When was the last time you did something like it was the very first time? Like you were discovering it? Curious about it? Open to it?
Not rushing it… Not judging it… Not comparing it to how it should be… or how it was in the past… But simply experiencing it, with fresh eyes? Most of us don’t live that way anymore.
We live in the land of “I already know.” “I’ve done this before.” “I get it.” “I’ve heard this.” “I’ve seen that.” “I already tried that once and it didn’t work.” And that — without us realising — is one of the biggest things that keeps us stuck exactly where we are. Because the second we think we already know something, we stop being available for new possibilities.
A Japanese Zen master once said: “In the beginner’s mind there are many possibilities. In the expert’s mind there are few.” I love that quote. And that’s what inspired this week’s episode on I Love Me The Podcast.
Today we’re exploring the Beginner’s Mind — a simple yet powerful Zen philosophy that can open the door to more joy, deeper connection, and a sense of wonder in everyday life.
Because when we move through life thinking we already know everything, we stop seeing what’s actually in front of us. We stop noticing the beauty, the lessons, the unexpected magic that life is constantly offering. But when we return to a beginner’s mind — even for a short moment — something shifts.
We become curious again. More present. More open to possibility. And suddenly the same life we thought we’d figured out, starts revealing something entirely new.
Simple, inspiring lessons in self-love. Hello fresh eyes, it’s Tamra here.
In Zen philosophy, Beginner’s Mind — what the Japanese call Shoshin — is the practice of approaching everything as if you’re seeing it, experiencing it or meeting it, for the very first time.
It asks us to trade:
Judgment for curiosity.
Certainty for wonder.
Routine for presence.
Expertise for openness.
Think about children — how they marvel at shadows, laugh at bubbles, get excited about a worm on the footpath.
They don’t need a big moment to feel joy — because everything feels fresh and new and is therefore met with curiosity and wonder.
That is Beginner’s Mind.
An approach us adults can really benefit from.
Because when we practise looking at things as if for the first time, we see them more clearly.
We open ourselves to learning something new.
Because as we grow older, our minds can become full of conclusions.
“I know how this goes,” “That won’t work”, “This is just how people are.”
Beginner’s Mind gently loosens those mental walls; those old beliefs about how life is, and how we are.
It helps us approach situations with curiosity instead of assumption, which opens the door to new ideas, solutions and perspectives.
Yet, when we think we already know something, we stop learning.
Shoshin brings back the curiosity of a child, making it easier to learn new skills, think creatively and see possibilities we might otherwise miss.
In this way…
Adopting a child-like view of the world awakens wisdom.
And this is particularly helpful in relationships.
For when we meet people with a beginner’s mind we’re not projecting our past experiences onto them.
We’re actually seeing and hearing them in the present moment.
What I love about this, is it stops us making judgments about people we barely even know, or treating our partner like the devil, because when we see them we’re no longer thinking of that thing they did 10 years ago that upset us.
Instead, we’re seeing them for how they are, right now.
Because let’s be honest…
Adults often live on mental autopilot — repeating routines, reacting from habit, and replaying the past.
For many people it looks like this:
Wake up.
Make coffee.
Check phone.
Respond to things.
Eat fast.
Drive the same route to work or school.
End the day tired.
Repeat.
When this becomes life, we’re no longer experiencing it, we’re simply moving through the motions.
Because you can’t feel wonder and be on autopilot at the same time.
You can’t evolve and learn while holding on to the idea that “You already know something because you’ve done it countless times before.”
When you practice beginner’s mind, it brings you back into the moment, which makes everyday life feel richer and more alive.
In Zen Buddhism, beginner’s mind is also about releasing the pressure to be the ‘expert’ all the time.
For when you allow yourself to not know everything, life becomes lighter.
There’s less defensiveness and more openness to growth.
Plus, it helps you rediscover the magic in ordinary things — conversations, nature, learning, relationships, even your own inner world.
Instead of life feeling repetitive or predictable, it starts to feel fresh again.
The kind of freshness that allows in creativity, possibility, intuition, aliveness and play.
All of which help us reconnect with our heart.
And if you’ve been following me for a while, you’ll know that one of the main teachings inside my programs, is to guide people back to their heart.
Choosing their heart’s guidance over the chaotic and fear-driven thoughts of the mind.
And one of the easiest ways to do this, is to adopt a beginner’s mind.
So let’s look at some everyday examples of how to practise beginner’s mind.
That way you’ll have something to play with this week.
The first one…
Breakfast as if you’ve never tasted that meal before.
Tomorrow morning, sit with your food like it’s the first time ever.
Look at it.
Smell it.
Taste slowly.
Notice texture.
Feel gratitude on purpose.
No scrolling while eating — just presence.
Suddenly your breakfast is no longer a task to get through — it’s an experience.
Next up…
Wash your dishes like you’re in meditation.
I rarely meet someone who likes doing the dishes.
It’s a task that must be done, but usually brings little joy.
Next time you’re standing at the sink, ask yourself:
“What if this could be peaceful?”
Warm water on your hands.
Circular movements on the bowl.
The sound of water.
The simple gratitude of knowing you had enough to eat.
Suddenly — dishes are no longer a chore, but a moment of peace and stillness
Number three…
You’re driving a familiar route, but you’re doing it with new eyes.
Notice a tree you’ve never really seen.
A house with flowers that weren’t there before.
The way sunlight hits the road.
Life hides beauty in plain sight.
When we look like we’ve never looked before, we see that the world is one big miracle.
Number 4 is going to to help you if you’re having some relationship issues….
Listen to loved ones without assumptions.
You know that thing we do?
Someone starts talking and our brain goes:
“I already know what they mean.”
“I know how this ends.”
“I’ve heard this story 47 times already.”
Beginner’s mind whispers:
“What if you listen like it’s the first time — and the last time?”
People bloom when we meet them with curiosity, not familiarity.
Because they feel heard, they feel seen, and you may just learn something that you would have missed, if you’d been stuck in “I heard this all before” mode.
Which leads me onto number 5:
Approaching personal growth without thinking “I already know this”.
How many times have you heard advice like:
Breathe.
Slow down.
Journal.
Meditate.
Be present.
And your brain says: “Yes yes, I know that.”
But do we actually practise what we think we know?
Are we embodying the principles of these practices?
For knowing something and embodying something are worlds apart.
And they both give you a very different experience of life.
Approaching life with a beginner’s mind helps us open to the wisdom and practices that will make all the difference.
The wisdom that we might usually rush past.
Ok number 6 is for you if you’re in a romantic relationship, especially if you’ve been with your partner for a really long time.
And that is:
Meet your partner like you’re dating again.
Next time your partner walks into the room — look up.
Notice them.
Take them in like you did when you first met.
Ask a real question.
Be curious again.
Relationships don’t die from lack of love — they wither from lack of curiosity.
Lack of presence.
Finally, one just for you.
A mirror experience.
Tomorrow morning, look in the mirror like you’re seeing this human that is you, for the very first time.
Like you are precious.
Like you matter.
Like you are a person worth loving.
Your relationship with yourself softens when you stop assuming you already know who you are.
Because you know what?
You’ve never been today’s version of you, before.
We are constantly changing and evolving, and the more we open to that, the more we allow ourselves to expand into the greatest and most aligned version of ourselves.
Ok, a playful challenge for you this week…
Pick 3 everyday things and treat them like ‘first-time’ experiences:
Making tea.
Brushing your teeth.
Kissing your partner.
Walking through your front door.
Hearing your child laugh.
Taking a shower.
Seeing the morning light through your window.
Turn routines into rituals, and just notice how life starts to feel different, in a really really good way.
Our day really is chock full of opportunities to practice beginner’s mind.
We simply need to make the choice to practise.
What’s important to understand is that beginner’s mind isn’t about being naive, it’s about being alive.
It’s not about forgetting what you know — but remembering there’s always more to see.
You don’t need a new life to feel renewed.
Just a new way of meeting the life you already have.
If this episode awoke something in you — even a tiny crack of curiosity — I invite you to keep exploring.
This is exactly the kind of heart-opening inner work we dive more deeply into, inside my Remarkable Relationships program and in my One-on-One Intensive.
We release the old stories.
We open to what’s possible.
We bring you back to your aliveness.
So if you’re ready to soften, to feel again, to meet life with fresh eyes and an open heart…
I would love to support you.
You’ll find all the links in the show notes.
And if you loved this episode, please follow the podcast, leave a review, or share it with a friend who could use a little magic of the beginner’s mind variety.
Until next time — stay curious, stay open, and meet your life like it’s brand new.
Because in many ways… it is.