Author: Morgan Harper Nichols

When you look back, I hope you can see all of the little moments where you could’ve given up, but you didn’t. I hope you can see those moments where you chose to breathe deep and continue the journey, uncovering hidden layers of courage you didn’t even know you had. You found room to slow down and just be, even before it all made sense. You allowed yourself to explore the possibility of what could be, even before you received approval from everyone. You made space to support others and welcome support, even when you weren’t sure what the outcome would be.

Let this be a moment where you look back and realize that learning to be present in the way you know how is a sign of energizing courage that is shining brightly throughout your life in ways you’ve yet to realize.

Keep creating space in your life to discover the hidden layers of courage, moment by moment. It just might be more prevalent than you realize. There is a courage you never even knew you had stirring inside of you right now. A courage that will make room for you to carry on this journey at a mindful pace with hope and intentionality. – Morgan Harper Nichols

When it comes to things you are working toward, may you keep learning to appreciate the journey even before there is a highlight reel. Even before you are able to experience it all come together, may you know that the time you are spending right here, finding joy and welcoming courage, however you can, matters more than you may realize. Keep capturing the small things that are meaningful right here, even before it all comes together.

When it comes to the parts of a project that you just enjoyed researching, even if you don’t know how it all ties together, the efforts you’ve been giving are valuable in themselves. May you relish these moments of discovery, allowing curiosity to come alive in ways that will matter in the future, too.

When it comes to the moments where you find something small that you’re very grateful for, even if it seems insignificant in the grand scheme of things, may you recognize how these little joys accumulate to create a richer, more fulfilling journey. Let gratitude be a companion, coloring your experiences with warmth and appreciation.

When it comes to the milestones you meet, even if they’re not the ones you initially set out to achieve, may you celebrate these unexpected victories, recognizing that growth often takes directions you might not have anticipated, but it can still be beautiful.

Long before the highlight reel, let yourself embrace these moments as much as you can. – Morgan Harper Nichols

Let this be a moment in your life where you create space to focus on what matters most. As if you were moving through a vast landscape with a magnifying glass with you, allow yourself time to explore and adapt, and look closer where you need to. And when you find yourself overwhelmed by distractions or unexpected change, remember that your focus can grow at its own pace. You have not wasted time when your focus has changed. As long as you’re still breathing, there is room to find new ways through this landscape.

In the areas of life where you are faced with something new that requires a lot of courage, this might look like giving yourself time to zoom in, assess, and acclimate. Perhaps, where you once thought you only had to focus on being endlessly strong or unyielding, you can give yourself permission to say “A larger picture is still forming here.” In the same way you would imagine a scene unfolding, you are free to move through this space allowing details to emerge and evolve naturally. Acting on courage here doesn’t mean you have to pressure yourself to figure it all out at once. Continue to breathe deep in this space as much as you can, knowing you will learn as you go. Zoom in where you need to zoom in, and let go where you need to let go. Shift your focus where you need to. – Morgan Harper Nichols

Being present while planning for the future is like tending a garden: you care for the plants that are growing now, but you also plant seeds for the next season. You are free to embrace what’s right here while also planting seeds for tomorrow. You can tend to today’s growth while nurturing tomorrow’s potential.

It is possible to be engaged where you are, while looking ahead, too. Both looking ahead and being right here hold value. You are allowed to move through being present to the moment and making plans––there’s room for both, and it’s okay if this looks different in different areas or stages of life.

Let this be a moment in your life where you decide to clarify and define what it means to be fully engaged in the present moment, at this point in your life. Start to explore what’s meaningful right here, without pressuring yourself to figure out what it’s all tied to. Because as you learn to practice gratitude right here, this is a way you’re learning to connect more deeply in a way that prepares you for what’s to come.

Consider the different aspects of your life where you have found yourself trying to be present while also thinking about the future. Ask yourself this question: “What small things am I doing right now that may contribute something more beyond what is easily noticeable?” Let this question be your first step in exploring the value of both being present and looking ahead. Reflect on how, even in the moments where you are just moving through the day, this is still a space where you can practice gratitude for all that you are learning and gathering here, and it’s okay to think about how that can continue to grow in the future, too.

You’re allowed to define what presence looks like for this stage of life.

Being present doesn’t have to mean stopping everything to “be in the moment.” It can mean staying engaged with what matters to you right now, even if that includes thinking ahead. – Morgan Harper Nichols

inhale,

exhale,

and remember:

you’ve been learning to move through it all,

moment by moment, breath by breath.

as a river moves through the a vast landscape,

you are learning to move through this space, too.

When you start to feel the pressure of waiting to see if things come together, take a deep breath wherever you can.

If you’re wondering if there will be enough time to do all the things you need to do, or you’re feeling the weight of societal expectations or the need to meet milestones in a specific order, pause for a moment.

When you reflect, you are not wasting time. Instead, you are creating room for a more natural flow, even in small ways.

Like a river running through the forest, embrace each curve and bend as you flow. There are places where you will rush and places where you will pool, each rhythm part of your unique story. Through all of the changes, transitions, twists and turns, you are allowed to take time to discover what it means to move with the flow right here.

Wherever you feel pressure, remember that pausing to breathe, reflect, or seek support isn’t losing focus or wasting time. Welcome compassion by thinking of this moment like a river that unfolds in many ways, yet is still filled with life. For like a river’s winding course, progress takes many forms – sometimes easily noticeable above the surface, sometimes hidden. Yet the path still grows, and the water still flows.

Think about what’s been nonlinear in your life. Consider the things that haven’t followed an easy step-by-step. Reflect on how, because the winding path often requires so much attention, that is all the more reason to identify where and when you can welcome compassion into the journey. Allow these moments of gentleness to nourish and sustain you along the way.

When you start to feel the pressure of waiting to see if things come together, take a deep breath and remember that even amidst all that is nonlinear that doesn’t mean that nothing is happening. Remember the way the river meanders and how it still progresses and finds new paths. Consider how, through it all, beautiful movement is still possible. – Morgan Harper Nichols

Let this be the August you always remember. The August you chose to trust: somehow, after everything, new blank pages were still waiting. And not the kind of blank pages you pressure yourself to fill with perfection, but instead: presence. Presence: an act of being here, right now, with what you have, honestly, with grace-lined intention.

Let this be the August where you recognize the mountains and valleys for what they are and you also allow yourself to recognize the space in between: wide, storied landscapes that allow you spend time considering what this next chapter could be.

– Morgan Harper Nichols

Remember how far you have come while also recognizing that you are still becoming. And you are allowed to take the time you need to uncover the small ways you have been making progress right here. And as you do this, remember that you might be further along than you think.

Consider the times when you were able to focus on something, even if you didn’t feel like you were able to hold your focus as long as you wanted to, it’s still a sign that you’re honing your ability to concentrate, to stay present in the moment.

Reflect on the moments when you did something brave, even if you felt like you should’ve been able to do more. That’s progress too. It’s a testament to your courage, to your willingness to face what is unknown and this is something that can continue to grow.

Think about the times when you were able to express your feelings, even if it was difficult or uncomfortable. That’s progress. It shows you’re growing emotional intelligence and your commitment to authenticity.

Remember the instances when you chose to rest, even if there was more work to be done. This, too, is progress. It’s a sign of your understanding of the importance of balance and taking care of yourself, even amidst all of the responsibilities.

Recall the moments when you asked for help, even if you felt like you should’ve been able to do it on your own. That’s progress. It’s a testament to your humility and your recognition of the value of community.

These small things may not seem like much on their own, but together, they add up. They’re the building blocks of your growth, the stepping stones on your journey. And when you take the time to acknowledge them, to celebrate them, you’ll realize that you’re further along than you think.

To create is to exhale. To create is to practice being attentive to what’s right here. To gather the questions, curiosities, and half-finished ideas,

and create:

Conversation.

A shared space.

A few words on a page.

Art.

Creativity is not about making a product. Of course, it can become that, but before it does, to create is to join, to bring things together and make something new.

Just by being alive each day, you are taking in all day. You are receiving constant input; you are processing, inhaling. From things you read to conversations you have and everything in between, the experience of taking it all in can feel endless. Even if you have good intentions of sorting through it all, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

Because of this, allowing yourself to have space where you can let those things just be is worth cultivating. Even if it’s just a messy journal entry in the journal you haven’t been “keeping up” with every day. Even if it’s just one conversation with someone that doesn’t lead to some grand revelation, but you know that you attempted to create a space to be present.

Allow yourself to cultivate and make space for the ways creativity can come alive right here. Let it be the kind of creativity that doesn’t wait for perfection or a reason to produce a polished, finished product. Let it be the kind of creativity that welcomes a practice of attentiveness, right here where you are. And let gratitude arise from having been present to this process, knowing that it matters to create space to exhale in this way, however and wherever you can. – Morgan Harper Nichols

It’s okay. It’s okay to not have all of the details figured out at this very moment. Because for all that is still unknown, may you also know this is true: you have learned so much from all of the mountains you’ve already traveled through.

And as you continue to carry on toward August, and all that follows, you are free to carry those lessons with you. Yes, you will face new unknowns and you will encounter mountains you’ve never climbed before, but you will remember all the ways you’ve been learning to breathe, as the wind gently brushed your skin. You will begin to remember all the courage that has been building up within you, over and again.

It’s not that the journey has been easy or perfect or that you suddenly have all the answers, but instead, this journey has been a winding path through an expansive landscape called life…and even though so many things seem unknown, this is still the place in which you’ve learned and grown.

You may not feel prepared everywhere all at once, and please know: it’s okay. You are still free to explore where in your life you can say: “I am more prepared than I think. I have learned and grown so much from this and I will carry that wisdom and courage with me even before the future makes sense.” The ways you’ve already grown can help prepare you for future unknowns.

You have learned so much from all of the mountains you’ve already traveled through. You are free to carry those lessons with you as you continue toward August and beyond. – Morgan Harper Nichols

You are free to create space to explore what flourishing might look like in a more open-ended way. In those moments where you feel overwhelmed by external expectations, taking time to ask “what does it mean to flourish right here,” is giving yourself permission to grow at your own pace.

One of the misconceptions that might arise from a word like “flourishing” is that it may imply a state of perpetual happiness or visible achievements.However, flourishing doesn’t only have to mean constant, dramatic progress. Instead, like a plant growing steadily, it unfolds gradually over time. From the roots that are hidden beneath the surface, to the quiet, quiet unfurling of new leaves that is often barely noticed, to flourish is to engage in a full life in a million little ways, one day at a time.

Take a moment to reflect: How do you typically think about flourishing in your own life? Have you ever felt pressure to achieve constant happiness or visible successes? When were you able to allow yourself space for gradual growth?

In those moments where you feel the pressure to perform or meet certain external expectations, may you know that doesn’t that nothing is happening here. There are many ways to consider how you might be flourishing in this very space, right here where you are.

For some, flourishing in this season of life might look like expanding horizons
For others, it could be more subtle, deepening existing connections.
One person might consider flourishing might look like being courageous amidst a big change, while another, gentle refinement.
What it means to flourish can be very different for each person. It can also change as you go through different parts of your life.

When it comes to flourishing, you are allowed to embrace exploration over a rigid, old definition. The concept of flourishing can be about creating space to explore it in an open-ended way. Flourishing doesn’t have to mean constant dramatic progress. It can include hidden, quiet developments like the roots of a plant or the unfurling of new leaves. Let flourishing happen one day at a time. – Morgan Harper Nichols

Here’s to slow and steady growth that matters even before you notice it.
Here’s to being gentle with your heart even when things don’t go according to plan.
Here’s to being gentle with your heart as you prepare to make new plans.

Even if you find yourself thinking back on everything that you should have done differently and how you “should have known,” consider that it doesn’t mean that you are not ever going to make progress in meaningful ways. At times, the things that set us back can cause us to look back on everything that happened as the final blueprint for how the future will be. But perhaps, even when we say “goodbye,” and even when we’re grieving very real things, there is grace and space to gradually find ways toward new new experiences, and new beginnings. When things don’t go according to plan, it might not be easy to see it that way in real time, and that’s alright. In that space, you are free to be kind to yourself in those moments where you find yourself reflecting.

When you find yourself looking back, allow yourself to pace yourself through what you’re feeling. Allow yourself to exhale wherever you can. Take time to rest and remind yourself that it is okay if it takes time to notice how you’re gathering wisdom from these experiences. The time will come. The time will come when you are able to look back and exhale. Not because you’re looking back and everything has been figured out perfectly, but because you’re looking back and realizing that when things didn’t go according to plan, you still learned to practice peace, even before you were able to make sense of things. Through everything, you were able to keep growing as you were meant to.

Growth doesn’t always happen in leaps and bounds; sometimes, it’s a slow, steady process that happens so gradually that you might not even notice it at first. But every step you take, no matter how small, is progress that matters. Be gentle with yourself on this journey. Pace yourself and discover: out here on the journey, there is room to learn, heal, and grow. – Morgan Harper Nichols

There are so many small moments that contain more depth than you may initially realize:

-For one person, that brief compliment was just small talk. But for the other person, it may have been the validation they needed.
-For one person, that one conversation was just a conversation. But for the other person, it may have been the one moment in the day they felt less alone
-For one person, that shared playlist was just a mix of songs. But for the other person, it was something that helped them finally find something that helped them find language for what they were feeling.
-For one person, it was just showing kindness to someone. But for the other person, it reminded them to feel a bit more present to the moment.

There are times in life when we might be experiencing something on a surface level, and it doesn’t feel like there’s much more than how we initially experienced it. However, as we engage and share experiences with others, those connections create opportunities to see so many small moments that might have more depth than we realize.

Recognizing that there may be more depth than what was initially observed doesn’t mean you have to be an expert on every detail of every interaction that has ever taken place. Instead, simply giving yourself permission to engage in this kind of thinking is a way to encourage the cultivation of a curiosity, right where you are, even in seemingly mundane ordinary moments. Thinking about what hidden

May you encounter everyday interactions that hold unexpected significance.
May you continue to consider that there is more depth in unexpected places.
May curiosity foster meaningful connections.

-Morgan Harper Nichols

We all need rest for different reasons, and these needs can change day by day. Sometimes, rest is just because we need it, without any particular reason. Other times, we need rest to prepare ourselves to return to something important, where rejuvenation and readiness are required. This type of rest can be challenging to make space for because the task we need to return to might linger in the back of our minds, making it hard to fully relax.

In these moments, focus on making room for rest however you can. And even if you didn’t end up resting exactly how you wanted to, you can still view this as a moment where you are practicing being kind to yourself in this way:

-Even if you set out to take a nap but end up just sitting quietly, consider that this still makes room for rest in a meaningful way.
-If your attempt to rest is interrupted, you are allowed to acknowledge that that was frustrating, and try to return to rest later when possible.
-If you planned to rest by doing something relaxing but ended up doing something else, don’t be hard on yourself for not resting “properly.”

These moments of making room for rest, even if imperfect, are valuable. They help create rhythms and spaces for rest, which you can return to again and again. When you need rest to feel rejuvenated and ready to return to what you need to d, you will appreciate having allowed yourself to create this space. It may not have been perfect or ideal, but it was a process you engaged in—a way of being present and gentle with yourself that matters. – Morgan Harper Nichols

A rhythm is a pattern that repeats itself at regular intervals. Rhythms in life are like the ebbs and flows of the ocean, constantly changing yet always coming back around as part of a cycle. While the idea of rhythms can be metaphorical, it can also be very practical. Just by noticing what you need at certain times of the day, you can start to build your awareness of your own rhythms.

Consider the rhythm of the day, moving from day to night. Ask yourself, “What do I need in the morning?” For some, you may need a quiet moment in stillness, while others might need more energy and movement. For one person, the rising of the sun may signal a new beginning, while for another, the night sky brings calmness and reflection. Just by paying attention to the difference between day and night, and what you need at each time of day, you can build reminders into your daily life to take care of yourself.

Ask yourself often:

“What do I need in the morning?”
“What do I need in the middle of the day?”
“What do I need as the sun fades from the sky?”

Even if you are unsure of the answers to these questions, taking a moment to reflect and check in with yourself is a start. The difference between these questions and asking “What do I need?” is that it takes the pressure off finding one concrete answer for every moment, right away. This can take time, and expanding the question allows you to create space for that, especially considering that your needs and rhythms may change from day to day, and throughout the day. By simply acknowledging and being aware of these shifts, you can make small changes that have an impact. You can start to become more aware of how you respond to the ebb and flow of your daily life and, in turn, make adjustments wherever needed, as you face each day.

Allow yourself to pay attention to the most simple daily rhythms, such as the rising and setting of the sun, and let those become reminders of how you can make small changes. In doing this, you can pave the way for others to do the same. – Morgan Harper Nichols

As you face mountain-like endeavors,

may you also seek out gentle rivers that remind you

to pursue steady and purposeful

onward movement.

For there are mountains up ahead of you, but there will also be green pastures too. There will be valleys, and there will also be rivers that invite you to focus on how you can flow each day instead of needing to figure it all out at once. Give energy where you need to give energy and rest where you need to rest, for you will need renewed strength when it’s time to climb the mountains ahead and face new unknowns. And you will also need to have practiced engaging with slower rhythms so you know when it is time for rejuvenation.

And if you’re looking for those slower, gradual rhythms, you can start by looking at the rhythms hidden in the rhythms of the day itself: Notice how the morning sun finds way to illuminate the most shadowy corners. Notice the light that shimmers through the leaves on the tress, and notice how it gradually changes as the day goes on. Notice how sunrise and sunset continue to unfold in the sky above, again and again.

Notice how, even in a single instance, there is subtle yet meaningful movement, even in the simplest things…and however you can, you are free to welcome that same approach. And not because everything was suddenly figured out, but because you learned to be present within the landscape. You noticed the mountains, but you also noticed all the small things that would help you prepare to climb those mountains too.

So when you find yourself thinking about the mountains ahead, remember the small moments you can engage with right here, too. Let it remind you to rest, find new rhythms, and pace yourself as you prepare for the journey ahead.

Focus on what you can do each day and pace yourself through this landscape in whatever way you can, one day at a time. – Morgan Harper Nichols