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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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.

What does it really mean to reach perfection—and does it even matter on the healing journey? In this milestone 300th episode, Michael O’Brien shares a powerful story about his father, a lifetime bowler, and the one perfect game that doesn’t define him. What defines him—and us—is the commitment to keep showing up.

This episode weaves together a personal story, Kintsugi wisdom, and a mindful moment to help you release the pressure to be perfect. You’ll explore the real meaning of progress, how resilience is built through repetition, and why the messy, imperfect attempts are what shape your strength—not a flawless finish.

Michael also guides a short reflection to help you reconnect with grace, presence, and the effort you're already making, even on the hard days.

• Discover the mindset behind choosing progress over perfection
• Learn how to reframe your healing through the metaphor of 20,000 imperfect games
• Explore the real flex of mindfulness and resilience in everyday life
• Reflect with a guided affirmation to honor your effort
• Celebrate 300 episodes of growth, presence, and community with Whole Again

Want gentle, inspiring support between episodes? Text “whole again” to 866-612-4604 and receive free, uplifting messages three times a week.

Subscribe and join us every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday as we continue to heal, grow, and become more resilient—together.

This is a topic that keeps coming up. This show was one of the most popular of the year and I wanted to share it with you again or perhaps the first time.

Are you stuck chasing perfection in your recovery? In this microdose episode, Michael O’Brien shares a powerful mindset shift that helps survivors of physical trauma move forward—without letting perfection block their progress.

From the lens of Kintsugi wisdom and Stoic philosophy, Michael reframes healing as a journey of perfect imperfection. You’ll hear how to stop waiting for flawless progress and instead, celebrate your small wins—messy or not.

He also offers a digital wellness tip that can help you protect your energy, focus on what matters, and take back your power from your smartphone.

• Learn the mantra that helped Michael during his own recovery
• Discover why messy progress beats perfection
• Embrace your scars as symbols of strength, not shame

Explore more Kintsugi-inspired healing tools at MichaelOBrienShift.com

Subscribe to Whole Again for new episodes every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday.

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.

Send me at text to 866-612-4604 to receive my text messages to help you feel Whole Again.

Do you ever feel like you're carrying your healing alone? What if one word could remind you that you’re already part of something bigger?

In this calming microdose meditation, Michael guides you into the heart of the “C” in his GRACE model—Community. Using the African concept of Ubuntu—“I am because we are”—this short practice invites you to breathe deeply, reconnect to your support system, and release the burden of doing it all alone.

• Experience a calming breath-based meditation to cultivate connection.
• Learn how a single word can shift your sense of isolation into belonging.
• Walk away grounded in the knowing that you are part of a healing circle.

Take a deep breathe and remember what your heart already knows: you were never meant to heal alone—and you don’t have to start now.

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.

Feeling stuck? Here’s a simple truth: nothing changes if nothing changes.

We often wait for the perfect conditions to make a shift—less stress, more time, someone else to go first. But meaningful change rarely arrives without discomfort. In this episode, Michael explores how leaning into healthy tension, even in small ways, can create powerful ripple effects in your life, work, and well-being.

• Understand why discomfort doesn’t mean you’re off track—it often means you’re growing.
• Learn how micro moments of tension can disrupt patterns and lead to real transformation.
• Discover how one small step today can build the confidence and clarity you need to move forward.

Take a deep breath, press play, and explore one simple way to lean into healthy tension and create the change you’re craving.

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.

Before the holiday rush takes over, have you paused to check in with yourself?

The end-of-year busyness can be overwhelming—full of pressure, noise, and nonstop motion. In this short yet meaningful Thanksgiving reflection, Michael invites you to hit pause, breathe deeply, and reflect on your emotional, physical, and relational well-being before heading into the final stretch of the year.

• Receive a heartfelt reminder of your strength and resilience throughout a challenging year.
• Explore three thoughtful reflection prompts to help you reconnect with what truly matters.
• Learn how a few minutes of stillness can reveal joy, compassion, and purpose amid the chaos.

Take a breath, press play, and give yourself the gift of reflection before the year races to a close.

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.