Quieting the critic, befriending the moment, and loosening ego’s grip
MONTHLY REMINDERReader, don’t be so hard on yourself. Even the river bends before it reaches the sea. We are often our own harshest critics, measuring ourselves against impossible standards or berating ourselves for mistakes. We forget that growth is rarely linear; that taking detours or pausing doesn’t mean failure. Just as the river bends and flows around rocks, so too can we move with gentleness, patience, and self-compassion on our journey. REFLECTION PROMPTS:
NOVEMBER'S REFLECTION PROMPTIn November, I will gather what sustains me by… November invites us to notice and gather what sustains us: the things that quietly nourish our body, mind, and spirit. It might be a warm cup of tea in the morning, a walk under crisp autumn skies, journaling our thoughts, or a phone call with someone who truly listens. Maybe it’s tending to a plant, reading a book that sparks insight, or simply giving ourselves permission to rest. Whatever form it takes, paying attention to what sustains us reminds us that even in busy or challenging times, we have a well of support and care within reach. 2 QUOTES WORTH PONDERING
"Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness." REFLECTION PROMPTS:
2. Buddha on surrender and the quiet power of humility: "In a war of ego, the loser always wins." REFLECTION PROMPTS:
NOW AVAILABLE
POPULAR IN OCTOBERPODCAST EPISODE 73: How to map where we are in our journey (a 2-minute listen)
YOUTUBE (@rbccmnq): The difference between hope and faith
INSTAGRAM (@noticingwithrebeccamonique and @rbccmnq) YOUR MONTHLY BREAST CANCER REMINDERThis small monthly ritual may save your life. Our bodies speaks in subtle ways. This is your gentle reminder to check your breasts and notice any changes. Checking your breasts is an act of self-care and awareness. You can learn the key signs and symptoms here . In early August I was diagnosed with breast cancer. I shared openly about it on Instagram – the loss, grief, trauma, inner-healing and self-care that comes with it – and from that tender space I created what I needed most: a reflective journal to walk me through the first 30 days. 30 Days Through Breast Cancer is available as a free resource for anyone affected. Please feel welcome to pass it on to those who may need it. Thankfully my diagnosis was early, and my focus is on treatment, healing and deep listening to my body. You can find more about my journey and resources on my breast cancer page . COMING IN 2026Daughter of the Soil -Volume 1 is a collection of 12 reflective essays on grief, healing, womanhood, and race—rooted in memory, ancestral ache, and quiet becoming. Each piece is an offering, a mirror, and a soft rebellion against invisibility. Muse-letter subscribers will be the first to know when it’s released into the world. SPOTIFY PLAYLISTSSoul-stirring. Empowering. Wholesome. This one’s for the moments when you remember who you are. A musical exhale—part prayer, part power, part poetic awakening. Let it carry you into the marrow of your truth, especially on days when you forget how luminous you’ve always been.
Griefy. A playlist for the ache that won’t be rushed. 'Griefy' is a tender companion for the days when your heart feels too full, too empty, or both at once. These songs don’t try to fix it—they sit with you in the softness, the silence, the sacred unraveling.
SUBSCRIBER RESOURCESNEW: Racial Trauma and Grief – Reflective Journal Who do you know would benefit from or appreciate this content? Be sure to share this muse-letter with them by forwarding on this email. USEFUL LINKSLet's stay connected. Here's where else you can find me: Website | Podcast | Blog | Instagram | Recommended Reading List* You can view the muse-letter archive here. Not yet subscribed? You can sign up to this muse-letter here. New to the mailing list? You can view the archive of the first few editions here. About this muse-letter: You're receiving this email because you've subscribed to my mailing list. You'll typically receive an email from me once a month. Rarely will I send stand-alone emails about promotions, new products or services, and partnerships. Affiliate links within my emails are marked with an asterisk (*). Update your subscription preferences: You can unsubscribe from 'Reflect with Rebecca-Monique', or manage your subscriber profile via the respective links below. |
Rebecca-Monique (rbccmnq)
MONTHLY REMINDER Reader, you cannot use someone else's map to find yourself. Your path is your own: uncharted, winding, luminous in places only you can walk. Trust the turns, the pauses, the shortcuts and the long ways round. REFLECTION PROMPTS: Where in my life am I following someone else’s map instead of listening to my own compass? What landmarks of my journey (choices, values, turning points) remind me that this path is mine alone? How might I trust my inner navigation more fully this...
MONTHLY REMINDER Reader, the bad news is: there are an astonishing amount of things completely out of our control; the good news is: there are an astonishing amount of things completely within our control. The bad news: there are countless things beyond our grasp — other people’s choices, life’s sudden turns, the weather of fate itself. The good news: there are just as many things we do hold in our hands — our responses, our rituals, our breath, our way of telling our story. Freedom lives in...
MONTHLY REMINDER Reader, your body is not an inconvenience — it is a compass. Rest. Listen to your body’s wisdom. It is not betraying you — it is beckoning you. Calling you back to care. To movement, to stillness, to being held. To tenderness and ease. You don’t have to prove your strength every single day. You can honour the softness. REFLECTION PROMPTS: What is my body trying to tell me today — and how can I respond with care rather than correction? Where in my life have I confused...