Hello and welcome to the Harmonious Mind.
A time to slow down and calm your nervous system.
I'm Tanya McIntyre,
Your Mindfulness Mentor.
The Harmonious Mind is a bite-sized insight where I share some ideas that I hope can add up to a more calm and peaceful life for you.
Each short episode offers practical insights rooted in mindfulness and brain science to help you shift perspective,
Reduce stress,
And strengthen your mental health.
This is an ideal prescription for people who want steadier thoughts,
Calmer emotions,
And a more balanced nervous system.
Listen to this the way you would listen to music,
With an open mind and curiosity.
There's nothing to do,
Nowhere to go,
Just relax.
Today we'll explore how having some self-compassion can provide us with better mental health.
Have you noticed that more and more people seem to be dealing with mental health illnesses and challenges these days?
I suspect this shift happened during the pandemic,
When we were forced to isolate and we had nothing but time to confront our thoughts and our feelings.
Famed researcher Brené Brown says,
We are now considered to be the most stressed,
Depressed,
Overweight,
And over-medicated population in history.
Mental health challenges have always existed,
But many of them were hidden,
And many of them buried,
In the constant doing that we experience in this modern society.
I can't remember where I read this statistic,
So I can't cite resources for you,
But it was an article I read in 2025 regarding the mental health of Canadians,
And by the time a Canadian reaches 40 years old,
Half of them will have either had a mental illness or actually have a mental illness,
By the time they're 40.
From the time we're born,
We are programmed by our culture,
Our societal influences,
And expectations from parents,
Our extended family,
Peer groups,
The education system,
Government influences,
Marketing,
Advertising,
Media messages,
It's endless.
Those influences can prevent us from following our own intuition.
We can become so conditioned by the world around us that we never try to discover what truly motivates and inspires us.
When we lose touch with our own identity and start to identify with the world's expectations of us,
We start to live out of alignment with our true nature.
So how can we uncover our true nature to start cultivating the self-compassion that we so desperately need?
The first step is to take some brief moments out of your regular routine to withdraw from the external influences of the world.
Whether it's putting your phone away for an hour,
Going for a walk or a run,
Visiting a museum,
Or maybe just going somewhere to shelter yourself away from the expectations of others and the world.
Find what works for you so you can do it when you really need it.
It's vitally important to take these moments to nurture and nourish yourself.
By doing this self-care practice with persistence and patience,
It gets easier to realize that our negative self-talk and limiting beliefs are things we can change.
All it takes is a persistent willingness to exert consistent efforts to help ourselves.
As you embark on this journey within,
You can discover that you are not flawed.
You are not broken.
You are simply fallible.
And when we know better,
We can do better.
This is a lot to ponder,
Especially for those who have been stuck in feelings of self-loathing for a long time.
I didn't actually uncover the depth of my self-loathing until I was able to get clear and sober and start to process the unpacking of the baggage of the past and finally putting it away for good.
And that process is going to be different for everyone.
Just remember,
Your direction is more important than your speed.
I'm going to share with you a three-minute miracle of mindfulness,
I call it.
And if you're anything like me,
I can't sit still and meditate,
But I can do a three-minute miracle of mindfulness.
So feel free to put this in the bank and pull it out whenever you need it.
I want you to place your hand on your heart and close your eyes.
Take five,
Slow,
Conscious breaths through your nose.
Inhale deeply.
Hold for three seconds.
And then make your exhale slow and prolonged.
While you're breathing,
I want you to notice the exact emotion that's arising for you.
Notice,
Is it anger,
Fear,
Stress,
Anxiety,
Or hopefully a state of calm,
Peace,
Love,
Or joy?
Just notice the emotion,
Name it,
Accept it,
And breathe into it.
This practice releases oxytocin,
That's the love hormone.
It increases connection to yourself and others.
It also activates your parasympathetic nervous system.
This gentle self-touch tells your brain that you are loved and safe.
Taking this inner journey to start cultivating self-compassion can be a long road.
You can unlock levels of love and awe that can change your life for the better.
Just stay persistent.
Thank you so much for being here with me.
I hope these insights offer you some comfort and serenity.
Join me for upcoming explorations of the harmonious mind.
Until then,
May your coffee,
Your heart,
And your patience be strong.
My name is Tanya McIntyre,
Your mindfulness mentor.
May the force of mindfulness be with you always.
And remember,
You are the force.
