Dee Brennan from Thinkoutloud is every marketer's dream, tapping into the human drive to pay attention to things that are new, different and surprising.

Her RoofTop Meditation; Zen AF; Rise Meditate Coffee; Wineful and Meditate Like a Mother meditation and mindfulness classes have that slightly quirky element that makes us sit up and take notice, differentiating her from the many other mindfulness and meditation classes out there.

But does being surprising and different work? Yes! Just ask anyone who has tried to register for her Rooftop Meditation class only to find that the next two are already booked out. Besides the marketing foresight behind the naming of her workshops and the interesting and different elements that Dee has incorporated into her offering, there is also the fact that Dee is tapping into a growing buzz around mindfulness and meditation. The growth in popularity of these techniques comes at a time when people are looking for ways to cope with the stress of living in an ‘always-on’ world.

Have you ever lain in bed tossing and turning because your mind is too active, and you know that if you don’t fall asleep soon you’re not going to function the next day; and yet you don’t know how to quiet your thoughts?

One of the negative aspects of living in the ‘iworld’, is that we are always connected and our mind doesn’t have time-out. With mobile phones we are always connected to the workplace no matter where we are. This is feeding into our stress and anxiety and the feeling of being out of control. Unfortunately, the more tired and stressed we become, the more mistakes we make and the more stressed we feel. It’s a vicious circle.

“When you book a class you are there for a whole hour, just for you and no one can get to you,” says Dee.

“You can go to a class and get away from the stress and the chaos and people wanting something from you and having to talk and it’s just you and you are there for yourself.

“We need more spaces where people can have a mini-break; it’s like a little mini holiday where you get away from it all just for an hour. We are stretched in so many different areas that sometimes health and fun is the last thing you make time for, but I think an hour is realistic and achievable.

Mindfulness and meditation is not merely a good technique, it’s a practice or way of being, a process that develops and strengthens over time and increases our ability to be fully present in our lives.

“I encourage and inspire people to get back on the wagon with their practice,” says Dee.

“Mindfulness is all about increasing your awareness of what is happening to your body, both physically and emotionally, and then you’ve got more information and you can respond to it. It’s often that people are so out of tune with their body they don’t notice something is wrong with their body until it starts screaming at them.

“I hand out these temporary tattoos to remind people to be mindful throughout their day,” says Dee.

“One class, as I was handing out the temporary tattoos, one girl said ‘oh, I don’t need one because I actually got it tattooed on me!’ and that’s when I thought wow I really am inspiring people”.

“With the workshops, you’re learning how to meditate and getting the benefit of meditating, but it’s also in a fun environment,” stresses Dee.

All Dee’s Roof Top Meditation + Candles + Fairy lights classes sold out in 5 days. “You’ve got to make it more inviting and a little bit more entertaining”, says Dee.

“People want an experience and I want to give them an experience and a meditation with fairy lights sounds much more exciting.”

Dee also offers a Zen AF Meditation Class that allows you to ‘escape from the stress and chaos and find your inner monk’ as well as one specifically geared and mums and carers called ‘Meditate Like a Mother’.

With the increase in stress-related illnesses and mental health problems, mental habits like mindfulness and meditation are an increasingly useful tool that helps us to cope with living in a 24/7 world.

The good news is that Dee's classes are now more accessible to those who cannot attend her face-to-face classes. Like many businesses Dee has recently pivoted and is now providing online meditation classes for those stuck at home. Initially hesitant to go online, she now thanks Covid for opening her up to the world and has provided classes and resources for over 350 people from 7 different countries.

'It's been an absolute blast sharing my Friday nights with a glass of wine and a meditation with people in UK, Switzerland, Qatar, USA, K.L, N.Z, Egypt and all over Australia'.

Dee now offers a private Facebook group with DIY meditation resources, designed for the beginner meditator and those who would like extra support to establish a home practice. Here you will learn about the emotional and physical benefits, be guided through 3 meditations and enjoy the collective energy of others. Leave feeling a mix of relaxed, energised and inspired. Her next 4 Week Mindfulness Program for mum's and carers is called 'Meditate Like a Mother'.

To find out more about Dee’s other workshops visit https://thinkoutloud.com.au