Hello radio headspace family, welcome to Monday and to this brand new moment, it's Dora.

So this is my first episode of the year.

And even though I've been doing this for a while, just writing the words episode one,

got me thinking about how first can affect the way we feel and how we deal with new situations.

In that spirit, this week is dedicated to working with all the emotions that come with first.

For states, for heartbreak, first time traveling alone, and first time going to the gym.

And maybe you don't resonate with any of the events I'll share, but the underlying mechanism

is the same, and the advice can really be applied to all.

Today I'm going to walk you through a practice that will help you prepare for any first that you might go through.

But before we get to that, let's dig a little bit deeper into the feelings that come up

when we're faced with a new experience.

Often, when we set out to try something new, there's many things going on in our minds and bodies.

There's a thoughts we may have of what if how will this go?

Who will be there?

And what if I fail?

And then there's the emotions we may experience like fear, excitement, worry, a whole mix bag.

But mindfulness shows us that each and every moment is a first.

We've never experienced this moment or this moment either.

MMI can recognize that.

We can approach those bigger moments with a sense of openness and curiosity as best as we can.

So with all that in mind, let's try a practice now to see if we can notice what arises in the mind and body

when we're about to try something for the first time.

...