One of the first obstacles we bump into as we begin a mindfulness practice is that we see just how distracted our minds actually are.

As we work towards developing the ‘focused awareness’ that is the goal of most mindfulness practices, we have no choice but to come face to face with all of the distractions running through our minds at any given time. The work of the practice is to learn how to observe these distractions with curiosity and compassion, rather than frustration and judgement.

It’s no easy task especially at the beginning. However, within this practice of observing our distractions, we also have to re-learn what is likely a long-neglected skill: beginning again.

A mindfulness practice is an exercise in beginning again.

In noticing our thoughts, recognizing distractions, and then instead of being frustrated with our monkey minds, we teach ourselves to just notice, to be compassionate towards ourselves and most importantly, we learn to begin again.

We use...

What’s holding you back in your life? This is a question I ask all my clients at some point in our work together. And it typically makes them pause. Stare blankly back at me, and shrug.

Lots of things. Nothing. My obligations. My boss. My husband. My low self-esteem.

These are common responses. And ultimately, they are all true.

And yet, they’re not.

For most of us, we fail to realize that each of these ‘obstacles’, each of these barriers is only true because we have decided they are. Let me put this another way.

Your perception of what’s holding you back is only real if you decide to allow it to be so.

Yes, your obstacles, your challenges, the things in your life that you think are ‘holding you back’…only exist because you’ve decided that they are the shackles keep you from achieving your goals.

Are they real? Sure.

Are they something you have to navigate and perhaps even conquer to get to where you want to go? Probably they...