Mrs Mindfulness: A Love Letter in Troubled Times
Words by Melli O’Brien
Mrs Mindfulness
A Love Letter to You
Dear beautiful friend,
There’s a lot of anxiety in the world right now. I’m navigating it, too.
I just made my flight to Canada to self-isolate with my man, and now I’m sitting here with a cuppa in the sun asking myself what to write to you in a time like this. What came to me was this...
A love letter. To you.
It starts with a story. A tender and personal one.
I grew up on the wrong side of the poverty line in Australia, with a multigenerational history of trauma, abuse, alcoholism, depression, anxiety. The adults in my life, although loving, were also very troubled.
By the time I got to my teenage years, I was on track for a similar life of suffering. We recreate the world we know when we don’t know any better, right?
The worst part was the feeling of inevitability. I remember feeling that there was no escape from the cycle I’d been born into; that I was trapped and would never know things like self-love or inner peace.
Eventually, my suffering became so deep that I hit rock bottom. But then I found myself walking into an unexpected place... The local library. (How times have changed! Today’s youth open their phones when they have a question. When I was that age, we went to the library.)
I stood there in front of the stacks of books with two burning questions in my mind:
“Are there people who’ve learned how to overcome suffering and become mentally strong and happy? And if so, can they teach me?”
I’ve come to believe these questions of seeking and hope are universal, so maybe you have similar questions? Maybe you’re wondering things like:
How can I overcome low self-worth and feel more whole and confident?
How can I unwind anxiety and stress, and find calm, balance and inner strength?
How can I experience deeper love? My purpose? A greater spiritual connection?
And this is where the love letter comes in...
Love starts with the truth, so I won’t sugarcoat it. Being human is hard, sometimes.
You’re not imagining the rising stress and speed that's become part of daily life these days, or the collective anxiety in the world right now. It’s real. And it’s a heavy burden for many.
So I’m asking you to not shoulder it alone.
I’m asking you to trust that your answers are just around the corner. You just have to keep your eyes, ears, and heart open to them.
My 16-year-old self found her first answers in the books in that library. Then in the first meditation workshop I attended at age 17. And in the many retreats, seminars, books and wise teachers I’ve learned from since then.
I’ve integrated some of those answers so deeply that the majority of the suffering I used to experience has eased. Certain areas of my mind and life have become abundantly joyful, fulfilling and healthy. Others… I’m still working on.
I’d like to help you find some of your own answers. I’d like to walk beside you and offer my support on this messy, beautiful, wild and precious thing called being human. So my team and I have been building something special here at Mindfulness.com.
It’s something that will help me be there for you more; something to help me be a friend through the uncertainty that lies ahead. (Hint: it fits in the palm of your hand.) Details in about 2 weeks. For now, I’ll leave you with this:
We can’t control everything that happens to us, but we can change how we respond to it. We can choose to cultivate kindness, peace and resilience, even in these troubled times. You can choose it today.
It’s my deepest hope that this upcoming project will support you in creating positive change in your life, starting from wherever you are.
May you be safe and protected in this time, dear friend. May you find ease, connection and calm in the middle of it all.
With love and appreciation,
Melli
PS. If you skimmed, here’s a short summary: Being human is hard sometimes, especially right now. But we can meet these troubled times with the best of who we are. Peace is possible, even now. We’re all in this together. I’m sorry if you’re feeling scared or anxious right now. My heart goes out to you. I’m here. I love you. More support from me is coming really soon. xo
By Melli O’Brien
MrsMindfulness.com and Mindfulness.com