Have you ever wondered if it’s time to try again—or if it’s wiser to walk away?

In this episode, Michael shares two life-altering bike crashes and the deeper message behind the common advice to "just get back on the bike." Through personal experience, he explores how fear, trauma, and discernment shape our decisions to start over—whether it's in relationships, careers, or healing. This isn’t about hustle or heroics—it’s about mindful courage.

• Understand the difference between fear and intuition when facing a big decision.
• Learn why resilience isn’t always about pushing forward, but about choosing wisely.
• Discover how to honor your body, values, and inner voice as you navigate your own comeback.

Press play to explore how mindful discernment—not pressure—can help you decide whether to get back on the bike and live life fully, fear and all.

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Receive one of my FREE Pause Breathe Reflect Stickers via this link sticker.

Join me on Substack (https://substack.com/@resiliencewithmichaelobrien) for more ways to stay resilient and navigate today’s uncertainty with more grace.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and overwhelm to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional well-being, and holistic approaches to self-care, this podcast empowers listeners to cultivate emotional resilience and live with greater balance and intention.

What if joy isn’t just a feeling—but a radical act of resistance in times of chaos?

In a world filled with uncertainty, division, and personal adversity, many of us feel guilty for experiencing joy. This episode explores how joy can actually be a powerful force for healing, connection, and resilience. Artist and cyclist Lisa Congdon shares how she reclaims joy despite pain, including recovering from double knee replacements and navigating public vulnerability through her art.

• Discover why choosing joy in difficult times isn’t naive—it’s necessary.
• Hear how Lisa’s journey through injury, recovery, and competitive cycling after 50 will inspire your own path forward.
• Learn how art and community can help us bridge divides, find belonging, and amplify collective healing.

Press play to meet Lisa Congdon and learn how embracing joy, movement, and creativity can help you heal, grow, and show up more fully—no matter what you’re facing.

Discover more about Lisa on her website: https://lisacongdon.com/

Receive my free supportive text messages by texting Whole Again to 866-612-4604 and I'll set you up.

Receive one of my FREE Pause Breathe Reflect Stickers via this link sticker.

Join me on Substack (https://substack.com/@resiliencewithmichaelobrien) for more ways to stay resilient and navigate today’s uncertainty with more grace.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and overwhelm to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional well-being, and holistic approaches to self-care, this podcast empowers listeners to cultivate emotional resilience and live with greater balance and intention.

Feeling like life is moving at 1,000 miles an hour? This time of year can feel especially overwhelming—with holiday pressure, year-end deadlines, and nonstop demands pulling you in every direction. But what if you could pause it all... just for a moment?

In today’s microdose Monday meditation, Michael O’Brien guides you through a short, grounding practice designed to help you slow down, create space, and reconnect with your breath—even in the middle of chaos. Whether you're buried in to-do lists or simply trying to find a moment of calm, this episode offers the permission you may not know you needed: you can pause.

• Experience a short but powerful breath practice to settle your nervous system
• Release urgency and reconnect with the calm wisdom of your body
• Learn how to hold space for swirling thoughts—without judgment
• Discover how to create peace in the middle of busyness, one breath at a time
• Feel supported by a grounded reminder: you’re not alone, and you don’t have to rush

Want more mindful moments like this one? Download the Pause Breathe Reflect app and access a library of meditations designed for real life. You can also join us here every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11am ET for more microdose meditations, mindset shifts, and resilience tools.

If this episode helped you, consider sharing it with someone who needs a reminder to slow down and breathe.

Receive one of my FREE Pause Breathe Reflect Stickers via this link sticker.

Sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect or finding me on Substack.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Download the Pause Breathe Reflect App with Microdose EQ by clicking App on your smartphone.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and overwhelm to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional well-being, and holistic approaches to self-care, this podcast empowers listeners to cultivate emotional resilience and live with greater balance and intention.