The ‘What Is Here?’ Technique for When Your Brain Is Being Extra and Your Thoughts Go Rogue

What is Here?

I find it fascinating how our thoughts quietly segue, almost crossfade, from one to another. Sometimes they drift gently from topic to topic, and other times they careen from calm to chaos in a blink. It can feel like there’s a mischievous little switchboard operator in the mind, flipping switches when we’re not looking, and suddenly our attention lands somewhere new, ready to react. Isn’t it wild that the same mechanism that creates the thought is also the one reacting to it?

As I’ve written and spoken about many times, one of the most challenging aspects of a mindfulness practice is simply remembering to be mindful in the first place. We’re so tangled up in constant interactions with the world that pausing, even for a few seconds, can feel downright unnatural. But with time and consistent practice, mindfulness awareness starts to weave itself into daily life until it feels second nature.

One thing I’ve found incredibly helpful is using a mantra, a repeated phrase that helps calm the mind, focus awareness, and reinforce a particular intention. When I use one that truly resonates, it can stop my mental train in its tracks and pull me back into presence. Something simple that says, “Hey, pause for a second.” Think less ancient scrolls in a mountain cave and more practical, everyday mental shortcuts. Traditionally, mantras come from spiritual practices, but at their core they’re just words that can interrupt the spiral. They don’t have to be fancy, mystical, or poetic, just meaningful to you.

When using a mantra in this way, it’s not the words themselves that matter so much as the effect they have on you. Do they pull you out of mental rumination? Do they make you pause and turn inward, even for a moment? If so, that’s the magic right there. This exercise won’t eliminate challenges you’re caught up in, but it can help you find a quiet moment in the middle of them. Of course, some thoughts or memories take more than a simple mantra to break through, and that’s completely normal.

A friend once suggested a simple mantra that’s stuck with me: “What is here?” Every time I say it, I stop. Just like that. The mind quiets, the world softens, and stillness overtakes me.

I recommend you try it out. Wherever you are, say the words to yourself: “What is here?” Then observe your environment. Try not to judge what you see. Just look at your surroundings for what they are.

What is here? A tree, traffic, trash, car alarms, wind, grass, flowers, coworkers, rain clouds, coffee mugs, and half-built buildings. Just notice all of it without the usual commentary. Let things simply be as they are.

Try not to slip into liking or disliking mode. Avoid labeling things as beautiful or ugly. Let them exist beyond your opinion. It’s surprisingly freeing.

Notice if your mind starts spinning stories: “This is where that awful date happened,” or “This park reminds me of walks with Grandma.” Gently set those narratives aside. Try to see what’s actually around you, not the past, not your mood, just this moment right now. 

This is powerful because it’s hard to argue with simple facts. Tree. Desk. Sky. No drama there. Notice how your emotions may shift when you drop the stories and just observe. Those reactive feelings lose their grip when you’re simply seeing what is.

So now, what isn’t here? The looming exam, the health and money worries, the social obligations, the BravoTV worthy family feud, the financial what-ifs. All the mental noise you were wrapped up in just moments ago, where did it all go? Where does it live when you’re not feeding it? And does any of it feel as important now? Does it carry the same weight or has its grip already softened and you can detach somewhat?

Right now, in this very moment, what’s truly here? The physical world in front of you, or the drama looping in your imagination?

This exercise can act like hitting the pause button on your inner chatter. It interrupts that nonstop mental playlist and lets you feel the contrast between noise and quiet. It’s a small reset, a gentle moment where the goddess Cher leans in and tells us to “snap out of it.”

That moment of awareness can make you feel more alive, more connected, and ultimately more peaceful. And the best part is that stillness isn’t rare. Despite what we may often believe, it’s always available, twenty-four seven, three sixty-five. No subscription or fees required.

Why does this matter? Exercises like this pull you out of the mental soap opera and drop you into the present. They break the loop, relieve tension, and offer a refreshing change in perspective.

I suggest creating a few mantras that genuinely resonate with you and weaving them into your daily routine. Pause a few times throughout the day to repeat them. As this becomes a habit, you’ll give yourself more chances to understand your inner landscape and subsequently interrupt the subtle mental patterns that may be causing unnecessary stress.

Some Suave Mindful Moves:

• Set a reminder on your phone to pause and repeat this or your current mantra.

• Take in your surroundings. What do you see, hear, or feel right now?

• Check in on your mood. What has been looping in your mind lately?

• Ask yourself, “In this moment, what am I seeing? What is my body feeling?” Maybe a breeze, sunlight, or a chill.

• Notice if you’re judging what you’re observing. Ugly tree? Annoying sound?

• If you are, you can ask yourself why are you labeling it at all?

• See if this shifting of your focus helps you detach somewhat from whatever had your attention before.

• If this works for you, create more mantras. They may become stale over time, so adjust them as you grow.