accessible anywhere in the world, most with audio editions.

1. “Insight” — Tasha Eurich
   A research-backed tour of what self-awareness is (and isn’t), plus practical daily habits. Great for the Observer stance (Practice #5). 
2. “Self-Compassion” — Kristin Neff
   The science and skills of being on your own side—vital when you’re interrupting shame whispers (Practice #1). 
3. “The Untethered Soul” — Michael A. Singer
   Gentle, repeatable ways to notice thoughts and emotions without fusing with them—your “It is what it is” companion (Practice #3). 
4. “Wherever You Go, There You Are” — Jon Kabat-Zinn
   Bite-sized meditations for building that micro-pause muscle in real life (Practice #5). 
5. “The Mountain Is You” — Brianna Wiest
   Short, punchy reflections for turning self-sabotage into self-trust—great for worthiness reps (Practice #4). 

A tiny October ritual (print this, phone-note it, share it):

• Morning: 3 breaths + one sentence of curiosity about your day.
• Midday: Whisper check—notice, name, normalize.
• Evening: “It is what it is” → one concrete kindness (toward you or someone you love).

Wherever you are in the world, in city bustle, a quiet village, between school runs, or on a night shift, reflection can be small, honest, and brave. Keep it human. Keep it doable. Keep it yours.

Want more from us this month?

Queue up these episodes while you walk, commute, or fold laundry:

• “Shame Whispers” (spot the subtle and respond with care).
• “Curiosity Killed the Cat (…and Satisfaction Brought Him Back)” (reclaim curiosity).
• “It Is What It Is” (acceptance as action).

We’re cheering you on, playfully, imperfectly, and with a lot of heart.

Theresa & Walker

P.S. If you try any of the prompts, tag us and tell us what shifted for you. Your shares help others find their compass too.

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