Why We Practice: The Ripple Effect That Changes Everything

Amanda Wilson · 2026-09-09

Ever notice how the hardest person to be mindful with is... yourself? Yeah, me too. And that's exactly where Mark Bertin, September's Teacher of the Month, wants us to start looking. Bertin's reflection isn't another "just breathe and everything will be fine" pep talk. It's a genuine question we don't ask often enough: why do we practice at all? ### The Question Nobody Asks Most of us jump into mindfulness because we want to feel calmer, sleep better, or stop snapping at our kids over spilled cereal. Fair enough. But Bertin suggests something deeper is happening when we commit to staying present. It's not just about us. Not even close. When you sit down to meditate—even for five messy minutes—you're not just working on your own anxiety. You're working on how you show up for everyone else. Your partner. Your coworkers. The cashier at the grocery store who's clearly having a rough day. ### The Ripple Nobody Sees Coming Here's the thing about presence: it spreads. Not in some woo-woo mystical way, but in a very practical, everyday kind of way. Think about it. When you're actually *there* during a conversation—not half-listening while scrolling through your phone—people feel it. They open up more. They relax. And then they go home and treat their own families a little differently. > "Our commitment to staying present has a ripple effect on our whole lives." — Mark Bertin That's not just a nice sentiment. It's a reminder that practice isn't selfish. It's actually one of the most generous things you can do. ### But Let's Be Real About the Messy Parts Bertin doesn't pretend this is easy. Some days you'll sit down to meditate and spend the entire time mentally rehearsing an argument you had three years ago. Other days you'll forget to practice altogether. That's not failure. That's being human. The point isn't to become some serene monk who never gets irritated. The point is to notice when you've drifted off—and gently come back. Over and over. That's the whole practice. - Notice you're distracted - Come back to the present moment - Repeat approximately ten thousand times - Notice how you're slowly changing ### Why This Matters More Than Ever We live in a world designed to pull us away from the present moment. Phones buzzing. Emails piling up. News cycles that make your head spin. The pull is constant. So when you choose to practice anyway—when you carve out even a few minutes to just be here—you're doing something quietly radical. And here's what Bertin's reflection really gets at: that quiet radical act doesn't stay quiet for long. It ripples out. It changes how you listen. How you respond. How you love. ### Starting Small (Like, Really Small) You don't need an hour-long meditation session or a fancy retreat. You need maybe five minutes. That's it. Sit down. Notice your breath. Notice when your mind wanders. Come back. That's the practice. That's the ripple starting. And if you forget tomorrow? No big deal. You'll start again. That's what practice means. The question isn't whether you're doing it perfectly. The question is whether you're willing to keep showing up—for yourself, and for everyone whose life touches yours.