Crossing the Threshold: A Shortcut to Inner Stillness...

Over the past week, something shifted in my approach to transitions. I began noticing how the spaces between things—between training and writing, chores and conversation, morning and meditation—were often rushed through or overlooked. So I decided to do something about it.

I created an Apple Shortcut called Threshold Time. The idea came out of reflection—one part Stoicism, one part Rick Rubin; a person I have always admired and who I think embodies each of the 4 Stoic virtues; Temperance, Wisdom, Courage, and Justice. I wanted the Shortcut to help me honor the moments before the moment, those liminal pauses that invite intention. When I trigger the shortcut, it silently invokes a customized version of ChatGPT I've reprogrammed as The Tuner, a voice mode I designed to help me cross internal thresholds with clarity.

The Tuner doesn’t just ask me how I am—it asks, “What space are you about to enter?” It prompts me to set an intention—not just for productivity, but for presence. Depending on the threshold I name (writing, rest, reflection, movement, etc.), The Tuner responds with a poetic, meditative line to help me enter that space with purpose. Sometimes it offers stillness. Other times, rhythm. Always resonance.

For the past two days, I’ve been experimenting with using Threshold Time between each key block of my day. It’s already transforming how I move through time. I’m no longer just shifting gears—I’m tuning into the state I want to inhabit next. It’s like designing a prelude to my next act. Even five seconds of conscious transition has made a noticeable difference.

This is more than automation. It’s a ritual. A moment of resonance. A creative pause that reminds me I’m not a machine moving from task to task. I’m a person moving through thresholds—each one worthy of my attention.

This is what it means to cultivate mental silence.