Nearly Mindful and Moments of Mindfulness 

When people tell me they “can’t meditate” or that mindfulness is too hard, it’s almost always because of one thing – judgment. It’s so easy to judge ourselves. We sit down to meditate, and before long, our minds wander. We’re suddenly worrying, planning, or overthinking, and then the self-criticism kicks in. “I’m not doing this right.” “Why can’t I just focus?”

This self-judgment is one of the biggest barriers to simply being present. We go to a retreat or take a class, and then what? We come back, hoping for a sense of calm or clarity, but often, we find ourselves slipping right back into the noise of everyday life. The critical voice comes back, and we start to doubt our ability to ever “get this right.”

It’s not just you, or me.  Experienced meditators go through this too – the difference is time, self-awareness, and  the ability to begin again. Experience teaches us that every moment is a chance to begin again. There’s a kind of freedom in that. As my bestie says “You gotta get jiggy with starting again”. Until you get comfortable with the art of beginning again, with the messy, beautiful imperfection of each moment, you’ll always feel like you’re falling short.

I get it. For years, I struggled to sit in silence. My thoughts took over, and I’d end up frustrated, feeling like I’d failed at meditation. I’d give up. But then, once in a while, I’d stumble into a moment of pure presence – pulling weeds in the garden, watching sunlight dance on leaves, or sitting by a quiet stream. In those moments, my mind would settle, and I’d just be. No need to rush, analyze, or perfect – just a simple, quiet awe for the moment itself.

Those glimpses of pure presence are what keep me practicing. They remind me that yes, I can be mindful, and that these small, meaningful moments are what make life rich. I founded Nearly Mindful because I wanted to share this with the people I coach – that even the most seasoned practitioners aren’t 100% mindful all the time, and that being nearly mindful is enough. It’s about noticing those small, vivid moments and learning to linger there, even if just for a breath, and then repeating this to reinforce the habit of presence.

That’s when it clicked. I don’t need to measure how long I’m being mindful. It’s not about living in a permanent state of calm (I mean, who can do that with everything life throws our way?). It’s about those micro-moments of awareness – a bright spark of laughter, a glimpse of a cloud, a warm cup of tea. Bit by bit, these moments add up, creating a ripple of awareness in our lives.

This is where Microdosed Mindfulness comes in. It’s about embracing those tiny doses of awareness. A gentle reminder that even a small shift can make a big difference. When we practice this way, we start to find our center more easily. We become less reactive, more grateful, more compassionate. We create a ripple that touches everyone around us – offering the gift of presence, drop by drop.

I hope you’ll join me on this journey. It’s not about perfection. It’s about presence. Nearly mindful, fully human, beautifully imperfect. I’ve created a Substack for Microdosed Mindfulness. Join me as we explore ways to microdose mindfulness into living life more mindfully day by day.