Be calm.... Stop stressing.... Embrace the universe.... Try yoga.... Be fulfilled.... We're overwhelmed with these sorts of commands, and we often torture ourselves to 'try harder', yet somehow we never feel we've done quite enough. It's about time we stop pushing ourselves to do what we think we're supposed to do and instead simply allow ourselves to be angry, be tired, be silly, be passionate - to give yourself a break and just be.

Fabrice Midal, one of the world's leading teachers of meditation, explains why the key to true mindfulness is freeing ourselves from social and often self-imposed stresses - and highlights how we can embrace life more fully by giving ourselves a break. He gives listeners permission to:

• Stop obeying - you are intelligent
• Stop being calm - be at peace
• Stop wanting to be perfect - accept life's storms
• Stop rationalising - let things be
• Stop comparing - be you
• Stop being ashamed - be vulnerable
• Stop tormenting yourself - become your own best friend
• Stop wanting to love - be benevolent.

In C'est La Vie, Midal offers us a new solution to the perennial problem of our too much, too fast modern life. It's OK, he urges us, to say no. It's fine to quit the things that don't make you happy. It's necessary, in fact, to give yourself a break if things don't go your way and say, simply, c'est la vie. Midal gives each of us permission to stop doing the things that don't make us happy...so we have room in our lives for the things that do.