Ritual of the Week: Cloud 9 + the Quiet Signals

This week’s ritual is about noticing the subtle feelings that live inside our happiest moments.

When my family and I arrived at Cab Calloway School of the Arts for the exhibit, I felt a wave of emotions all at once. Nervous, but faithful that I had created a presentation worthy of our alumni audience. Hopeful to tour the newly renovated school with my family. Excited to reunite with colleagues, artists, and Shop the Kei goddesses.

After the three-hour drive, I was also slowly coming down from a rush of adrenaline — but like a spent balloon, every moment since my arrival felt like a gust of wind waking me up once more.

Cloud 9 moments are often described as pure joy, but for me, they’re rarely just one thing. They’re layered and tender. A mix of excitement, vulnerability, pride, and quiet exhaustion all living in the same breath. I take that all in during my creative process.

During the exhibit, the curator picked up the microphone. A small anxiety rose in my body. What if she asks me to speak? I hadn’t prepared anything. I love to talk, but I also know how easily I can ramble when I feel ungrounded.

So I hugged myself. I listened to her words. And I gently walked away. Grateful that the opportunity had not presented itself.

At the time, it felt like self-protection. But writing about it now, I see it differently. My body wasn’t signaling fear — it was offering information. A message about softening, refining my hard edge. Future me was preparing for my next becoming.

The quiet truth beneath that moment was simple:
I’m ready to grow into public speaking.

Not from pressure. Not from force. But from awareness.

This week’s ritual is an invitation to listen to those subtle signals — especially in moments that already feel beautiful. Sometimes growth doesn’t arrive as discomfort or crisis. Sometimes it arrives hidden inside joy.

Ritual of Radiance: Emotional Awareness

When you notice yourself feeling both happy and uneasy in the same moment, pause. Place a hand on your body. Ask gently: What is this moment teaching me about who I am becoming?

The answers are rarely loud.
But they’re always honest.

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