Like most people, I began learning meditation during a challenging period in my life. I was utterly overwhelmed with running a business, being a single parent and selling my home. I was taking pain killers for chronic back pain and drinking myself to sleep most nights. I knew I needed something to not just help reduce the feelings of anxiety and overwhelm but to also prevent me from getting to that state in the first place.
I had a friend who struggled with bipolar and alcoholism who meditated and encouraged me to try it. But when I tried to meditate, I couldn't sit still for more than 5 minutes or count to 10 breaths! I struggled to learn through an app or on my own, so I began researching teachers and studying mindfulness and meditation.
I went on to complete training and qualifications in Mindfulness Meditation Teacher Training, Guiding & Teaching Meditation, Mindfulness for Wellbeing & Peak Performance, and Corporate Mindfulness.
Realising how beneficial these tools would be for kids, I also completed Connected Kids, Meditation Capsules, Inspired Kids Yoga, Calm Kids Coaching, and Youth Psychology and Counselling.
I have been teaching mindfulness and meditation to adults, teens and kids since 207 after establishing Meditation Sunshine Coast.
During that time, I moved home again, shut down my party business, opened and closed a meditation studio, managed events for high-profile speakers (including the Obamas), and lost that events job due to Covid.
I may not have done all these things with complete grace, but I credit my ability to transition through all of it without falling apart or contemplating drowning in a bottle, to my meditation practice.
It has not only made me feel calmer, more peaceful, and resilient, but it has also increased my clarity, creativity, productivity, and focus. It’s also given me the patience and compassion needed to look after two teens, a grandmother with dementia, two dogs and two cats!
I enjoy bringing the practical applications of mindfulness and meditation to the home and the workplace, by educating others, and demonstrating the profound mental, emotional and physical benefits it can have in your day-to-day life.
As well as offering workshops, retreats, programs, and online courses, I facilitate mindfulness meditation programs for Mindfulness Works Australia and run community classes as part of the council's Healthy Sunshine Coast Program.
I am a member of the Australian Meditation Association and mindful.org and a Veriditas trained and certificated labyrinth facilitator.
In 2021 I wrote my first book - Cultivating a Calm Mind available in audiobook, print, pdf, ebook and kindle format.
In 2022 I launched Mindful Soul Adventures where I get to combine my event management skills with my passion for meditation and travel to create a unique retreat experiences for the mind, body and soul.
You can listen to, watch or follow me on:
Facebook - www.facebook.com/meditationsunshinecoast
Instagram - www.instagram.com/meditationsunshinecoast
Linked in www.linkedin.com/company/meditationsunshinecoast
YouTube - www.youtube.com/@meditationsunshinecoast
Insight timer app - https://insighttimer.com/michelleeckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness ChallengeDAY 30 – COLOUR BREATH MEDITATION
Your challenge for today is to listen to this 5 minute Colour Breath Meditation which is a gentle but effective way to release any emotional energy that may be trapped in your body.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness ChallengeDAY 29 – TELL THAT THOUGHT TO F OFF
Your challenge for today is to tell a persistent or annoying thought or your inner critic to go away or f off. As many times as you need to. 😊
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 28 – HEALING LIGHT MEDITATION
Your challenge for today is to listen to this 15 minute healing light meditation.
Using visualising can be a powerful tool in releasing pain in the body or deeply relaxing your mind and body in preparation for a quality night sleep.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 27 – BOX BREATHING
Your challenge for today is to practise Box Breathing or Square Breathing as it’s also called.
This is a short simple breathing meditation used in the military and corporate world as it is very effective for enhancing focus and concentration.
All you need to do is:
If you would like a visual guide you can download this Box Breathing Animation from destressmonday.org.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 26 – SENSORY AWARENESS
Your challenge for today is to do this short Sensory Awareness exercise.
Tuning into your senses is a simple yet effective way to:
* Boost mindfulness by bringing you into the present moment
* Manage stressful situations by getting you out of freeze mode
* Improve focus and concentration
Sit with your eyes closed and name:
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 25 – MINIMISE WORKPLACE INTERRUPTIONS
Your challenge for today is to minimise distractions and interruptions at work.
For more workplace tips check out my video Tips for Practising Mindfulness in the Workplace on my YouTube channel.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge DAY 24 – ALLOW AN EMOTION
Your challenge for today is to simply allow an emotion.
So often we either try to avoid feeling emotions or try to ignore them. But it’s already there! And emotions are just energy in the body that need to be released.
Step 1 – recognise you are feeling an emotion and what it is.
Step 2 – notice where you are feeling it in your body.
Step 3 – say out loud what it is and where, e.g. I am feeling sad right now and I can feel it as a heaviness in my chest.
Step 4 – simply allow yourself to feel that emotion for 60-90 seconds without trying to fix it or analyse or beat yourself up about it.
Did you notice a difference after the 90 seconds?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 23 – WRITE IT DOWN
Your challenge for today is to get those distracting thoughts out of your head and on to paper. Some options:
How does it feel to clear some of that mind clutter?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 22 – WALKING MEDITATION
Your challenge for today is to do a walking meditation. You can listen to a guided walking meditation if you need some guidance but all you need to do is:
Notice what you feel, see and hear.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 21 – MINDFUL BREATHING MANTRA
Your challenge for today is to practise this breath mantra 3 times throughout your day, e.g. before each meal or as a transition between activities to leave behind the previous task, e.g. when you get home from work before you get out of the car, before you go into a meeting, etc.
As you breathe in say in your mind “I am breathing in”.
As you breathe out say in your mind “I am breathing out”.
Repeat 10 times.
Focussing on your breathing gives a busy mind something else to do and repeating the mantra helps reduce distractions, anchor you into the present and keep your awareness on your breath without your mind wandering so much.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 20 – MINDFUL EATING
Your challenge for today is to practise mindful eating and eat something with all of your senses.
So often we just shovel down our food with even noticing anything about it. We may also be on our phone, watching TV or listening to music whilst eating.
Choose one meal today and do nothing else but just eat using all of your senses:
If you have a strawberry handy then listen to my Mindful Eating Meditation in this episode.
Which sense was the strongest for you when you practised eating mindfully?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 19 – CHOOSE PEACE
Your challenge for today is to “Just Listen” when someone is talking to you or sharing a story.
Did the person you were listening to respond differently?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 18 – CHOOSE PEACE
Your challenge for today is to “Choose Peace Instead”.
Being right doesn’t make you happy so instead of arguing your point today choose peace instead..
How did you feel after consciously choosing to feel at peace instead of choosing to be right?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 17 – LET IT GO
Your challenge for today is to “Let it Go”.
Choose a persistent thought you have been having lately and every time it pops into your head, simply say Let it Go.
How many times did you have to do this challenge today?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness ChallengeDAY 16 – PROGRESSIVE MUSCLE RELAXATION
We go about our day holding tension in our bodies without realising it. If I told you right now to drop your shoulders and create a space between the top and bottom rows of your teeth, you would more than likely be able to do both, not realising you were holding your shoulders up or clenching your jaw.
Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) involves tensing then relaxing a group of muscles. This has the following benefits:
Did you notice the difference in the level of relaxation in your body before and after doing this exercise?
Watch me demonstrate Progressive Muscle Relaxation on my YouTube channel.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness ChallengeDAY 15 – COUNT YOUR BREATH
Focussing on your breathing is a quick and easy way to get you out of your head and into the present moment. It can also help reduce anxiety and increase focus and clarity. Here are a few different breath counting exercises you can try.
Which counting method did you prefer?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge
DAY 14 – RELEASING THOUGHTS MEDITATION
Today your challenge is to listen to this 20 minute Releasing Thoughts meditation either first thing in the morning when you get up or last thing before you go to bed.
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness ChallengeDAY 13 – DRIVING MANTRA
Today your challenge is going to be to practise driving more mindfully.
How often have you driven from A to B and not remembered how you got there? Or have you been driving on autopilot and gone the wrong way or gone somewhere you didn’t mean to, e.g. driven to school during the school holidays – Yes I have done that before!
Today when you drive I want you to repeat a mantra of where you are going, e.g. I am driving to the shop or I am driving to work or I am driving home.
Did you feel more aware when you were driving today?
Host: Michelle Eckles
Cultivating a Calm Mind 30 Day Mindfulness Challenge DAY 12 – PRACTISE GRATITUDE
Today your challenge is going to be at the beginning of the day as soon as you open your eyes think of three things you can see that you are grateful for. Then at the end of the day before you fall asleep list three things that you experienced that you feel gratitude for.
Other ideas:
What is the one thing you were most grateful for today?
Host: Michelle Eckles