Today, we invite you to approach difficulties with kindness and curiosity, rather than aversion or judgment. 
Join Patrick as he guides you through a practice that helps you shift your attention to the body, allowing the mind to disengage from sticky thoughts and explore new ways of responding to challenges.

**In this episode, we'll explore:**

* A guided meditation practice that focuses on approaching difficulties with kindness and curiosity
* Techniques for shifting attention to the body and disengaging from ruminating thoughts
* The importance of responding with kindness and openness rather than aversion or judgment

Enjoy!

MindfulnessChallenge Day 7 - Working with a Little Difficulty

Welcome to Day 9 of the 2025 October Mindfulness Challenge! 
Today’s short and refreshing practice, led by Nieta, is all about making a clean transition — from one moment to the next, from one task to another, or simply from wherever you are now into what comes next.
Through a few intentional breaths and a gentle reset of your awareness, this practice helps you:

Let go of past distractions
Pause before the next thing
Step into the present with clarity and calm

Perfect for any time of day — whether you're starting your morning, shifting between meetings, or winding down. Take a few minutes to reset and begin again.

October Challenge 25 - Day 9 – A Fresh Start: Breathing into the Next Moment

Today marks a special milestone in our mindfulness journey—Day 10, which coincides with the Mindfulness@IBM Summit. As we gather to celebrate the power of presence and well-being, we invite you to engage in a simple yet profound practice: mindful eating.

Whether it's a chip, a peanut, or a slice of fruit, this practice encourages you to slow down and savor each bite with full awareness. 

Notice the texture, the sound, the smell, and the taste. Reflect on the journey your food has taken to reach you. Let this moment of nourishment be a celebration of mindfulness—just like the summit itself.

Let’s savor the summit, one bite at a time.

October Challenge 25 - Day 10 – Savor the Moment: A Mindful Eating Practice

Welcome to Day 11 of our Mindfulness Challenge. 

Today’s practice is a gentle visualization exercise that invites you to revisit a place that brings you peace, safety, or inspiration. It could be a cozy room, a quiet forest, or a sunlit beach—anywhere that feels like a sanctuary.

Through guided imagery, you’ll explore this space with all your senses: noticing colors, textures, sounds, and emotions. This practice helps cultivate calm, presence, and emotional resilience—especially valuable during busy or stressful times.

Let this inner journey be a reminder that peace is always accessible, even in the midst of a hectic day.

October Challenge 25 - Day 11 – Your Inner Sanctuary: A Guided Visualization

Welcome to Day 12 of our mindfulness challenge. Today, Pat guides us through a gentle and grounding breath and body awareness practice.

This session invites you to tune into the sensations of your body—both external and internal—and to connect with your breath as it naturally flows. By simply noticing what’s present, without trying to change anything, we cultivate a deeper sense of presence and curiosity.

Let this practice be a moment of stillness in your day, helping you transition into what’s next with greater awareness and ease.

October Challenge 25 - Day 12 – Breath and Body Awareness

Happy Friday and welcome to Day 13! Today’s practice is all about mindful stretching—a gentle way to bring awareness to your body, breath, and emotions through movement.

Whether you're at your desk, on the bus, or standing in your kitchen, you can stretch with intention. The key is to move slowly, tune into your sensations, and notice how your body feels. 

This practice is a perfect way to close the week with presence and ease, enjoy!

October Challenge 25 - Day 13 – Stretch Into Presence: A Mindful Movement Practice

Welcome to Day 14 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice is a gentle thought observation exercise that invites you to imagine your mind as an aquarium—full of colorful thoughts, emotions, and distractions swimming by.

Rather than getting caught up in each thought, this practice helps you take a step back and simply observe. Like watching fish through glass, you’ll learn to notice your thoughts without judgment, allowing them to come and go while staying grounded in your breath and body.

This is a powerful way to cultivate presence, especially as we head into the final stretch of our challenge.

October Challenge 25 - Day 14 – Watching the Mind: A Thought Observation Practice

Welcome to Day 15! If you’ve been practicing daily, you’ve likely started forming a beautiful habit—a small ritual that brings you back to the present moment. 

Today’s practice is all about the mindful smile.
With just a breath and a gentle lift of the corners of your mouth, you can shift your mood, soften your body, and reconnect with gratitude. Smiling mindfully is a simple yet powerful way to embody joy and presence.

Let your whole self smile—your face, your heart, even your feet. And carry that smile into your day.

October Challenge 25 - Day 15 – The Mindful Smile: A Practice of Joy and Presence

Welcome to Day 16 of our mindfulness challenge. Today’s practice is a grounding belly breathing exercise that invites you to reconnect with your body and its natural rhythms.

By gently guiding your attention from your feet to your belly, you’ll tune into the subtle yet powerful movement of your breath. This practice activates the parasympathetic nervous system, helping you feel more relaxed, centered, and connected to your inner wisdom—your “gut instinct.”

Let your breath be your anchor today.

October Challenge 25 - Day 16 – Coming Home to the Body: A Belly Breathing

Welcome to Day 17 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice with Pat is a short but powerful sound meditation.

Whether you choose music, nature sounds, ambient noise, or even silence, this practice invites you to simply listen—without labeling, judging, or reacting. Notice how quickly the mind tries to name or evaluate what it hears, and gently return to the act of listening itself.

Let sound be your anchor to the present moment.

October Challenge 25 - Day 17 – Listening Deeply: A Sound Meditation

Welcome to Day 18 of our October mindfulness journey. Today’s practice is a gentle reminder to appreciate your body—not for how it looks, but for all it does to support your life.

We often spend time in our minds or criticizing our bodies, but this practice invites you to shift into gratitude and non-judgmental awareness. From your breath to your heartbeat, your senses to your movement—your body is a miracle of survival, growth, and connection.

End the practice with a mindful stretch and carry this kindness with you throughout your day.

MindfulnessChallenge Day 7 - Working with a Little Difficulty

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