Mindfulness Practice

Some days my mind feels like a battlefield. One voice says I’m not enough, another snaps back, and I’m left standing in the noise. It’s not elegant or Zen. It’s messy and exhausting. Mindfulness is not about pretending the fight isn’t happening. It is about noticing it, even when it’s ugly, and choosing not to pile on. Here’s one thing that has helped me: Pause. Feel your feet on the floor. Inhale slowly for a count of four. Hold it just long enough to notice your heartbeat. Exhale for six, letting your shoulders drop. Do that three times. It will not solve everything, but it cracks the door for a little kindness to slip through. After that, name one thing, anything, you still care about. A friend’s laugh, the smell of rain, even your favorite mug. Let it remind you that you are more than the harsh voices. Being human is rough work. Meeting yourself with a scrap of compassion in the middle of the chaos is the practice.

I’ve got my square squad . The people who know me—really know me. They see my heart, they see my effort, they see the messy, raw, real me, and they hold space for it all. Their voices are the ones I trust, the ones I go to when the world gets loud. And yet, this week… someone outside that circle said something cruel. Something untrue. And it got to me. I found myself spiralling—defending, justifying, doubting. Then I caught myself trying to apply logic: “She’s not in your square squad. Her opinion doesn’t matter. Don’t let it in.” But here’s the hard truth: It still hurt. Because no matter how strong our boundaries are, or how clear we are on who matters and who doesn’t, we’re human. And words—especially unkind, false ones—can sting, even when we know the source is irrelevant. This is where the work lives. Not in pretending we’re untouchable. But in acknowledging the sting, sitting with it, and choosing not to let it define us. I reminded myself of three things today: Just b...