What’s up with all the year‑in‑review “wraps” from every app under the sun?

In the first installment of the new What Is This? series — a tongue‑in‑cheek take on the weird, wonderful, and downright baffling things happening in the world — Michael breaks down the explosion of year‑in‑review summaries from Spotify to LinkedIn to ChatGPT. Whether you love them, ignore them, or scratch your head at them, this episode invites you to laugh at the absurdity, think critically about digital culture, and remember what truly matters beyond an algorithm.

1. Explore why every app seems to think your year needs a wrap and what that reflects about our attention economy
2. Laugh a little (or a lot) at the quirks of modern tech marketing
3. Remember that no app summary can capture your real life - the hard moments, the joy, the resilience, the ripples you put into the world

Press play to enjoy a blend of humor, reflection, and a grounded reminder: the only person who gets to define your year is you — not an algorithm.

You can now download my Pause Breathe Reflect App with Microdose EQ for FREE in Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Discover how spend less time on your phone and more time on things that bring you joy. Also, find the support you need to navigate today’s uncertainty with more calm and grace.

Receive a FREE copy of my book: “My Last Bad Day Shift.”

Receive my free Microdoses of Inspiration by texting Whole Again to 866-612-4604.

Join me on Substack (https://substack.com/@resiliencewithmichaelobrien) for more ways to stay resilient and navigate today’s uncertainty with more grace.

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.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, 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 well-being, and

Wondering what a silent retreat is really like — and whether it might be right for you?

In this insightful episode, Michael shares his first‑hand experience attending a seven‑day silent retreat to begin the new year. He breaks down what silent retreats are, who they are and aren’t for, what to expect, practical dos and don’ts, and why this kind of contemplative practice can be a powerful tool for navigating life’s uncertainties with more presence, resilience, and grace.

1. Discover how silence can become a container for deeper self‑inquiry and emotional insight
2. Learn how to prepare for a retreat (what to pack, what to wear, how to pace yourself)
3. Understand the importance of trauma‑informed teachers and building your practice before attending
4. Get real about how a silent retreat differs from a vacation — and how it can help transform your relationship with stress, distraction, and inner noise

Press play now to unpack the truth about silent retreats — from their challenges and benefits to whether one might be the right next step for your journey of presence and peace.

You can now download my Pause Breathe Reflect App with Microdose EQ for FREE in Apple’s App Store or Google Play. Discover how spend less time on your phone and more time on things that bring you joy. Also, find the support you need to navigate today’s uncertainty with more calm and grace.

Receive a FREE copy of my book: “My Last Bad Day Shift.”

Receive my free Microdoses of Inspiration by texting Whole Again to 866-612-4604.

Join me on Substack (https://substack.com/@resiliencewithmichaelobrien) for more ways to stay resilient and navigate today’s uncertainty with more grace.

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.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, 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 well-being, and

What do milkshakes and stress have in common? More than you might think.

In this gentle microdose meditation, Michael uses an intriguing milkshake study to help you see how your mindset shapes your experience of stress. Just as participants in a study perceived identical milkshakes differently based on expectations, we too can reshape how we experience stressful moments — not by changing the stress itself, but by changing how we see it.

1. Discover how perception influences your emotional and physical experience
2. Learn a short mindful practice to create space around stress
3. Reflect on how you might reframe stressful moments to support growth, not overwhelm

Press play now to explore a new way of experiencing stress — one that invites curiosity instead of judgment.

Receive a FREE copy of my book: “My Last Bad Day Shift.”

Receive my free Microdoses of Inspiration by texting Whole Again to 866-612-4604.

Join me on Substack (https://substack.com/@resiliencewithmichaelobrien) for more ways to stay resilient and navigate today’s uncertainty with more grace.

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.

With Whole Again: A Fresh Approach to Healing, Growth & Resilience after Physical Trauma through Kintsugi Mindfulness, listeners explore resilience through personal stories of trauma, scars, and injury while learning to overcome PTSD, imposter syndrome, self-doubt, and perfectionism with self-compassion, self-love, and self-worth. Through insightful discussions on building resilience, fitness, and stress management, as well as mindfulness practices and digital wellness, the show offers practical tools such as breathwork, micro-dose meditation, grounding techniques, visualization, and daily affirmations for anxiety relief and stress reduction. Inspired by the art of kintsugi, the podcast embodies healing as a transformative process, 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 well-being, and holistic approaches to self-care, this podcast empowers listeners to cultivate emotional resilience and live with greater balance and intention.