🔭 The Present Perspective Newsletter

🧠 Is your mind worth investing in?

We put a surprising amount of effort into looking after our bodies.

We walk, go to the gym, watch what we eat, take vitamins, get health checks and generally understand that what we do regularly has an impact on our physical health.

But what about our mental and emotional health?

This week, we look at mindfulness as an investment in our wellbeing, and why a small amount of regular practice may be more useful than occasional bursts of good intention.

“For fast-acting relief, try slowing down.” — Lily Tomlin

Dear Reader

How well do you look after your body?

Many of us are quite careful about how we treat our body. We watch what we eat, exercise regularly, try to get enough sleep and generally have a reasonable idea of what is good for us and what isn’t.

We also know from modern research and medicine that looking after our physical health pays off. Good physical fitness is associated with less disease, better health and greater longevity.

Exercise has become an embedded part of modern culture. Schools have regular exercise programs and, on any given day, we see people walking, jogging, swimming, doing yoga, going to the gym and playing sport.

You could say that investing in our physical health through diet and exercise is a very good investment. The payback is huge.

We can look at our mental and emotional health in much the same way.

The more we invest in looking after ourselves mentally and emotionally, the more we tend to get back. We generally feel better, cope better with the inevitable ups and downs of life, enjoy stronger and more stable relationships and feel more connected with ourselves and other people.

Interestingly, looking after our mental and emotional health also benefits our physical health. The two are not separate. We know, for example, that prolonged stress can have a significant effect on the body, while reducing stress and improving our emotional wellbeing can have positive effects on our overall health.

The difference is that while physical health initiatives are everywhere, and there are plenty of obvious and accessible ways to exercise our bodies, looking after our mental and emotional health can feel a little less straightforward.

What do we actually do?

As mindfulness practitioners, we have a massive advantage here. We have a free and immediately available practice that we can use to support our mental and emotional health, backed by a large and growing body of research into its benefits.

We can meditate.

Like physical exercise, however, the real benefit comes from doing it regularly. Going for one walk every few weeks is unlikely to make much difference to your physical fitness, and mindfulness practice is much the same.

The trick is to make it a habit.

And the easiest way to make something a habit is to set yourself up to succeed rather than fail. In practical terms, this means reducing the barriers to practice and making it as easy and accessible as possible.

Here are a few suggestions for establishing a regular mindfulness practice.

1. Make a commitment to sit five times a week

I think five times a week is a good starting point because it establishes some regularity without becoming too rigid. There is also some space for the days when life gets in the way.

2. Have a designated place in your house for your practice

It doesn’t need to be a special meditation room. It could simply be a particular chair or a quiet corner of a room.

Practising in the same place helps to create a familiar association. After a while, sitting in that particular place becomes connected with stopping and meditating. There is less effort involved in deciding where to go and what to do.

3. Begin with a manageable amount of time

Start with something you know you can do, even if that is only five minutes.

There is little benefit in deciding that you should meditate for 30 minutes every day if that feels difficult to maintain. Five or ten minutes that actually happens is much more useful than a longer meditation that rarely does.

If you begin enjoying the practice and want to sit for longer, you can.

4. Use a guided meditation

There is no need to make meditation more difficult than it needs to be. A guided meditation can be very useful, particularly when you are getting started, and gives you something to come back to when your attention wanders.

You can access the Mindfulness Works guided meditations free here:

​https://soundcloud.com/mindfulness-australia​

It often doesn’t take too long for formal mindfulness practice to become part of everyday life.

One of the reasons for this is quite simple: most people like how they feel when they practise regularly.

You might notice that you are a little less reactive, that you have more space around difficult thoughts and emotions, or that you feel more grounded and settled. You may become more aware of what you are feeling rather than simply being caught up in it. You may find yourself being a little kinder towards yourself and more present with other people.

Over time, the practice itself provides the motivation to keep going. Many regular meditators reach the point where, if they don’t practise for a few days, they notice the difference and can feel a little “out of sorts”.

We invest in our education. We invest in our financial security. We invest in our physical health. We understand why these things are important and we make time and space for them in our lives.

It makes sense to bring the same intention to our mental and emotional health.

The return is an increased sense of wellbeing, greater resilience, more connection and intimacy in our relationships, more self-compassion and self-acceptance, and simply feeling more comfortable being ourselves and living our lives.

So, coming back to the question at the beginning: how well do you look after yourself?

If looking after your mental and emotional health feels worth investing in, my encouragement is to make a start. Don’t make it too complicated or set the bar too high.

Five minutes, five times a week is enough to begin.

See what happens.

This week’s newsletter is sponsored by Karl Baker – The Mindful Mortgage Broker.

A more mindful approach to home loans

From Karl Baker, founder of Mindfulness Works Australia (and author of the Mindfulness Works newsletter).

For more than 10 years, I have helped people navigate stress, uncertainty, and important decisions through Mindfulness Works Australia. I now also bring the same grounded, attentive and supportive approach to mortgage broking.

Supporting better mental health for our young people in Australia

Mental health has been at the heart of my work for more than a decade. More than 40,000 people have completed the Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation course I created.

Continuing this commitment, I donate $200 to headspace National Youth Mental Health Foundation for every eligible home loan that settles through my business, supporting the mental health and wellbeing of young Australians.

Considering buying, refinancing or reviewing your current home loan?

BOOK A COMPLIMENTARY 45-MINUTE NO COST, NO OBLIGATION SESSION WITH KARL
​

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Or contact me directly here:
​
E: karl.baker@resolvebroker.com.au​
​P: 0422078200​
​
Karl Baker is an Authorised Credit Representative, Credit Representative No. 579266, of Resolve Financial Solutions Pty Ltd trading as Resolve Finance, Australian Credit Licence 385487.

​🧘‍♂️An Introduction to Mindfulness and Meditation
4-Week Course — Maleny​

Reduce anxiety, improve sleep and increase self-acceptance with this practical, evidence-based beginners mindfulness course in Buderim.

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Facilitated by certified mindfulness teacher, Michelle Eckles, over 40,000 people have participated in this course.
​
​When: Monday, 31 August – Monday, 21 September: Four Mondays 6.00pm – 7.00pm AEST
​Where: Maleny
​See details and book: https://events.humanitix.com/introduction-to-mindfulness-and-meditation-4-session-beginner-course-maleny​

​🧘‍♂️Build a Meditation Practice That Lasts —
Four-Week Online Course​

Four weeks of guidance. A practice you can continue long afterwards.
​
Join Angie live online for four Tuesday evenings designed to help you slow down, learn the foundations of meditation and build a practice that fits into real life.

We'll practise together, explore a different aspect of meditation each week, and leave time for questions. You'll also receive recordings and resources to help you practise between sessions and continue long after the program ends.

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Facilitated by certified mindfulness teacher, Angie Wood.
​
​When: Tuesday, 1 September – Tuesday, 22 September: Four Tuesdays 7.00pm – 8.00pm AEST
​Where: Online
​See details and book: https://events.humanitix.com/live-meditation​

💗 Awakening to Self-Love
6-Day Silent Meditation Retreat, ​Healesville ​Victoria. ​3 October – 8 October, 2026​
​
Only 7 places left.

The essence of your self-love is woven into the fabric of the universe.

It is integral to you. It just requires the right environment to emerge.

The Awakening to Self-Love, Silent Meditation Retreat provides that environment.

“It was like a balm for the soul.” — Carmel Brock

“I loved the silence, the meditative rhythm of the day and the beautiful food. A perfect environment to go deeply within and touch the universal energy of love while doing important inner work.” — Dr Lisa Shortridge

“I loved the retreat, the silence was great… Stephen and Karl are very down to earth, knowledgeable and surprisingly funny. 😊 I found the whole experience very humbling, calming, restful, informative and soul fulfilling.” — Belinda Dubojski

​
​Teachers: Karl Baker and Stephen Archer
​Location: Maitripa Retreat Centre, Healesville
​Dates: Saturday, 3 October – Thursday, 8 October 2026
​Price: $1,950 all inclusive. Book now with a $500 deposit (non-refundable)

​Get one on one, private Mindfulness Coaching​

One on one work with a certified mindfulness teacher can assist with anxiety reduction, improving sleep, reducing over-thinking, improving relationships and making mindfulness a habit in your life.

​Find a certified mindfulness teacher to work with now.

🧘‍♀️ Mini Mindfulness Exercise: A Worthy 5-Minute Investment

Suggested duration: 5 minutes

For this exercise, the aim is not to have a particularly good meditation. It is simply to practise.

Find somewhere comfortable to sit.

Set a timer for five minutes.

Allow your attention to settle into the sensations of your body sitting in the chair. Feel the contact with the chair, your feet on the floor and the movement of your breathing.

Your mind will wander. When you notice that it has, gently bring your attention back to your body and your breathing.

Keep doing this until the timer sounds.

That's it.

Why this exercise helps

One of the biggest barriers to establishing a mindfulness practice is making it feel like another large task we have to fit into the day.

Five minutes makes the threshold very low.

More importantly, you are practising the habit of showing up. Once sitting down to meditate becomes normal, the amount of time you practise can take care of itself.

Mindfulness Reflection Reminder Card

🏢 Workplace Mindfulness Training

Nationwide in-person or online mindfulness training for workplaces.
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– Build team mental and emotional resilience.
– Improve mental fitness.
– Reduce burnout with practical strategies.
– Enhance team communication and connection.

​Get a customised program and free quote.
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🤔 Mindful Check-In. Vote to See Results.
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Why noticing this helps

Taking a moment to consider how regularly we actually practise mindfulness can be useful in itself.

It gives us a chance to notice the gap, if there is one, between our intentions and what we are actually doing. Not as a reason to judge ourselves, but simply to become more aware.

Sometimes that little bit of honest reflection is enough to remind us what we value and encourage us to make more space for it.

📝 Mindful Meme of The Week

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