As I sit outside under an old plane tree that I know very well, I get the sense that summer is slowly coming to a close.

A feeling accompanies this realisation.

A sinking, uncomfortable feeling that I know all too well.

A person might like the "idea" of meditating or cultivating more joy and happiness in their lives but it’s just not feasible. For many, the thought of carving out even ten minutes to sit and be with their present moment experience “as it is” provokes a feeling of anxiety.

I'll start by acknowledging that the word "self-compassion" can be triggering for some people (especially lawyers!).

Do you notice any of the following reactions as you read the word?

- It is weak.
- It is self-indulgent.
- It will undermine my motivation to achieve things.

In fact, none of the above are true.

The fact that I couldn’t drop my resistance to things being a certain way was making things worse. I was also annoyed with myself now. The more I “tried” to be patient and accepting, the worse I felt. All this effort was adding unnecessary layers of suffering to my experience.

Mindfulness is best understood as an experience. You can’t read a book and really know what it is, in the same way that you can’t read a recipe and know what the meal tastes like.

Around the time I first learned how to meditate, something amazing happened to me. It happened one day, quite spontaneously.