Welcome to Day 1 of our 22-day October Mindfulness Challenge! In this opening episode, we begin with one of the most foundational practices in mindfulness: breath awareness.
Join us for a short guided exercise that uses counted breathing to anchor your attention, calm your nervous system, and gently ease into a state of presence. Whether you're new to mindfulness or returning to your practice, this is a perfect way to start building a daily habit.
🧘‍♂️ What you'll experience today:

A simple breathing technique: inhale for 4, hold for 2, exhale for 6
Guidance on how to stay present with your breath
A reminder of why breath is a powerful tool for mental clarity and emotional balance

Let’s begin this journey together—one breath at a time.

October Mindfulness Challenge 25 - Day 1 - Breathing into Awareness: A Mindful Start

Welcome to Day 2 of the October Mindfulness Challenge! 

Today, we’re guided by Nieta through a gentle and grounding body scan — one of the foundational practices in mindfulness.
This practice invites you to bring awareness to each part of your body, from your toes to the crown of your head, helping you reconnect with physical sensations and cultivate presence. Whether you’re seated at your desk or lying down, this scan can be a standalone practice or a calming lead-in to deeper mindfulness.
🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A slow, guided journey through your body
Techniques to notice subtle sensations without judgment
A moment to appreciate the miracle of simply being in your body

Take a few minutes to pause, breathe, and come home to yourself.

October Challenge 25 - Day 2 – Grounded in the Body: A Mindful Body Scan

Welcome to Day 3 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! As we wrap up the week, today’s practice invites you to take a mindful pause and reflect on moments of gratitude.

Through a gentle guided exercise, you’ll revisit three meaningful experiences from the past week, allowing yourself to feel the emotions connected to each one. This practice helps shift your focus from what’s next to what’s already good — cultivating appreciation, presence, and emotional well-being.
🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A short gratitude reflection
A chance to reconnect with positive moments
A mindful close to your week

Let this be a nourishing way to enter the weekend with intention and warmth.

October Challenge 25 - Day 3 – A Pause for Gratitude: Reflecting on the Week

Welcome to Day 4 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice invites you to tune into the sounds around you — not just the loud or obvious ones, but the subtle, continuous, and distant sounds that often go unnoticed.
Through this guided exercise, you’ll explore how sound can anchor you in the present moment and reveal the richness of your environment. You’ll also notice how sounds trigger thoughts and associations, offering a deeper layer of mindfulness.
🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A practice of open, non-judgmental listening
Awareness of both external and internal sounds
Reflection on how sound shapes thought and attention

No special setup needed — just listen, wherever you are.

October Challenge 25 - Day 4 – Listening with Awareness: A Sound-Based Practice

Welcome to Day 5 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a classic grounding technique known as 5-4-3-2-1, designed to anchor you in the present moment using your senses.
Through this guided exercise, you’ll explore:

5 things you can see
4 things you can feel
3 things you can hear
2 things you can smell
1 thing you can taste

This sensory-based practice is a powerful way to reconnect with your surroundings, calm your mind, and cultivate awareness — anytime, anywhere.
🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A full-body sensory check-in
A simple tool to reduce stress and increase presence
A reminder that mindfulness is always available, no matter the day or setting

Enjoy!

October Challenge 25 - Day 5 – Anchored in the Present: A 5-4-3-2-1 Mindfulness Practice

Welcome to Day 6 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a classic and widely used technique: counting the breath.

This simple yet powerful exercise helps you anchor your attention, especially during moments of stress or overwhelm. By counting each breath — forward and backward — you create a rhythm that naturally calms the mind and brings clarity to your day.

🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A breath-focused practice for grounding and relaxation
Counting techniques to deepen awareness
A tool you can return to anytime you need to reset

Whether you’re seated, standing, or on the move, this practice is always available to you.

October Challenge 25 - Day 6 – Counting the Breath: A Practice for Calm and Focus

Welcome to Day 7 of our October Mindfulness Challenge! Today’s practice is a gentle and heart-opening Loving Kindness Meditation — also known as Metta.

This guided exercise invites you to cultivate feelings of kindness, compassion, and goodwill toward yourself, loved ones, neutral acquaintances, and even those you may find challenging. Through a series of intentional phrases, you’ll expand your capacity for empathy and emotional resilience.

🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A peaceful visualization in a safe, familiar place
Loving kindness directed toward yourself and others
A deeper sense of connection and emotional balance

This practice is a beautiful way to nurture your inner world and strengthen your relationships — starting from within.

October Challenge 25 - Day 7 – Loving Kindness: A Practice of Compassion and Connection

Welcome to Day 8 of our October Mindfulness Challenge — and a special acknowledgment of World Mental Health Day. Today’s practice is a gentle and grounding Mindful Walking Meditation, designed to help you reconnect with your body, breath, and surroundings through movement.
Walking is something we do every day, often without thinking. 

This practice invites you to slow down, tune in, and walk with intention — transforming a simple activity into a powerful tool for mental clarity and emotional balance.

🧘‍♀️ What you’ll experience today:

A guided walking meditation
Breath and movement awareness
A reminder of how mindfulness supports mental health

Whether you’re walking in a park, down a hallway, or around your home, this practice is a beautiful way to honor your well-being.

October Challenge 25 - Day 8 – Mindful Walking: A Moving Meditation for Mental Health

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 7 – Loving Kindness: A Practice of Compassion and Connection

The Mindfulness Podcast

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