We often have a very narrow "window of tolerance" for emotions that are strong, including anger, fear, overwhelm. When we cannot tolerate these feelings we may say or do something that in hindsight we wish we hadn't. This practice will help to expand your window of tolerance when challenging circumstances arise, and in turn reduce the stress that comes as a result of being caught in our own inability to tolerate our feeling.

Let's face it, it can be really hard to be patient. Life can be frustrating, expectations are not met, we feel we fall short, or that others fail us, circumstances are out of our control. With patience, we learn to become more tolerant, life becomes less stressful. Try this practice to get started.

A foundational practice of Mindfulness is becoming aware of our thoughts, emotions and reactivity. When something happens that triggers anger, anxiety or any emotionally loaded auto-pilot resonse, we react. If, instead of reacting, we can insert a pause, we have an opportunity to use that moment to choose how we want to respond. Our chosen response in turn creates the opportunity to free ourselves from the auto-pilot reactions that can cause us more problems. Thi...

What's going on inside of you and around you right now? Can you simply acknowledge what is there and accept that this is how you feel? This short guided practice will help you to become familiar with and recognize when certain thoughts, feelings or situations are getting to you. Learning to systematically check in can provide helpful intel into your own state of mind and how it may be impacting you. Do this with a sense of curiosity and kindness, building a tolerance to ackn...

When was the last time someone was kind to you simply to make your life easier or to make you feel good? How did it feel? Notice what a big difference a small gesture makes. This is a practice that we can all develop if we decide to. Try it, it will make your day a better day, along with that of the recipient of your thoughtfulness.

With all that is stressful in the world and perhaps in your life, finding happiness may seem challenging. Often we think "if this happens, then my life will be happy". Letting go of the "if only this, then that" and tuning in to the present moment can be a more rewarding way to navigate one's life. This Pause focuses on a story about "letting go of your cows" (!!), see what you think: listen and reflect.

We all get stuck at times. We can beat ourselves up, judge ourselves harshly and get a story about what is wrong that becomes a repetitive loop in our brain. See if you notice when you have one of those stories going through your mind, and try this practice. Self compassion is essential to rebounding and building resilience. With practice, you can help yourself.

Strong emotions, like anger or anxiety, can take over like a forceful storm. This practice can help one be prepared for those storms. Learn to become grounded and deeply rooted.

Are you tough on yourself? If you are like the rest of us, self-judgment can become a limiting habit. The grip of feeling we need to be more than we are, in control, or need to be perfect is a burden, after all we are all human. Self compassion is key to resilience. Try kindness: start with yourself.

What we resist, persists, or so it goes. When we wrestle to control or become frustrated by circumstances or people we cannot necessarily impact, we are the ones who suffer. This practice helps us to acknowledge what is happening and works with trying to allow it, to tolerate it without becoming reactive and increasing our own stress. Saying "yes, and this too, this is part of life" doesn't mean we condone what is going on, it simply helps us to see things for what they are....

Do you limit yourself by becoming attached to a certain way of thinking about yourself? We can all get caught up in altering our authentic selves to try to be what we think we should be. It is a gift to live authentically, to simply be.

Your body is intelligent. It can show you when feelings of anger, anxiety, a sense of being overwhlemed or frustrated are being initiated. If we pay attention to how we are feeling in our body we can catch these feelings at the onset, insert a few breaths to try to find some ease or create some room for the feelings as opposed to becoming reactive. This practice teaches you how to pay attention to what your body is telling you. Once you are onto this, you will ha...

We all feel the need to be in control, thought there are times we must take responsibility and oversee the situation, there are also times we take control sometimes because of what we assume will happen if we do not. Loosening the grip might surprise you- the outcome can present new possibilities that turn out even better than what we'd planned or thought must happen.

Do you find yourself feeling less tolerant these days? Angry? Often our anger comes back at us to create ongoing difficulties that compound as a result of losing our temper. We may have alienated someone we care about, we may beat up on ourselves for losing it, we may still feel angry that we couldn't change somebody or a certain situation. Anger can be very destructive, often we are the ones who suffer as a result. This practice gives some pointers as to how w...

Becoming aware in the present moment is a mental skill that can take us off autopilot. The benefits of honing awareness include reducing stress, gaining perspective, making more informed decisions and so much more. With practice we bring ourselves into the present and live life consciously.

We all benefit when we come from a place of feeling steady and centered. When there is chaos swirling - whether in our minds, our day or in the world- becoming grounded provides all with a sense of calm and direction. This Pause will guide you through a practice to help you find terra firma.