See When You’re Above or Below the Line in Real Time

You sit down under the gentle wash of morning light and draw a simple line on a sticky note—one side labeled ‘Above,’ the other ‘Below.’ The next time your phone buzzes with criticism, you pause, feel the tightening in your chest, and mark a dot below the line. Moments later, when a colleague thanks you for your help, you note a dot above as warmth floods your shoulders.

This practice anchors you in the present by giving shape to invisible shifts in your mind. You begin to notice subtle signals—a shallow breath, a tightening jaw—before they spiral. Like watching ripples in water, you see where tensions form and where calm settles.

As the day unfolds, patterns emerge. Team huddles send dots below, while solo work in the park shifts you above. You name each trigger—‘criticism,’ ‘nature break’—and start connecting the dots between environment, thought, and emotion.

At dusk, you lay out your note and choose one ‘Below’ trigger to convert into a love-based action. If you flagged defensiveness around feedback, you plan a simple compliment for the next person who critiques you. That intention becomes your compass for tomorrow.

By tracking above and below, you cultivate continuous mindfulness. You learn that openness and curiosity thrive when you build small love-based habits to counter fear impulses.

You draw a two-zone line, mark each instance of defensiveness or openness, then review your patterns to spot the biggest ‘Below’ triggers. Finally, you plan one giving action—like a compliment—to shift above next time. Try it at your next meeting.