Why Noticing Comes Before Changing
You wake up in the morning and something feels off.
It’s as if time has slowed down, even though you have things you need to do. No matter how quickly you move, everything feels sluggish — like you’re moving through slow motion. There’s a tightness in your body that you can’t quite place.
You look around and nothing seems wrong. The day looks normal. Your life looks normal.
So you start scanning for answers. You run through possibilities, trying to figure out what’s happening — because surely something must be wrong if it feels like this.
The Habit of Fixing
What most people do next is move straight into fixing mode.
They start thinking through all the possible reasons for the tension or heaviness, trying to identify what’s causing it. The goal is usually the same: to make the feeling go away as quickly as possible. To avoid it, override it or push past it so the day can continue without disruption.
Very rarely do we pause to actually feel what’s happening. We’re taught to move forward, not stay with discomfort.
What gets missed
When you rush to change how you feel, you miss what’s actually happening in the present moment. You skip over the pause — the space where information is available.
Instead of noticing what your body or energy is responding to, you move straight into action. And in doing so, you lose the chance to understand what the experience is asking for.
Why Noticing Comes First
Noticing comes before changing because it allows you to be present with what’s actually happening — in your body and in the moment — instead of reacting to it.
When you slow down enough to notice, you create space to understand what you’re responding to. You begin to see the situation more clearly, without immediately trying to fix or override it.
This kind of awareness doesn’t come from thinking harder. It comes from giving yourself a moment to be with the experience as it is.
What begins to shift
When someone notices instead of pushes, a few subtle shifts often happen:
The experience feels more manageable. Instead of being overwhelmed, there’s a greater sense of capacity to meet what’s in front of you.
The urgency softens. Pausing creates space, and that space often brings clarity about what actually needs attention — and what doesn’t.
Responses become more intentional. Rather than reacting automatically, you begin to respond based on what you actually notice.
A Simple Pause
The next time something feels off, try pausing before moving into fixing mode.
You don’t need to figure anything out right away. Simply notice what’s happening — in your body, in the moment — without trying to change it.
Let the pause come first. Often, that pause alone is enough to guide what comes next.
Support for Staying With Awareness
If you’re someone who tends to move quickly into fixing mode, it can be helpful to have a place to return to noticing — without trying to figure anything out.
Over time, that awareness makes it easier to respond with clarity instead of urgency.
Stacy Stehle, Intuitive Energy Guide & Founder of Ocean Energy Wellness
Stacy creates a practice space for living in your natural rhythm. Helping you restore balance, reconnect with your energy and invite new beginnings.
With a background in marine science and years of working with ocean animals and natural systems, her work blends observation, subtle energy and intuitive practice to support transformation from the inside out.
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