What if rebuilding your identity after trauma isn’t about going back—but about stepping into who you are meant to become?

Healing isn’t just about recovery—it’s about transformation. In this episode of Whole Again (formerly The Kintsugi Podcast), Michael shares why embracing change is essential to reclaiming your strength. He also reveals three powerful lessons to help you release the past, navigate uncertainty, and step fully into your new identity.

• Learn why letting go of who you were is the key to moving forward.
• Discover how vulnerability can guide you to a stronger, more authentic self.
• Understand how small, unseen moments shape your identity more than big breakthroughs.

Take a deep breath and press play—this episode will help you embrace your journey and step into who you are becoming.

00:00 Introduction and Episode Overview

00:48 Thank You and Acknowledgements

01:30 Podcast Rebranding Explanation

02:02 The Concept of Kintsugi

05:20 Three Lessons for Identity Transformation

05:36 Lesson 1: Letting Go of the Past

09:19 Lesson 2: Embracing Vulnerability

12:54 Lesson 3: Small Steps to a New Identity

14:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. It embodies the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and teaches that breakage and repair are part of an object’s history, making it more valuable rather than less. Metaphorically, Kintsugi reminds us that our challenges, scars, and setbacks are not something to be ashamed of but can be embraced as a source of strength and transformation.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the microdose meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on stress management, mindfulness practices, and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools like breathwork, microdose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress relief. Inspired by the art of...

What if I told you that healing from injury and trauma isn’t about returning to who you were?

Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma Through Kintsugi Wisdom gives you the support you need to heal, grow stronger, and embrace who you are becoming.

Inspired by the Japanese art of “Golden Repair,” Kintsugi teaches us that even when life breaks us, we can rebuild—stronger, wiser, and more beautiful than before.

Listen to discover how to:

• Overcome self-doubt, imposter syndrome, and perfectionism by shifting your mindset.
• Build emotional resilience and manage stress through mindfulness, breathwork, and grounding techniques.
• Cultivate self-love, gratitude, and confidence to support your healing and transformation.

I’m Michael O’Brien—husband, Girl Dadx2, son, friend, animal lover, and survivor. After a near-death cycling accident—what I call My Last Bad Day—the metaphor of Kintsugi helped me see that I could be whole again.

Today, as a coach, speaker, and meditation teacher, I offer a steady hand to support you on your healing journey and help you fully step into the person you are becoming.

Join me every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday for micro-episodes designed to help you embrace the Kintsugi spirit within you and truly feel Whole Again.

Start your journey now with Episode 193, a fan-favorite on how Kintsugi can transform your healing process

Feeling overwhelmed or stuck in pain? What if a simple meditation could help you find peace and resilience?

Healing isn’t just about the physical—it’s about emotional and mental recovery, too. In this special Micro-Meditation episode, Michael shares a short yet powerful practice based on the serenity prayer. This guided meditation will help you embrace mindfulness, release stress, and find strength in the present moment.

• Experience a calming micro-meditation to support your healing journey.
• Learn how acceptance and mindfulness can transform your perspective.
• Discover how small moments of stillness can create lasting resilience.

Take a deep breath, press play, and let this meditation guide you toward peace and transformation.

Episode Flow:

00:00 Introduction to Micro Meditation

00:27 Setting the Scene: Personal Story and Song

01:14 Guided Meditation: Serenity Prayer

03:12 Closing Thoughts and Encouragement

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. It embodies the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and teaches that breakage and repair are part of an object’s history, making it more valuable rather than less. Metaphorically, Kintsugi reminds us that our challenges, scars, and setbacks are not something to be ashamed of but can be embraced as a source of strength and transformation.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on stress management, mindfulness practices, and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools like breathwork, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress relief. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embraces healing as a process of transformation, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and being overwhelmed to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional well-being, and holistic approaches to self-care, this podcast empowers listeners to cultivate...

Are you constantly checking your phone, feeling pulled in a thousand directions, and struggling to focus? What if a simple mindset shift could change everything?

In today's fast-paced, always-on world, we often feel like everything is urgent. But the truth is, not everything needs your immediate attention. In this episode, Michael shares a powerful shift in perspective that can help you reclaim your time, focus, and inner peace. You’ll also learn a simple digital wellness tip that can reduce stress and improve your overall well-being.

• Discover the one question that will help you prioritize what truly matters.
• Learn why turning off notifications can improve your mental, social, and physical health.
• Adopt a mindset shift that creates a lasting ripple effect in your life and the world around you.

Take back your power—press play now and learn how to slow down, focus, and build resilience through mindfulness.

Show Flow:

00:00 Introduction and Gratitude

01:19 Three Key Takeaways

01:50 The Important Question

02:55 Digital Wellness Tip

05:51 Mindset Shift for a Ripple Effect

08:43 Conclusion and Recap

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. It embodies the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and teaches that breakage and repair are part of an object’s history, making it more valuable rather than less. Metaphorically, Kintsugi reminds us that our challenges, scars, and setbacks are not something to be ashamed of but can be embraced as a source of strength and transformation.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on stress management, mindfulness practices, and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools like breathwork, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress relief. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embraces healing as a process of transformation, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and being...

It took almost dying to discover this lesson and in this episode of Whole Again I want to share it with you. It's the one thing that most of us are chasing and it blocks our healing and transformation.

In a world filled with checklists and quick fixes, we’re often told what we need to do to be happy. But what if the real answer isn’t something to achieve, but something to realize? In this episode of Whole Again, I share the biggest lesson from my recovery—one that took me decades to understand but changed everything once he did.

Takeaways:

• Discover the hidden belief that may be keeping you from true happiness.
• Learn how to shift from seeking external validation to embracing your own worth.
• Find out how to rewrite the story you tell yourself and step into the truth of your resilience.

Press play and uncover the one thing you truly want—and how to embrace it right now.

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. It embodies the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and teaches that breakage and repair are part of an object’s history, making it more valuable rather than less. Metaphorically, Kintsugi reminds us that our challenges, scars, and setbacks are not something to be ashamed of but can be embraced as a source of strength and transformation.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

Thanks for being here! I appreciate you!

Let's celebrate our scars as golden symbols of resilience and strength.

My name is Michael. I'm a husband, father, son, and friend. I'm also an executive coach, speaker, and meditation teacher, and I help people prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day and help them heal, grow, and develop more resilience.

I'm not a doctor or therapist. But I have been through the “ringer,” as they say. I was involved in a cycling accident, and my trauma team doesn’t know how I survived. Along the way, I’ve tried it all to heal and in my podcast, I share what I’ve learned in hopes that something might help you. Plus, I want to create a connection with you so you’re not alone in your journey. You’ve got this!

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to...

Monday's Micro Dose of Mindfulness: Embracing Gratitude

In this episode of Monday's Micro Dose of Mindfulness, Michael guides listeners through a brief gratitude meditation. He shares his personal experience of discovering gratitude during his recovery and emphasizes its importance in healing. Listeners are invited to settle into a comfortable position, focus on their breath, and reflect on what they are grateful for about their bodies. The session concludes with a reminder of the power of gratitude and an invitation to explore more mindfulness practices through Michael's app.

00:00 Introduction to Monday's Micro Dose of Mindfulness

00:28 Starting the Gratitude Practice

01:10 Focusing on the Body

01:35 Concluding the Practice

02:32 Final Thoughts and Additional Resources

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

Thanks for being here! I appreciate you!

Let's celebrate our scars as golden symbols of resilience and strength.

My name is Michael I help people prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day and heal, growth and develop more resilience.

I'm not a doctor or therapist. But I have been through the “ringer” as they say. I was involved in a cycling accident that my trauma team doesn’t know how I survived. Along the way, I’ve tried it all to heal and in this podcast, I share what I’ve learn in hopes that something might help you. Plus, I want to create a connection with you so you you you’re not alone in your journey. We’ve got this!

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start.

If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: Small Steps to Healing, Growth, and Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury, while learning to overcome imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on stress management, mindfulness practices, and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools like breathwork, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress relief. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embraces healing as a process of transformation, encouraging a shift in perspective from worry and overwhelm to gratitude and personal growth. By exploring the mind-body connection, micro-dosing strategies for emotional...

Feeling constantly tense without knowing why? Struggling to reclaim control over your phone and your peace of mind?

In the journey of resilience and transformation, we often overlook the tension we carry in our bodies and the impact of digital overwhelm on our mental well-being. In this episode, we explore a powerful mindfulness practice—progressive muscle relaxation—to help release stored trauma and bring calm back into your life. Plus, learn a simple digital wellness tip (with a surprising nod to Miley Cyrus!) to help you regain control of your phone habits.

• Discover how progressive muscle relaxation can support healing from trauma and stress.
• Learn a practical micro-meditation technique to enhance body awareness and resilience.
• Take back control of your phone use for a more intentional and balanced life.

Press play now to unlock powerful tools for mindfulness, healing, and digital well-being through the philosophy of Kintsugi!

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Kintsugi is the Japanese art of repairing broken pottery with gold, silver, or lacquer, highlighting the cracks rather than hiding them. It embodies the philosophy of wabi-sabi, which finds beauty in imperfection and teaches that breakage and repair are part of an object’s history, making it more valuable rather than less. Metaphorically, Kintsugi reminds us that our challenges, scars, and setbacks are not something to be ashamed of but can be embraced as a source of strength and transformation.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

Thanks for being here! I appreciate you!

Let's celebrate our scars as golden symbols of resilience and strength.

My name is Michael. I'm a husband, father, son, and friend. I'm also an executive coach, speaker, and meditation teacher, and I help people prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day and help them heal, grow, and develop more resilience.

I'm not a doctor or therapist. But I have been through the “ringer,” as they say. I was involved in a cycling accident, and my trauma team doesn’t know how I survived. Along the way, I’ve tried it all to heal and in my podcast, I share what I’ve learned in hopes that something might help you. Plus, I want to create a connection with you so you’re not alone in your journey. You’ve got this!

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories

Rebuilding Trust in Your Body: A Kintsugi Approach

Have you ever felt like your body betrayed you? After illness, injury, or trauma, trusting your body again can feel impossible.

Losing trust in your body can bring fear, frustration, and a sense of losing control. But what if you could rebuild that trust—one small step at a time? In this episode, we explore why trust in the body is essential, what causes it to break, and how to restore it using a mindful and compassionate approach.

In this episode:

• Discover why trust in your body is key to healing and resilience.
• Learn simple practices to listen to your body without judgment.
• Explore the power of reframing your perspective and using mantras for self-support.

The episode delves into the impact of trauma on body trust and shares actionable steps to regain it through small, incremental changes, mindful listening, reframing negative thoughts, and using empowering mantras. Michael encourages you to celebrate small wins and be patient with their healing process.

00:00 Introduction: Trusting Your Body Again

00:33 The Importance of Trust

01:39 The Impact of Trauma on Trust

07:46 Rebuilding Trust: Small Steps and Listening

09:43 Reframing and Mantras for Healing

11:28 Conclusion and Next Steps

If this episode sparked something within you, please download it and share it with a friend.

Discover how to scroll less and live more by taking my Free Smartphone Wellness Audit by clicking phone.

Did you know that stickers are wonderful visual cues to help you create healthy habits? You can get one of my free Pause Breathe Reflect sticker by clicking sticker.

To discover more and sign up for My RIPPLE EFFECT newsletter by clicking Ripple Effect.

We can also connect on LinkedIn.

Subscribe to be sure you don’t miss any of the micro-meditations, wellness tips, and guidance that I publish every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday at 7:11 am.

Thanks for being here! I appreciate you!

Let's celebrate our scars as golden symbols of resilience and strength.

My name is Michael I help people prevent a bad moment from turning into a bad day and heal, growth and develop more resilience.

I'm not a doctor or therapist. But I have been through the “ringer” as they say. I was involved in a cycling accident that my trauma team doesn’t know how I survived. Along the way, I’ve tried it all to heal and in this podcast, I share what I’ve learn in hopes that something might help you. Plus, I want to create a connection with you so you you you’re not alone in your journey. We’ve got this!

If you feel you need more mental health support, please contact NAMI. This is a good place to start. If you have a question or comment, please reach out to Michael@PauseBreatheReflect.com.

With Whole Again:Small Steps to Healing, Growth, and Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Wisdom, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury, while learning to overcome imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful...