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UQ Mindfulness Life Coaching

Are you a recovering perfectionist or find yourself spiraling in overthinking while you take your career or personal development to the next stage? The Beyond the Block Newsletter is a weekly, positive, judgment-free space where you’ll learn to recognize and reframe the patterns keeping you stuck. We’ll find that sweet spot where progress feels natural and life feels lighter. I'm glad you're here!

A hand holding emojis of difficult emotions: anxiety, frustration, overwhelm, sadness, and anger
Featured Post

Go ahead and get angry!

Hi Reader, Of all the emotions, anger, resentment, and frustration aren’t ones most of us seek out. Patience, satisfaction, and ease are much more desirable. Those challenging emotions can leave us feeling tight, drained, and out of sync with ourselves. For some people, they’re especially hard to sit with. Not just because they’re uncomfortable, but because they also bring along guilt and shame. This is especially common in people who’ve spent years being the “good one”, keeping the peace and...

calendar with a date circled and smiley faces leading up to the circled date. Text says "Happiness is in the little ones along the way."

Hi Reader, Have you ever caught yourself thinking:“I’ll feel happy when I lose X number of pounds… land the promotion… have X number of clients… have more time to myself…” It’s a sneaky habit — always moving the finish line so happiness stays just out of reach. In Positive Intelligence, the Hyper-Achiever or Controller saboteurs often fuel this pattern — convincing us we need to earn our happiness or prove ourselves first. But what if you gave yourself permission to feel happy (or proud, or...

woman in hammock reading a book

Hi Reader, Just like your skin needs protection from overexposure, so do you. There’s the Instagram expectation that summer should look like vacations, BBQs, and perfectly polished toes peeking out from a hammock while you devour a swoony paperback. But behind the scenes? Many people are quietly feeling stretched thin — so much so that “burnout” is one of the most searched topics on Google this month. You’re not alone. Are you:— Feeling resentful about fun plans because you’re just tired?—...

woman relaxing with headphones in the sun

Hi Reader, We all move through summer a little differently.Which one sounds most like you? ☀️ The SchedulerYour calendar’s full, and you’re crushing logistics—but personal time? What’s that? 🌊 The AdventurerYou’re saying yes to everything… and feeling it catch up. 🏖️ The Summer JugglerWork’s still going, kids are home, and balance feels like a myth. 🌬️ The Easy BreezyYou love the open days… but somehow still feel a little lost. Every style has its strengths, and challenges. Quick tip:No...

two women in the wind. One is resisting. The other is confident and smiling.

Hi Reader, Ever notice how trees and tall grasses move in the wind?The rigid ones snap. The rooted ones bend. Summer invites us to loosen our grip—to flow, wander, and breathe a little deeper. But without roots, even a light breeze can send us spinning. Where in your life do you need stronger roots… so the wind doesn’t break you? Maybe it’s your routines. Your boundaries. Your self trust.What helps you feel steady without stiffening up? One Grounding TipPlace both feet flat on the floor.Take...

Quote with spotlight: If your focus is on what's missing. You'll miss what's working.

Hi Reader, Confidence doesn’t just appear.It’s earned—by you—every time you take action. Not just big wins.Tiny steps. Honest effort. Following through.That’s evidence. The problem is that most people ignore the evidence.They brush off their progress. Downplay the effort.And at the same time, they amplify the misses. One skipped workout becomes “I always fall off.”One awkward moment becomes “I’m bad at this." One rejection becomes "Nobody wants me." That one email you sent?The workout you...

post it with words "remember to exhale"

Hi Reader, Sometimes the tension isn’t in your schedule—it’s in your breath. And most of the time, you don’t even notice it. Until suddenly, you do. Like during a long tennis rally—snap-reaction volleys at the net, deep baseline shots, and one final lob with a silent please stay in, stay in 🙏. My heart was pounding.The point ended.And that’s when I realized... I wasn’t breathing. Not deeply, anyway. Not enough to register.I had been bracing—without meaning to. Later, my opponent and I laughed...

girl smiling with cheese glasses and a cheese background

Hi Reader, When I saw that May was National Celiac Awareness Month, it got me thinking—not just about Celiac, but about perspective. Last summer, my daughter was diagnosed with Celiac.Like many parents, I worried about how it would make her life harder.🥳 Birthday parties, school events, playdates—it’s one more thing to plan for.And then there are the future experiences… pasta in Italy? Croissants in Paris? Beer during Oktoberfest? 🍝 🥐 🍻 She, on the other hand, adjusted quickly—faster than...

woman in a box with words around her: judgement, people pleasing, comparison, perfectionism, expectations, approval, roles

Hi Reader, You ever look around and think, “Is this it?” Not because things are terrible.But because something feels... smaller than it should. Sometimes playing small looks like: Not speaking up, even when you have something to say Shrinking your ideas to make them more “realistic” Second-guessing yourself before you even begin Staying busy with things that feel productive—but aren’t meaningful Playing small isn’t a flaw. It’s a strategy.It helps you stay safe. Stay steady. Avoid risk. But...

daughter interviewing mom

Hi Reader, My middle schooler had a school assignment last week: write about a job that’s undervalued. Always my cheerleader, she chose coaching. During our "interview", I told her the biggest challenge is that so many people still don’t understand what coaching actually is — or when it’s exactly the kind of support they need. And honestly, sometimes as a coach, it can be hard to articulate. That got me thinking: how would I explain this nuanced, powerful work to a middle schooler? Here’s...