If you’ve ever found yourself thinking: “I came to mindfulness to feel better… so why am I noticing more?”, then this episode is for you. In Episode 6 of ‘Getting Real with Mindfulness’, Claire Kelly and Victoria Fontana explore a question that comes up again and again in mindfulness courses: What’s the point of noticing if we’re not being asked to fix anything? Together, they reflect on why noticing can feel uncomfortable, overwhelming, or even frustrating at first, and why it’s also a crucial foundation for change. From trust and patience, to kindness, choice, and agency, this conversation gently unpacks what’s really being trained when we “just notice”. This is a grounded, honest discussion about: Why awareness often comes before change How noticing isn’t passive even when it feels like “doing nothing” What mindfulness is training beneath the surface And how compassion, rather than striving, opens new ways of responding If you'd like to get in touch to share your thoughts, reflections or ideas for future episodes, we'd love to hear from you. 📧 Email [email protected] 👥 About the Hosts Claire Kelly is a mindfulness-based mentor and the Director of Teaching and Training at Oxford Mindfulness. With over 25 years in education, she's also passionate about developing and delivering evidence-based programmes to support mental health and wellbeing in education. Victoria Fontana is a certified mindfulness and compassion teacher, executive coach, and educator who helps people cultivate calm, clarity, and resilience in their lives and work. Victoria teaches mindfulness and compassion-based programs internationally through IE University, the Mindfulness and Health Institute, and through her own programs at https://www.mindgazing.com/ Oxford Mindfulness is a not-for-profit organisation helping people achieve greater well-being and improved mental health through research-based mindfulness. Visit our website 👉 https://oxfordmindfulness.org/

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“What did the council decide on item 42?” — answered with the speaker and the moment.

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