You want to start meditating, but every time you try, your mind goes crazy.

You sit down with good intentions, close your eyes, and immediately your brain starts planning dinner, replaying yesterday's awkward conversation, and reminding you about seventeen things you forgot to do. After three minutes of mental chaos, you give up and decide meditation "isn't for you."

Here's what nobody tells beginners: that mental chatter isn't a sign you're bad at meditation. It's a sign you're human.

Today's episode is specifically for people who think they can't meditate.

I'm not going to teach you to empty your mind or achieve some blissful state. Instead, you'll learn the most important skill in meditation: noticing when your attention wanders and gently bringing it back.

That's it. That's the whole practice.

What You'll Learn in This Episode:

The "Three A's" Framework: Arrive (settling in), Attend (choosing focus), and Allow (letting whatever happens happen)

Why your wandering mind isn't a problem — it's actually the point where meditation begins

An 8-minute guided practice you can do in any chair, no special equipment needed

Your first weekly challenge: 5 minutes a day using exactly what we practice together

The Truth About Meditation

Meditation isn't about becoming calm and peaceful all the time. It's about developing a friendly relationship with your own attention.

Some days you'll feel centered and focused. Other days your mind will feel like a browser with 47 tabs open. Both experiences are perfectly normal and equally valuable.

The magic happens in those moments when you notice "Oh, I was thinking about lunch" and gently return to your breath. Each time you notice and return, you're strengthening your capacity for presence.

It's like doing bicep curls for your awareness.

Why Start with Sitting?

Everything else we'll explore in this podcast — mindful walking, conscious work, presence in relationships — grows from this basic skill of noticing what's actually happening right now.

Think of sitting practice as learning to open the blinds. The sunlight of awareness is always there, but we need to learn how to let it in.

Try the 5-minute daily practice for one week. Don't worry about doing it perfectly — there is no perfect. Just show up each day and practice the gentle art of returning your attention to the present moment.

Questions? Insights? Challenges? Share them in the comments below. I read every response and often feature listener experiences in future episodes.

New to Sit, Walk, Work? This "Start Here" series gives you everything you need to build a sustainable mindfulness practice. Episode 2 (Walking) and Episode 3 (Working) drop next week.

Already practicing? Share this episode with someone who's been curious about meditation but doesn't know where to begin.

Mindfulness at work. Want the 5-Minute Workplace Mindfulness Toolkit? It's free for all subscribers —

What's your biggest obstacle to starting a meditation practice? Drop a comment and I'll address it in a future episode.

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sitwalkwork.substack.com

Welcome back or welcome to the Sit, Walk, Work podcast. I’m Dominic, and in today’s episode, I’m offering you a guided meditation practice. This session is about shifting our attention away from measurement — the constant evaluations of “Am I good enough?” or “Am I doing this right?” — and into a space of possibility, abundance, and contribution.

This week, I invite you to carry a simple guiding question:

“How will I be a contribution in this moment?”

Instead of focusing on comparison or scarcity, this practice helps you reconnect with your unique gifts, the presence you bring, and the simple ways you can contribute to the world around you.

We’ll spend about 30 minutes together, beginning with grounding in the breath, moving into reflections on measurement and the stories we attach to it, and finally resting in the body with awareness and kindness. Inspired by The Art of Possibility, this meditation asks us to experiment with shifting perspective — from striving and judgment to curiosity and compassion.

Whether this is your very first meditation or your hundredth, remember: the practice always meets you exactly where you are.

Take a seat or lie down, find a comfortable position, and let’s begin.

Time-Stamped Breakdown

* 00:00–00:34 — Welcome & introduction to today’s guided meditation

* 00:56–02:56 — Weekly attention practice: asking “How will I be a contribution?”

* 03:03–05:02 — Preparing for practice: posture, breath, hands, and safety

* 05:12–08:00 — Opening awareness, inspiration from The Art of Possibility

* 08:11–12:35 — Settling into the breath and noticing possibility in each cycle

* 12:35–16:26 — Exploring measurement and the stress of comparison

* 16:27–19:22 — Recognizing the stories we attach to measurement

* 19:22–23:53 — Open awareness of the body and sensations

* 23:53–25:26 — Giving yourself an “A” — reframing measurement with compassion

* 26:41–29:24 — Returning to the breath and beginning again

* 30:32–31:53 — Closing practice with gratitude and acknowledgment

* 32:11–35:13 — Reflection on today’s meditation and influences from The Art of Possibility

💬 Let’s Reflect Together

* How did the guiding question — “How will I be a contribution in this moment?” — shift your experience today?

* Where in your life do you notice “measurement thinking” showing up most often?

* Did reframing with curiosity and compassion help soften any inner judgment?

Share your reflections in the comments—I’d love to hear how gratitude is alive in your practice.

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In this week’s episode, I invite you into a guided meditation centered on gratitude as a living practice.

Gratitude often feels like something we should jot down in a journal at the end of the day—but in this practice, we explore gratitude as something alive in the body, the breath, and the present moment.

I share how my own gratitude practice began while driving—speaking out loud the things I was grateful for—and how it helped me stay balanced, even in challenging times. From there, I guide you through a meditation sequence: breath awareness, body scan, reflection on thoughts, and open awareness, each one anchored in gratitude.

Whether you’re new to meditation or deep in your journey, this practice is a reminder that gratitude is always available, right where you are.

🕒 Episode Breakdown

* 00:00 – 02:00 | Welcome, reflections on my gratitude practice

* 02:01 – 05:30 | Orienting to the moment: posture, hands, gaze, and environment

* 05:31 – 10:20 | Breath awareness & subtle appreciation for each inhale and exhale

* 10:21 – 18:30 | Body scan with gratitude—from feet and legs to torso, heart, arms, and head

* 18:31 – 23:00 | Full-body awareness & weaving gratitude into thought patterns

* 23:01 – 28:30 | Open awareness meditation: resting with the flow of experience

* 28:31 – 30:40 | Closing reflections & invitation to carry gratitude into daily life

💬 Let’s Reflect Together

* How does gratitude show up for you in daily life?

* Have you ever practiced gratitude in the moment rather than writing it down afterward?

* Which part of the guided meditation—breath, body scan, or open awareness—felt most supportive to you?

Share your reflections in the comments—I’d love to hear how gratitude is alive in your practice.

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This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sitwalkwork.substack.com

Sometimes, the only thing between scarcity and abundance is the way we breathe and what we notice.

In today’s Sit, Walk, Work episode, we explore the theme of abundance — not as something to chase, but as something we can feel right now through breath, body awareness, and conscious thought.

This guided practice moves through three main stages:

* Expanding and releasing through the breath

* Scanning the body for what’s already working well

* Recognizing the deep connection between how we think and how we feel

Along the way, we work with the metaphor of the mind as a garden, planting thoughts that support our growth while clearing space for new possibilities.

Whether you’ve been feeling constricted, anxious, or simply out of touch with the abundance that already exists in your life, this practice will help you return to a sense of openness, gratitude, and grounded presence.

⏱ Timestamp Breakdown

00:00 – Introduction and overview of today’s theme

01:06 – Recap of the journey into abundance

01:22 – Beginning with the breath

02:53 – Body scan: noticing abundance in each part of you

05:23 – Exploring thought patterns and their effect on feelings

07:27 – Expanding and releasing through the breath

10:36 – Body awareness and embodied abundance

17:59 – Scarcity mindset reflection exercise

21:17 – Gratitude reflection exercise

24:21 – Garden of the mind metaphor

26:20 – Open awareness practice

28:06 – River metaphor for abundance

30:04 – Closing and transition back into daily life

💭 Questions for You:

* When you think of abundance, what’s the first image or feeling that comes to mind?

* How does your body respond when you focus on scarcity versus abundance?

* What “seeds” of thought would you like to plant in your mind this week?I’d love to hear how this landed with you—feel free to hit reply or join the discussion in the comments.

Last Week’s Episode:

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“If you only take what the world gives you, you’ll be stressed, angry, and stuck. Meditation is how we change the input.”

From Habit to Liberation: A Guided Meditation

This week on Sit, Walk, Work, I guide you through a meditation designed to help you reconnect with your breath, your body, and your mind — and gently challenge the unconscious conditioning we all carry.

We start by asking: What habits are holding you back?

And then we sit with it. We breathe.

We observe the breath, the body, the stories — and invite space to begin again.

This practice is for anyone who’s ever said:

“I tried that once and it didn’t work.”

Let this be your invitation to try again, with kindness and curiosity.

🕰️ Episode Breakdown

00:00–00:38 – Welcome and intention

00:39–05:00 – Why meditation is mental training

05:01–06:01 – The elephant story: a metaphor for conditioning

06:02–09:58 – Setting posture and breath awareness

09:59–15:40 – Navigating distractions, building patience

15:41–22:31 – Full body scan

22:32–30:35 – Observing thought, breath, sensation

30:36–34:49 – Integration, gratitude, and closing

34:50–35:18 – Outro + community invitation

🧠 Key Themes

* Meditation as mental strength training

* How conditioning limits our potential

* Reconnecting with your senses and breath

* Releasing judgment and beginning again

* Observing thought patterns without attachment

💬 Reflect & Engage

* What’s one belief or habit you’ve accepted without question?

* What came up for you during the body scan?

* When’s the last time you gave yourself grace to begin again?

Leave a comment — or reply to this email and share what’s real for you.

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This week on the Sit, Walk, Work podcast, we drop into a guided meditation that begins with a simple moment:

When my employee responded to “How are you?” with “I’m here,” it gave me pause. I honored the honesty but also gently offered a shift in perspective: “You’re here—and that’s something. Someone else didn’t get that chance today.”

That exchange became a reminder of just how fragile and miraculous this moment is.

In this episode, I guide you through a practice that brings us back to what matters—not perfection, not productivity, but presence. We move through body awareness, heart-centered breathwork, and a spacious flow of metta—loving-kindness for ourselves and eventually for those around us.

You’ll hear reminders like:

* Refinement over judgment

* Presence over progress

* Patience over perfection

And through it all, an invitation to begin again. And again.

🎧 Episode Highlights:

* Body scan to observe tension and release

* Heart-centered breathing to cultivate metta

* Working with distraction using the art of “beginning again”

* Expanding compassion from self to others

* Resting in equanimity and the power of simply being

🌀 Favorite Reflection from the Episode:

“It doesn’t need to be perfect to be okay. It is what it is now.

And that can change as soon as the next breath.”

💭 Questions for You:

* What part of your practice do you find yourself judging—and what would refinement look like instead?

* How do you remind yourself it’s okay to begin again?

I’d love to hear how this landed with you—feel free to hit reply or join the discussion in the comments.

Until next time,

With metta,

Dominic

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This week on the Sit, Walk, Work podcast, I’m sharing a 30-minute guided meditation practice designed to help you soften into your breath, observe your thoughts, and extend the kindness you give so freely to others—toward yourself.

It’s a practice I return to often, especially when I’m feeling overwhelmed or disconnected. We begin by anchoring the attention in the breath, then gently observe the mind without judgment. From there, we explore what it means to wish ourselves well—especially the younger parts of us that still long for kindness, patience, and care.

There’s something powerful that happens when we allow ourselves to be the center of our own attention. Not in a self-centered way, but in a way that acknowledges: I matter too.

“The fact that each beat happens, that each breath shows up, is in and of itself its own miracle.”

This practice is for anyone who’s feeling worn down, who’s been giving more than they’ve been receiving, or who just wants to reconnect with the quiet miracle of being alive.

🧘🏾‍♂️ What You’ll Experience

* Anchoring in the breath as a steady, loving presence

* Observing thoughts without needing to change or chase them

* Offering loving-kindness to the younger you

* Cultivating gratitude for the body, the breath, and the heart

* Ending in open, soft awareness

Whether it’s your first sit or your thousandth, I hope this episode helps you pause, soften, and reconnect.

🌀 A Few Reflection Questions

Feel free to journal these or just carry them into your day:

* What happens when I let myself be the center of my own attention?

* Is there a younger version of me that still needs care?

* Where in my body do I feel love or resistance today?

* Can I let my thoughts move like breath—free to come and go?

💬 Join the Conversation

I’d love to hear how this practice lands for you. You can reply to this email or share your reflections in the comments.

And if this episode resonates, forward it to a friend who could use a little more breath and kindness in their day.

Thanks for being here. Thanks for practicing.

And as always:

With metta, may you be well.

—Dominic

This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit sitwalkwork.substack.com

I grew up in a single-parent home. Like many, that meant figuring out a lot on my own—learning how to solve problems without a clear blueprint. One of the unexpected gifts of that experience was developing a kind of creative strategy: doing the opposite.

We’re often told to trust our instincts, but what happens when those instincts are conditioned, reactive, or looping in a pattern that no longer serves us?

That’s where today’s meditation begins.

Inspired by teachings from Stoicism, the Bhagavad Gita, the Buddha, and even a famous episode of Seinfeld, this practice explores how holding opposites can become a doorway to peace. The inhale and the exhale. Pain and pleasure. Memory and presence. Winning and losing. All part of the same dance.

🧘🏽‍♂️ What to Expect in the Practice

We begin by anchoring attention in the breath—watching it move in and out like a tide. I then guide you through a reflection: recalling a moment from your day that stirred something within you, then inviting its opposite. Through this, we explore where tension, resistance, and even empathy live in the body.

We’re not trying to get rid of thoughts. We’re learning to become students of the mind—watching, receiving, and softening into what arises.

And perhaps most importantly, we’re practicing how to give ourselves the grace we often seek from others.

⏱️ Time-Stamped Breakdown

* 00:00–00:46 – Opening remarks + invitation to share and review

* 01:06–02:05 – Personal story: Growing up with a single parent & creative thinking through opposites

* 02:05–03:47 – Epictetus, Seinfeld, and spiritual teachings on opposites

* 03:52–05:53 – Setting the stage: shifting from doing to being

* 05:53–10:21 – Anchoring in breath: exploring the inhale and exhale

* 10:21–13:57 – Body awareness and receiving emotions as sensation

* 13:57–17:06 – Recalling a moment from your day and exploring its physical imprint

* 17:06–19:41 – Introducing the opposite memory and observing the contrast

* 19:41–21:38 – Holding both: practicing equanimity and witnessing presence

* 21:38–26:07 – Cultivating compassion, grace, and self-kindness

* 26:07–30:11 – Returning to breath: integrating love and letting go

* 30:11–31:44 – Closing reflection, gratitude, and invitation to the Substack community

🪞Why It Matters

The ability to hold opposites without immediately rushing to resolve them is the foundation of emotional intelligence, compassion, and inner strength.

You might be holding joy and grief in the same moment. Or love and fear. This practice doesn’t ask you to pick one. It asks you to witness both, and in doing so, discover something steady beneath the shifting.

Because you are that steady presence.

💬 Want to Reflect Together?

I’d love to hear from you:

* What’s the opposite you’re holding right now?

* Can you identify where it lives in your body?

* Have you ever made progress in your life by doing the exact opposite of what you thought you should?

Leave a comment or reply—I read and appreciate every note.

Until next time,

With Metta,

Dominic

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When was the last time you allowed yourself to truly breathe — not just in and out, but into the fullness of your life?

In this week’s episode of Sit, Walk, Work, I guide a 30-minute meditation centered on spaciousness — not only in the body but in our awareness, attention, and how we meet the moment. This post is a reflection and an invitation to experience that practice in your own time, with your breath.

🌀 Why Spaciousness Matters

Meditation often starts with the breath — the anchor. But breath is not the goal. It’s a doorway.

We begin by concentrating on one-pointed attention and then gradually widen our awareness to include everything: distractions, emotions, body sensations, even silence. This widening reveals the openness already available to us.

There’s a Taoist saying:

“The usefulness of a cup is in its emptiness.”

In the same way, your spacious attention allows experience to rise and pass, without being trapped or forced. It’s not about fixing yourself. It’s about allowing what is — and seeing what shifts when you do.

✨ Practice Highlights

This meditation moved through:

* Posture & breath awareness — setting the conditions for stillness

* The pauses between breaths — our first encounter with emptiness

* Expanding attention — to include thoughts, sensations, sounds

* A full-body scan — exploring the dance between density and space

* Gratitude & letting go — learning to meet the body with curiosity

* Dedication of merit — offering the benefits of practice to others

You don’t have to get it perfect. The value is in showing up.

🧍🏽‍♂️ The Body is the Teacher

As we scanned from feet to crown, we noticed what was light, what was dense, and what had shifted. The body remembers — and it continues to change, just like the breath.

Through consistent practice, we begin to appreciate this process of letting go, emptying out, and making space for new insight to emerge.

💠 Let Practice Ripple Out

The benefits of this kind of sitting aren’t just personal. They ripple outward.

When we learn to pay attention — to meet ourselves with space instead of judgment — we begin to meet others in the same way too. We become more accessible, more compassionate, and more genuine.

💬 Reflect With Me

I’d love to hear what landed for you:

* What does “spaciousness” feel like in your body right now?

* When was the last time you noticed something new about your breath?

* Where do you need more space in your life?

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“Train my mind to adapt to any circumstance.” — Epictetus

Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about uncertainty — not just the abstract kind, but the very real, in-your-face, everyday kind. The kind that shows up when you’re learning something new, navigating a relationship shift, facing work unknowns, or simply trying to sit with your thoughts.

For me, this theme hit home while training in jiu-jitsu. Each time I step on the mat, I have no idea what to expect. Who I’ll spar with. What I’ll learn. Whether I’ll get folded like laundry or find flow, it’s a humbling practice, one that constantly takes me off-script and asks: Can you be with what’s here, not what you hoped would be here?

This is exactly where meditation enters.

Training for the Mind

In this week’s Sit, Walk, Work episode, I guide you through a practice that helps train the mind to remain adaptable, especially when things don’t go as planned. Rather than chasing certainty in a sea of change, the practice invites us to anchor in something deeper: our breath, our awareness, and the space of witnessing.

Meditation isn’t about escaping what’s hard or pretending things are fine when they’re not. It’s about building the capacity to stay present in the middle of it all — distractions, discomfort, and all.

Your breath, in its rising and falling, becomes a rhythm for returning.

Your attention, in its wandering and settling, becomes a tool for self-discovery.

Noticing What Changes — and What Doesn’t

As the practice unfolds, I guide you to scan your body, observe your breath, and open up your awareness to everything arising in the present moment — sensations, sounds, even thoughts that feel like run-on sentences. And then, we contrast that with what remains steady. That witnessing space. The stillness within.

This contrast is powerful. Because in a world that’s always changing, it’s easy to forget: There’s a part of you that doesn’t.

And from that part — the quiet, grounded observer — you can begin to build a different kind of certainty. One that isn’t based on controlling outcomes, but on your capacity to respond with care.

The Gift of Being Breathed

Toward the end of the practice, I invite you to feel into the rhythm of sound, just as you did with the breath. And in that moment, it becomes clear: so much of life arrives. The inhale. The song of birds. The hum of the fridge. These moments ask nothing from us, except presence.

And maybe a little reverence.

Because to be breathed by life is no small thing.

Closing Reflection

If you’re feeling tossed about by life right now, I invite you to practice with me. Not because it will fix everything, but because it will remind you: you don’t have to be certain to be steady. You just have to return to the body, to the breath, to yourself.

Where do you feel the contrast between change and stillness most clearly?

With metta,

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