Everything, 30 at a time
Every meditation, breathing exercise, sleep story, focus session, guide and essay on SoftlyStill — 6,878 pieces, newest first, 30 to a page.
12-minute body scan meditation for overwhelm, at the airport
For the times at the airport when overwhelm takes up more room than you would like — 12 minutes, body scan.
Begin →5-minute self-compassion meditation for stress, on the way out of work
Slow, spoken guidance for stress. A self-compassion session you can do on the way out of work.
Begin →When grief arrives out of nowhere — a straightforward guide, when you want something simple
Grief does not follow a schedule. The waves come less often over time, but they do not stop, and that is not a failure.
Read →A caravan by the sea — a slow story for the end of the day, before you go back to something hard — for an overtired night
Thin walls, wind outside, and the sound of shingle about fifty metres away.
Settle in →A 50-minute block for coding, with a fireplace, on a low-energy afternoon
A single 50-minute block for coding — one function at a time, not the whole system.
Start the block →Soft 4-7-8 breathing for the morning after, when you want something simple
A the hold cut short, the long exhale kept pattern, counted for you on screen.
Breathe →20-minute guided softening practice for deep work — on a train journey
For the times on a train journey when deep work takes up more room than you would like — 20 minutes, softening.
Begin →10-minute guided noting practice for insomnia — during the evening wind-down
10 minutes to meet insomnia with less of a fight. A noting practice, during the evening wind-down.
Begin →How to stop scrolling in bed, if you have five quiet minutes
The phone is not the problem. The fact that it is within reach and there is nothing else to do is the problem. Here is what actually helps.
Read →An attic room, when you are doing this for the first time — for jet lag
Sloping ceiling, rain on the roof a foot above your head.
Settle in →A 90-minute block for practising an instrument, with vinyl crackle, when you cannot concentrate on anything else
A single 90-minute block for practising an instrument — slowly, with the metronome.
Start the block →7-11 breathing: 12 rounds for anxious moments, when you want to finish something
A a long, slow ratio for when you have time pattern, counted for you on screen.
Breathe →Self-compassion for shame: 5 minutes, in a waiting room
For the times in a waiting room when shame takes up more room than you would like — 5 minutes, self-compassion.
Begin →The afternoon slump: 15-minute body scan meditation, before bed
15 minutes to meet the afternoon slump with less of a fight. A body scan practice, before bed.
Begin →What to do when everything is too much — a practical guide, when you have tried everything else
Overwhelm is not a lack of capacity. It is too many open loops and no order to them. The fix is unglamorous.
Read →A lighthouse at the end of a long day (a sleep story), when you are on your own — for a night when you do not want to think
One light turning, a kettle, and weather you are on the right side of.
Settle in →45-minute focus session for exam revision with a fan or air conditioner, when you need to stop thinking about work
45 minutes on exam revision — recall rather than re-reading. A single class period, the length most people can hold before the quality drops.
Start the block →Coherent 5-5 breathing: 12 rounds for a grey day, when you are doing this for the first time
A five seconds in, five seconds out — about six breaths a minute pattern, counted for you on screen.
Breathe →Breathing meditation for restless legs (10 min), on the morning of an interview
For the times on the morning of an interview when restless legs takes up more room than you would like — 10 minutes, breathing.
Begin →Letting go meditation for mindfulness (3 min), late at night
3 minutes to meet mindfulness with less of a fight. A letting go practice, late at night.
Begin →When the inner voice will not let something go — the short version, when you have just finished work
Self-criticism usually repeats because it is trying to prevent something. Arguing with it does not work. Understanding it sometimes does.
Read →A bus at night — a slow story for the end of the day, when you are somewhere noisy — for waking too early
Upper deck, front seat, a city going past that you do not have to join.
Settle in →50-minute focus session for data work with distant thunder, if you are doing this instead of scrolling
50 minutes on data work — checking as you go. Fifty minutes, the length of a therapy hour, with ten minutes off afterwards.
Start the block →6-2-6-2 breathing: 12 rounds for a hot day, if you are doing this in the middle of the day
A even and rhythmic, with brief holds on both sides pattern, counted for you on screen.
Breathe →Meditation for anticipatory anxiety: 15-minute grounding session, before a presentation
For the times before a presentation when anticipatory anxiety takes up more room than you would like — 15 minutes, grounding.
Begin →Meditation for a racing mind: 7-minute gratitude session, beside your desk
7 minutes to meet a racing mind with less of a fight. A gratitude practice, beside your desk.
Begin →Working in a noisy place without losing your mind, in the order that helps, before you go back to something hard
You cannot always control the noise. You can control what your attention does with it, and what you put in your ears.
Read →A field under snow, when the day has been loud — for the hours after a late shift
Everything muffled, everything white, and no tracks but yours.
Settle in →Deep work timer: 25 minutes of editing (café murmur), when you need something unremarkable
One block of editing with café murmur underneath. One pomodoro, long enough to get somewhere and short enough to start.
Start the block →Slow box breathing exercise for the end of the working day — when you need to stop thinking about work
A a wider square, once four feels comfortable pattern, counted for you on screen.
Breathe →Newest first. Everything here is free — no account, no streaks, nothing to install.