Mindfulness Minute

Being human is hard. Some days are easier than others. Some worse.  Fundamentally though, it's a lot of work.  So cut yourself some slack.

Hopelessness or hopeful - how you are feeling is a reflection of how you see yourself and the world around you.

We don't stay the same. But we often expect ourselves to. 

Before we even start the day, we're bringing thoughts, emotions and expectations with us. It's important to bring awareness to these elements so we can care for ourselves throughout the day, better.

Don't shun the parts of you that you don't like - try to understand them, with patients. It's hard but needs to be done.

Never forget that a single moment or story is never enough to explain what's happening with someone. Including yourself.

Choose rest instead of running on empty. It's impossible to be mindful without being well-rested.

More often than not, the ways in which life is hard for one person is invisible to another - in the same way, we may not be aware of what is truly impacting us and why.

Bad or good - every experiences is a learning opportunity about life. Apologies for the audio while travelling! Thank you for being here.

Our inner voices are powerful - make sure to audit yours to see that it holds perspectives and beliefs that are empowering and healthy, rather than restrictive and cruel. Apologies for the lack of chime as I am travelling. Thank you for being here!

Sometimes, our friendships just need time and space to heal, just like romantic relationships do. Don't worry - the ebb and flow is natural.

Life isn't meant to be this repetitive, empty routine. Change something and find the magic in your daily life. Take that chance.

When you keep going back to the "bad place", memories of pain and heartbreak - be aware of it. Know that if the growth isn't happening anymore, it's okay to gently move from this place. 

Personal curriculums don't just have to be about knitting or making bread. You can set a simple goal of being more mindful through a 10 second daily meditation, or doing a 7 minute tai-chi routine. Allow yourself to be open to new learning, at a gentle, kind and enjoyable pace.

Nothing is ever delivered in one form. What you want can be achieved and fulfilled in many ways and sometimes, the true gift is in realizing that.

Fumbling and making mistakes is merely human. We all do it. There's no need to add in another heap of shame and blame on top of it. Learn from it, move forward and be better for it.

Stress is rarely from one source - it builds from many places until finally, there is a breaking point. When we learn the whole process of how this happens, we can learn to be gentler and kinder to ourselves, sooner.

Bad stuff is happening in the world. We all know and see it. Let yourself feel exactly as you are. Only when we hold space for our feelings can we accept them and begin to process them...eventually making way for hope.

Sometimes, you've done everything you can and it is still not enough. When this happens, it helps to give ourselves the gift of acceptance, instead of self-criticism and judgement.

In life, we're always pushed to go faster - so give yourself permission to pause and breathe.

Anger is more than just an emotion - it's an experience that sheds light on how we process emotion and what we can do to shift our lives in a more positive direction.

We're conditioned to drown out our pain but it's also the blueprint to a better life. In understanding our own pain, we learn more about who we are and the world we live in.

Reaching out and saying hello to someone can be a much needed lifeline for them. Never underestimate the power of small, kind gestures.

We can't ever truly expect things to never change - because change is ever-present in our lives.

It's hard and it's painful - but it's easier to learn to accept the chaos that's within ourselves than to keep running away from it.