Get Some Headspace

Get Some Headspace: How Mindfulness Can Change Your Life in Ten Minutes a Day by Andy Puddicombe
My rating: 3 of 5 stars

My week on Spring Break was all about headspace - I checked my work email exactly twice, and thought about it minimally beyond that. Instead of waking up already anxious about my days, I lingered in early morning dreams, took my time enjoying my coffee, and listened to audiobook on top of audiobook while cleaning, cooking, and rearranging furniture. It was amazing, but real life isn't like Spring Break. We need to fight for our headspace, and sometimes getting ten minutes of it in a day is a struggle. In Get Some Headspace, Andy Puddicombe walks his reader (or in this case, listener) through a few different mindful practices between stories of his journey to a mindful life.

First thoughts: I thought an audiobook version of a mindfulness manual would work well, considering you have to be pretty mindful to listen. I think I got better at concentrating as the book went on, but it was a struggle for me to stop fidgeting/multitasking/reading other things (yes, I know) and just listen.

Mindful thoughts: I need meditation time. I am bad at carving out meditation time. Or mindful time. Or any time that's not eating/sleeping/phone scrolling...it's a continuous process. Listening made me mindful of how distracted I am. Puddicombe's advice in this situation? Think less about my worries and more about other people's happiness - if I'm finding a few mindful moments with the knowledge that it'll be better for those around me, I'll have an easier time separating myself and quieting my mind.

Favorite (paraphrased) key thoughts:

Meditation shines a light on how you think - and it's not always pretty.
Your mind is like the sky: it's always blue, even when there are clouds. Our minds remain constant, even when things get cloudy. Meditation isn't about clearing the skies, or making blue skies out of gray, but allowing the mind to be in its natural state.

Recommended for: any and all - and if an entire audiobook/book on mindfulness isn't your thing, check out Puddicombe's Headspace app for ten-minute guided meditations.

Final thoughts: While listening got easier, my brain will always work better with visual cues, especially for chapter breaks. Puddicombe's voice is calming, and his down-to-earth explanations are accessible and relatable.


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