How often do you find yourself saying, “I just need a minute” but then that minute never comes?
Between caring for others, managing work and health, and navigating the nonstop motion of daily life, it can feel nearly impossible to pause—let alone breathe. Yet, those tiny pauses are exactly where your power lies.
Mindfulness isn’t reserved for just spas, yoga retreats or silent rooms. It’s in the everyday, unscripted spaces. The quiet between the chaos.
And even just one mindful breath can shift everything.
Whether you’re sitting in the waiting room before a medical scan, feeling anxious about the unknown, fighting fatigue from chronic illness, holding back tears during a hard conversation, or lying awake with a racing mind – these are the moments when presence matters most. When everything feels out of control, the breath is one thing you can come back to. It anchors you.
One of the most grounding practices in mindfulness is something Jon Kabat-Zinn, founder of Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction (MBSR), calls “Awareness of Breathing.” It’s simple but profound: observing your breath as it moves in and out, without judgment or needing to fix anything. This awareness gently reconnects you to the present moment and calms the body’s stress response.
Inspired by mindfulness traditions and my curated learnings, I created these Mini Meditations (I call them “Minis”) or bite-sized breathwork practices you can do anywhere – in traffic, during a stressful phone call, while waiting at the doctor’s office or when your emotions feel heavy. These aren’t lengthy or intimidating. They’re grounding, accessible, and take less than a minute. When practiced consistently, they gently retrain your nervous system to return to calm more quickly and naturally.
These Minis are simple, but they’re not small. Every time you pause to breathe with intention, you’re building resilience. You’re choosing presence over pressure. You’re telling your nervous system, “I’m safe. I’ve got this.”
Experiment, and see if there is one that works for you. Start with just one. Come back to it as often as you need. Let these practices become your quiet companions, supporting you through the heavy days, the healing days, and the hopeful ones too.
Breathe deeply. Let me know how you go!
