2) Move past your mistakes. This is especially helpful in meditation. If you find yourself kneading a few thoughts, whipping up some emotions, or punching down your view of yourself as a "good" meditator, simply dump that flattened soufflé in trash and move on.

You're alone in your head, anyway.

3) Do it for yourself. Julia Child always ended her television shows by sitting at a beautiful table set for one and raising her glass of wine to camera with a melodic, ascending "Bon Appetit!" She made it seem perfectly reasonable to spend time lovingly preparing a delicious meal--for yourself. She delighted in idea of cooking--and dining--for sheer joy of experience.

By remembering that we are never too old to start, that we must expect to make mistakes as we keep moving forward, and that we need not impress anyone but ourselves, we can stir up mindfulness wherever we are.

I still think that staying home to watch Julia Child should have been an excused absence from school. She taught me value of demystifying difficult concepts in order to embrace learning without fear.

Bon appetit!

Here’s a neat story that goes like this:

One day God was choosing only one person out of a billion to go to Earth and contribute something great while there. He asked all of applicants to explain what they would do on earth if he chose them.

He then made them promise that they would do everything they could to fulfill their promises if chosen.

Imagine that God chose you.

Now, go and write out what you told Him and keep your promise.