A couple of years ago, I came across a quote by Viktor Frankl that shook something loose in me:

“Between stimulus and response there is a space.
In that space is our power to choose our response.
In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

At the time, I was navigating the grief, guilt, and gritty growth of my divorce. I felt cracked open and raw. This quote found me when I needed it most—

and it gave me a compass to find my way back to myself.

Truthfully, I’ve spent much of my life being reactive. I can blame it on being a scorpio..... but I won't. 😂I used to think I was just “fiery” or “passionate,” but in my first marriage, I wasn’t showing up as the best version of myself. I said things I didn’t mean. I rushed to judgment. I let my emotions take the wheel far too often.

And now, here I am in perimenopause—more aware, more intentional, more self-compassionate—and yet, my reaction time feels sharper than ever. The filter I used to have? It’s thinner now. Sometimes, that can feel empowering—like I’m finally saying what I mean. But let’s be honest: it’s not empowering if it’s hurting the people we love or if it’s out of alignment with our integrity.

This summer, on holiday with my husband, we had a fight. A big one. It made me sick to my stomach. It caught me off guard, and it brought up old patterns I thought I had moved through. But in the messy aftermath, I remembered Frankl’s words.

I took a pause. I got honest with myself.

I realized something important: I’m not willing to go through another relationship on autopilot. I’m not willing to avoid hard conversations or let reactivity do the talking. We sat down. We talked it through. We found the real hurt behind the words—and from that space, we could choose to move forward with more tenderness, more clarity, and more understanding.

This is what mindfulness means to me.

Not perfection. Not peace all the time. But the pause—that tiny, powerful moment where I can choose to respond with love, rather than react from fear or frustration.

And the truth is, it takes practice.

Every. Single. Day.

That’s why I created the Wednesday Wellness Circle - no charge - my gift to you—a gentle space to practice the pause, to reflect, and to reconnect with your calm center.

If you’ve ever felt like you’re snapping quicker, reacting harder, or losing the version of yourself you want to be, you’re not alone. I see you. I’m walking this path too. And I’d love to walk it with you.

✨ Join us tomorrow evening, Wednesday, at 7 PM MST for our next Wellness Circle.

August 6 - 7-7:40 pm - MST

Together, we’ll breathe, reflect, and practice showing up with intention—even when it’s hard.
You are not too much. You’re just overstimulated. Let’s reset together.

[Click here to join the Wednesday Wellness Circle ➝]

xo

Shauna