As a small thank you for being part of the 4 Breath Update, I wanted to share a NEW short NSDR mini practice you can keep and come back to whenever you need a quick reset.
NSDR stands for Non Sleep Deep Rest. It is a simple guided practice to help your body settle, your mind slow down, and your nervous system recover.
Over 50 studies show it can help reduce stress and anxiety, improve sleep and restore focus.
Earlier in the year I released a couple of draft NSDR practices for specific sessions. This is the new version; the aim was to find the ‘minimum effective dose’, the biggest benefits in the shortest time.
To help protect a high quality restorative moment for you today, answer these 3 questions:
Where is the easiest place I could rest for 5 minutes?
What time would feel doable, where I already have a little space, such as a morning break, lunchtime, after a meeting this afternoon, or just before bed?
What is one way I would benefit from feeling calmer today?
Feeling calmer = clearer thinking, better decisions, steadier emotions, improved focus, less stress in the body and a greater ability to respond rather than react.
Gifted Summer Sessions
To help support people over the summer, I’m offering some fully funded Mini Habit sessions for organisations.
Can you think of one friend, family member, colleague or local contact who works with a team that might benefit?
It could be a specific team, a business, charity, healthcare , council, community group or workplace.
A simple forward from you could give a group of people access to practical support for resilience and focus. People often appreciate this.
Each gifted session is 30 minutes, delivered live by me, with up to 50 places available per session. Completely fully funded.
I work with around 5,000 people a year across the NHS, universities, charities and global organisations. Supporting everyone from doctors, scientists and engineers to managers, administrators and frontline teams.
Sessions are open to both national and international audiences.
To book a session, all they need to do is email my colleague Susan at susan@tinypause.co.uk and put “Mini Session” in the subject heading and request one or two of the below dates.
Susan will then send them a simple invite and registration link to share with staff.
July - Mini Habits for Focus on these dates;
Tue 7th July 12.30pm - 1pm
Thu 9th July 12.30pm - 1pm
Tue 21st July 12.3pm - 1pm
August — Mini Habits for Resilience on these dates:
Tue 4th August 12.30pm - 1pm
Wed 5th August 12.30pm - 1pm
Tue 11th August 12.30pm - 1pm
Fathers Day
Yesterday I had planned to take my Mum and Dad out for Father’s Day lunch.
At the last minute, my Dad decided he did not want to come. I felt frustrated, but then thought perhaps Father’s Day is a good day to let someone do exactly what they want.
As many of you know, it can be hard when parents get older. The shift from old to elderly brings a variety of challenges, frustrating and demanding in ways I never imagined.
So I took my Mum out instead. Photos below. We had a lovely lunch on the River Dart estuary in Devon.
During our meal, I noticed a man on the next table eating alone with his two dogs.
As we were leaving, I asked him how he was enjoying his meal. He explained that he had got used to eating on his own since separating from his wife six months ago, and that he’d got the two things he wanted in the end: his lovely dogs.
Then he told me his wife had just got engaged to someone else, and he suspected they had been seeing each other while they were still married.
I told him how sorry I was. I shared that I had felt devastated when I separated from my ex 15 years ago. I said that grief comes in waves, but over time you begin to heal, often with a renewed appreciation for the things that really matter.
The whole interaction felt very emotional and stayed with me. It reminded me how powerful it can be to simply talk to someone, ask how they are and really listen.
You are a good person, doing your best. That is enough.
“There is a fine line between challenging yourself and overwhelming yourself.”
― Brittany Burgunder
Need a hand? Feel alone?
Don’t wait, contact someone today. You deserve support as much as anyone else. You are not alone. Reply to this message if that’s easiest.
Text Shout - 85258 - simple support via text, I used when I wasn’t sure who to turn to
Call Samaritans 116 123 - no problem too small, I’ve used a couple of times, once during a relationship break up, once when one of my family said they were suicidal and I wasn’t sure who to ask for help
NHS Every Mind Matters - simple and effective resources you can access immediately here