“Be gentle with yourself.” We hear these words often. We may even say them to others. But what does it actually mean to be gentle with ourselves, especially when life gets difficult?

In this episode, Pierre and Sarah explore three meaningful dimensions of self-gentleness: softening our inner critic, allowing ourselves to experience difficult emotions without judgment, and intentionally bringing more joy into our lives.

They reflect on how easily we can become our own harshest critics, how we sometimes judge ourselves simply for feeling what we feel, and how mindfulness can help us interrupt these patterns with greater awareness, curiosity, and compassion.

They also remind us that being gentle with ourselves isn't only about navigating difficult moments. It's about giving ourselves permission to experience what's good—to appreciate beauty, connect with others, and cultivate joy.

And perhaps one of the most meaningful discoveries is that as we learn to be gentler with ourselves, we naturally create more space to be gentle with others.

What might change if, instead of pushing ourselves harder, we practiced meeting ourselves with a little more gentleness?

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Awakening Mindfulness at Work on your favorite podcast platform, and explore more ways to bring mindfulness into your work and life.

📝 Prefer to read? Explore our articles. Discover insights and practices inspired by the podcast on Substack and LinkedIn. https://tinyurl.com/mindfulnessatworkatsubstack https://tinyurl.com/mindfulnessatworkatlinkedin

💬 Join our live online gatherings. Connect with our community for meaningful conversations, reflections, and mindfulness practices inspired by the podcast. https://tinyurl.com/real-time-now

🌱 Explore our workshops and programs. Discover practical ways to cultivate mindfulness, well-being, productivity, and a more intentional way of working.

A 15-Minute Practice to Cultivate Presence, Ease, and an Open Heart!

What if you could give yourself permission to pause, let go of the need to control, and simply be present?

In this guided meditation, Pierre invites you to explore the five S's of mindfulness: Slow Down, Simplify, Soften, Surrender, and Share—a gentle pathway toward greater presence, ease, and connection.

Through awareness of the breath, body, and heart, you'll be invited to release tension, quiet the mental chatter, soften around difficult sensations and emotions, and surrender to the experience of being here, just as you are.

The practice concludes with an invitation to carry these qualities into everyday life, sharing the goodness of mindfulness through how we show up for ourselves and others.

Whether you're taking a mindful break during a busy workday or creating a moment of stillness at home, this 15-minute meditation offers an opportunity to reconnect with yourself and what matters most.

This practice complements our conversation episode, “Slow Down, Simplify, Soften, Surrender, Share,” and can be enjoyed on its own or alongside that exploration.

Continue the Conversation: ======================

Enjoyed this episode? Subscribe to Awakening Mindfulness at Work on your favorite podcast platform, and explore more ways to bring mindfulness into your work and life.

📝 Prefer to read? Explore our articles. Discover insights and practices inspired by the podcast on Substack and LinkedIn. https://tinyurl.com/mindfulnessatworkatsubstack https://tinyurl.com/mindfulnessatworkatlinkedin

💬 Join our live online gatherings. Connect with our community for meaningful conversations, reflections, and mindfulness practices inspired by the podcast. https://tinyurl.com/real-time-now

🌱 Explore our workshops and programs. Discover practical ways to cultivate mindfulness, well-being, productivity, and a more intentional way of working.

A difficult conversation. A mistake. A negative comment from a manager. A message that goes unanswered. In the moment, these experiences can feel enormous—only to look very different a day, a week, or a year later.

In this episode, Pierre and Sarah explore the power of perspective and how we can develop the skill of putting things in perspective when emotions run high. They also look at the conditions that make perspective possible, including the role of the nervous system, and walk through a practical five-step process: labeling, ranking, accepting, reframing, and refocusing.

Rather than waiting for time to give us perspective, what if we could practice finding it right here, right now?