Stardate 12.27.2025
If you’re sleeping well, you can skip today’s story. Truly — congratulations.
If not, stay with me.
Sleep is a topic I’ve been exploring, tracking, and slowly improving. One of the greatest lessons I’ve learned is this: when sleep is done well, the day feels almost effortless. Energy is available. Focus comes easier. Life flows.
Ironically, one of the pitfalls of sleep tracking is that when your sleep quality declines, anxiety can increase. You notice the numbers. You worry about the numbers. And before long, you’re stuck in a loop — tired and anxious about being tired.
I found a helpful perspective while researching an entirely different topic. It came from a Shaolin monk who spoke about living fully in the present moment — even when preparing for sleep.
Think about what keeps you awake at night.
Is it something from the past you’re replaying?
Is it something on your calendar tomorrow that’s making you uneasy?
According to this monk, anything that pulls you into the past or pushes you into the future steals you from the present moment. And sleep, by its very nature, requires surrender to now.
Here’s the lesson that changed things for me.
Before you close your eyes, pause and express gratitude for this moment. Not for perfect sleep. Not for ideal numbers. Just gratitude for the state you’re about to enter — without judgment.
Sleep is a gift to be received, not a performance to be evaluated.
Let go of the past. It’s already happened and can’t be changed.
Release the future. It will arrive on its own, right on time.
Worrying about tomorrow only robs you of the rest meant for tonight.
Do this nightly, and over time, sleep anxiety begins to loosen its grip.
This is a long-term pursuit. When I wake up, I now track only two things: the amount of deep sleep and the amount of REM sleep. Whatever the numbers are, I’m grateful. Sleep quality tends to reflect the activity of the day before. When I’m consistent with movement and rhythm, the numbers usually follow.
And when they don’t? I stay grateful anyway — because I can build on what’s there.
The key is learning to return to the present moment and remain there… even as you fall asleep.
Give this practice thirty days.
See what happens.
Have a great day.
🖖 Captain’s Addendum
Bones: “Michael, you’re telling me the problem isn’t sleep — it’s thinking about sleep?”
Spock: “That would be a logical conclusion, Doctor.”
Bones: “So worrying about rest keeps people from resting?”
Spock: “Correct. Acceptance reduces resistance. Resistance disrupts rest.”
Michael’s Reflection:
Sleep improved for me when I stopped demanding results and started receiving rest as a gift. Gratitude did what anxiety never could — it let me rest.
📖 Scripture for the Journey
“In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, Lord, make me dwell in safety.”
— Psalm 4:8
🛠 Mission Log
Status: Restoring
Objective: Release anxiety, practice gratitude, and remain present — day and night.
🙏 Quiet Gratitude
Thank you for spending this moment with me. May tonight bring you rest that doesn’t need to be earned, measured, or explained — only received.
🖖
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