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Tag: Mindful

6 Ways to Enjoy Mindful Walking
Whatever the season, spending time in nature happily coincides with one of my favorite mindfulness practices: outdoor walking meditation, or mindful walking. Focusing while our body remains still presents a challenge for many of us, from the easily triggered to the anxious to the attention deficient, which is why contemplative movement—be it ritual dance, sport, martial arts, or something else—exists in so many cultures. In fact, mindful walking practice is often what people describe as their favorite practice after they’ve taken a mindfulness course, and the one they are most likely to continue to practice. It’s the best reminder that mindfulness does not have to be a still, solitary, indoor activity.

Walking is a movement we do every day, and like breathing, is usually something we do without much thought. Getting outside to walk deliberately in nature can open our eyes, offering new perspectives different from those we encounter indoors or inside our digital devices. Author Richard Louv, among others, writes about “nature-deficit disorder” and how it affects our physical and emotional well-being, suggesting even just a little exposure to green spaces boosts happiness and attention. The Japanese practice of “forest bathing,” with its research-backed benefits to the mind and body, has been trending around the world. Trends aside, many of us have experienced the power of nature, be it mountains or beaches, forests or gardens, to soothe our most turbulent emotions. The natural world is full of lessons to be learned and metaphors to be explored.

Getting outside to walk deliberately in nature can open our eyes, offering new perspectives different from those we encounter indoors or inside our digital devices.

Integrating mindfulness into movement has the added benefit of combining mental exercise with physical exercise. Studies abound showing that light walking for 20 minutes can help mild depression, anxiety, and attention, not to mention our physical wellness. Getting outside and taking care of our mental health is always important, especially if we’re having a stressful day.

With that in mind, here are six ways to get the most out of your next walk.

How to Get Started with Mindful Walking Outdoors

1. Basic Mindful Walking Meditation

A basic mindful walking meditation is pretty simple. All you need to do is notice yourself walking as you walk, making your body sensations the anchor of the meditation. To break out of the autopilot we are often in, you might ask yourself, “How do I know I am walking?” and then check in with your senses.

It also may help to bring awareness to certain aspects of walking. For example, you can bring mindfulness to your body as you notice the sensation of your feet on the ground or the movement of your muscles, especially as you encounter different surfaces beneath you. Notice not just what your legs are doing, but also your arms, torsos, spine, and head as you walk. You might be able to detect subtle shifts in your pulse, body temperature, or breathing rate before, during, and after you begin moving. You can also focus on the gentle rocking motion of your weight shifting.

Sometimes in sitting practice we use our breath as our anchor and focus on the point between the in-breath and the out-breath, where there is a moment of stillness. Likewise, in mindful walking practice, we can notice the points of stillness where the right step becomes the left step and the left step becomes the right step.

2. Adding Words or Phrases

One simple way to focus your attention is to bring words or phrases to your steps. For one, you can count in rhythm with your steps. Whenever your mind wanders off and you lose count, simply notice where your mind has wandered, and return the count to one again. The key is to do this without judging yourself, and your wandering mind.

It may also help to have something to say along with the movements. You can, for example, say thank you and send gratitude or compassion to your feet and body as you move—a practice from Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff’s program Mindful Self-Compassion. Or, you can quietly or internally repeat reminder phrases to yourself.

You might enjoy repeating the following phrases, suggested by mindfulness teacher Thich Nhat Hanh, with each step:

I have arrived, I am home, in the here, in the now.

I also heard some other wonderful phrases once from a friend, saying for each footstep:

Nowhere to go. Nothing to do. No one to be.

Experiment with any or all of these on your next walk, or come up with your own phrases that resonate for you next time you are out.

3. Sensory Walking

This adaptation for the mindful walking meditation is simple, and just involves really tuning into our five senses as we move through space. As we get into the moment with our senses, we can really savor the precious moments we do have to be outside and moving, and all that is around us. Our senses keep us grounded in the moment while our thoughts drift to the past or future.
- First, walk while keeping your eyes still and watching the view change as shapes and objects shift in and out of your line of vision.
- Next, focus just on the soles of your feet, aware of different sensations there as the surface changes.
- Then, focus on sounds. Those of your own footsteps, as well as the changing sounds in the world around you as you move.
- Lastly, focus on smells and tastes in the air, and how they change depending on where you are.
4. Body Awareness Walking

Another practice I’ve been playing with recently is walking as I focus my awareness on parts of the body, almost like a body scan in motion.
- As you walk, begin by just resting your awareness in your feet, bringing attention to the soles of your feet.
- After about twenty steps, or maybe one block or 5 minutes, shift your awareness to your ankles and calves.
- After a few minutes of your attention there, just rest attention on the bending of your knees.
- Then focus your awareness on the sensations and movement of your hips.
- After some time focused on your hips, shift awareness to your hands and arms, falling naturally or swinging at your sides.
- You might then shift to awareness of sensations in your torso, including inside your body with your heart and lungs, maybe seeing if they’ve changed.
- After a few moments of attention in your torso, turn your attention to your neck and shoulders.
- Lastly, notice your head, as it shifts and moves slightly up and down with each footstep.
Continue to scan your body as you walk, noting how sensations change over the course of your walk.

5. Appreciative Walking

Bringing attention to the beauty of our surroundings is another way to bring deliberate awareness to mindful walking, and to actually shift our perception of the world out of the “negativity bias” or inherent pessimism wired into us, toward the positive and beautiful. Various experiments have found that focusing on the beauty around us as we walk tends to have a lasting effect on our mood long after we rest, similar to the way other gratitude and appreciation practices work.

This research is the inspiration for another mindful walking practice: to simply notice the beauty in the world around us as we walk. It may be a tree beginning to blossom, a particularly beautiful shaft of light, a house or car painted a favorite color. On your walk, make a regular practice of noticing one positive thing—something beautiful, something funny, or perhaps even an act of kindness—along the way. Note these to yourself in a journal or share them with family when you return, or share with others online.

You might also, if you take the same route each day, choose to focus on the changes that you encounter. Notice each day as the seasons gradually change, how the sights, sensations and even smells and sounds also change. What’s one new thing that you find, each day on your walk? How about at different times of day, or weekends compared to weekdays?

6. Observational Walking

You can also bring awareness to your own emotional experience of walking. Notice your emotional reactions to everything (and everyone) around you, especially as people and things get close to your personal space. This might bring up small feelings of self-consciousness as you pass others, or a slight pleasure when you step into sunshine, followed by a slight dread as a small hill approaches.

The inverse way to explore our emotions is by noticing how our emotions affect our walking and observations, and vice versa. How does your emotional state change your movement, what you see, or how you respond, depending on whether you are happy or sad, calm or anxious, frustrated or relaxed?

You can even do this on purpose: Change gears and try walking like you are fearful or anxious. Then walk as if loaded down by shame, or as if you are distracted. Try walking confidently after that, and then shifting back into your own rhythm and gait, if you can still find it. Reflect on all of these, noticing where on the spectrum of moods and emotions your regular pace of walking takes you.

You might notice that how you walked affected how you perceived the environment around you. When you walked with sadness, for example, you likely saw less as your eyes were downcast. Or perhaps you noticed that when you walked with confidence, you actually felt more confident, which you probably did if you know about the research of Amy Cuddy and the science of “power poses”.

Through mindful walking, we can take time to deepen our intimacy with our homes and neighborhoods. Mindfulness is about the here and now, and the state of the world presents a great opportunity to explore and appreciate the outdoors as social distancing continues. Plus, getting outside presents an opportunity to care for our mental health and perspective. If you need a few more ways to bring more awareness to your route, I hope I’ve offered you a few for the coming months.

Happy walking!
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July 23, 2026
A 12 Minute Meditation to Make Movement Mindful with Cara Bradley
Our bodies come in all varieties, and we all have different interests, skill, and abilities. But as today’s teacher Cara Bradley observes, movement of any kind—from the slightest glance to the most intense exercise—can be mindful.

This simple meditation helps you celebrate your physicality with practices to connect with your breath and your body, expand your awareness, and appreciate the gift of being alive.

A Meditation to Make Movement Mindful

Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.
1. The intention behind this practice today is to stabilize our bodies and minds, to synchronize our breath and movement, and to energize all over physical, emotional, and mental well-being. What’s important to remember from this all is that when our bodies are calm, our minds get calm. And when our bodies feel stable and steady, our minds feel stable and steady. What’s happening physically also reflects mentally. In fact, in many ways, our nervous system is a reflection of what’s happened in our mind. So if you’re feeling really crazy-busy, I’m going to encourage you to look at your nervous system first with some of the tools that I’m going to teach you here in this meditation.
2. We are going to be moving and breathing in rhythm. This helps us to facilitate what’s called coherence. Coherence is a way of harmonizing our nervous system, our heart rate, our brain waves. Research shows that when we’re in coherence or in a coherent state, we feel better. We feel calmer, more clear. We feel more energized. And our minds are more quiet. The best way to find coherence is by finding your breath and breathing in rhythm.
3. Don’t worry about perfect, it doesn’t exist. Don’t worry about big or small or advanced or beginner, it’s not about that at all. This is a mindful movement practice, so this is your practice to cultivate awareness of both mind and body. We’ll be moving for maybe six to seven minutes, real simple movements that everybody can do, and then we’ll be taking rest. Now I encourage you to give yourself the time to take a minute or two rest. It’s when we start to integrate. It’s where we integrate and really allow ourselves the opportunity to experience ourselves in that coherence. In a more settled and stable state of being. You’re worth it and your life is worth it.
4. Place your feet hip-width distance, get a comfortable stance, and here we go. Let’s just find that rhythm. Inhale, reach your arms forward and up. Spin your palms open, exhale arms out and down. Inhale, reach forward and up. Spin palms open, exhale out and down. One more time. Inhale, reach forward and up. Spin palms, exhale out and down.
5. Next is what I call Sinking Body and Mind. Exhale, reach over to your left. Inhale, rise back up to center. Exhale, sway to your right. Inhale, reach up. So we’re moving slowly on purpose, everyone. Exhale, reach left. Inhale, reach up. Exhale, reach to the right. One more time, inhale up. Exhale, laugh. Inhale up. Exhale right. Inhale, reach back up. Exhale to your left, we’re going to hold, bring your hand to your hip. Breathe in, reach, exhale. So just following breath, inhale nice and deep. Reach, exhale, press your hips to the right, breathe in. Breathe out. Just one more, inhale.
6. If you can, reach a little further. Inhale, reach both arms up. Exhale, sway to your right. Inhale. Exhale, reach. Just stay on breath. Inhale. Exhale, reach. Great side stretch here, inhale. Exhale, last one, inhale, exhale, reach, hold, inhale, reach both arms up.
7. Now, place your hands on your knees like you’re a baseball player. With straight arms, pull your bum back, now reach your arms back. On your inhale, reach arms forward, up, look up, exhale arms back and down, inhale reach up, give them a swing, exhale back. Inhale, reach up, exhale back. One more time. Inhale, reached up. Exhale back. Reach your arms all the way up, this time interlock your fingers behind your head. Send your hips forward and just lay your head back for a moment here.
8. Now, root through your feet and send your hips forward. Can you really let your head go on your hands? What does that feel like? Open your elbows up just a little wider, one more breath, inhale, big stretch your lungs. Exhale, reach both arms up overhead. One more time, hands to your knees like a baseball player. This time drop your elbows to your knees if you can. If you have some low back stuff, stay right here. Otherwise you can drop elbows right here and look down, nice forward flexion.
9. Let’s take three breaths here. Inhale, pull your hips back, exhale. Again, finding breath. Inhale, hips back. Exhale. One more time, breathe in, sink your hips a little lower. Little dynamic movement, inhale, straighten legs. Exhale, bend your knees. So they don’t have to straighten completely. Inhale, straighten, matching movement and breath. Exhale, bent. Three more, inhale. Go find that breath, that’s the coherent breath. Exhale, nice and deep and rhythmic. Inhale. Exhale. This is it. Last one. Inhale. Exhale, bend deep and hold.
10. While we’re here, let’s take it to the floor. Come all the way down onto your belly. Dynamic backbend, so reach your arms out to the side legs together. On your inhale, lift up. Exhale, lower halfway. Inhale, lift, up. Exhale, low. So this is so healthy for our spines, everyone. Inhale, and lift up, Exhale, lower. Last one. Inhale, lift up, hold. Hold, reach. Reach through your fingers. Lift your chest, lift your legs, and release down.
11. We’ll take it onto our backs to finish up. So roll onto your back, straighten both legs out, and again, working dynamically. Pull your right knee in, give yourself a good hug here, good squeeze. Really helpful for your hips. Now breathe in, breathe out, switch your legs, left knee in, inhale. Exhale, switch your legs, inhale. Exhale. One more time, switch, inhale, squeeze, exhale. Bring both knees in, just give yourself a squeeze, and I’ll bring your knees to 90 degrees. Take your arms out to the side.
12. Take our final spinal twist here, our final movement. On your inhale, lower knees to your right. Look to your left. Exhale, lift to center. So they don’t need to touch. Inhale to your lift, good twist for your spine. Exhale, center. Following breath and movement, inhale, right. Exhale, center, inhale, left. Exhale, center. One more time. Inhale, right. Exhale center, inhale left. Exhale center. Now place your feet to the floor, straighten your legs, separate your feet everybody, spin your palms up so you’re like a snow angel, big and wide, and just close your eyes here and allow yourself these next few minutes to really connect into your body.
13. As you lay here in stillness, notice any sensations, any sense of coolness or heat. Maybe something’s tingling. Our body speaks to us through the language of sensation. And by connecting body and mind through breath and movement, our awareness is heightened.
14. We start to become more fluent in that language of sensations. So what are you feeling in your body? And finally, notice your breath. Just notice how your body is breathing, what it feels like to be inhaling, what changes in your ribs, around your back, and what happens when you exhale. Just noting, using your body, your breath, your pulsing, your sensations as anchors for your awareness in this mindfulness practice.
15. Now just open your eyes and notice what it feels like to be you right now in this moment. Do you feel more clear and calm? Or stable, or at ease. Maybe you feel more energized and ready for your day. Pull your knees to your chest and just roll over to one side. And roll on up, have a seat for one more moment. With your chin up and your gaze up. Thank yourself for making it through this practice. Thank yourself for giving yourself this gift of movement, of deep, coherent breathing, and of some stillness and silence.
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June 21, 2026
Exciting News from Mindful: Please Welcome Our New CEO, Joseph Russell

In 2020, tech entrepreneur Matt Dickinson launched Mindfulness.com with teacher Melli O’Brien. Together, they envisioned an accessible, practical resource that could empower people to realize their fullest potential through the transformative power of mindfulness.

For six years, the Mindfulness app and website have been a global hub where beginners, experienced practitioners, and everyone in between can access thousands of practices, meditations, talks, courses, playlists, nature soundscapes, and more.

In 2023, we here at Mindful.org joined up with Mindfulness. As our community knows, we’ve got 15 years of evidence-based editorial content that reaches millions of readers globally with more than 4,000 articles, the 12 Minute Meditation podcast, expert-led courses, an annual print magazine, and a new app. We’ve been the definitive English-language resource for practitioners, clinicians, educators, and researchers since 2009.

We recognize that we’re shepherding a legacy that’s thousands of years old, using the latest tech tools—and we take both the responsibility and the opportunity seriously.

Together, Mindfulness x Mindful brings what few other organizations bring: the very latest in technological developments combined with grounded, human-centered, science-backed mindfulness resources. Our apps are cutting-edge and aim to make accessing mindfulness training seamless, fast, beautiful, and personalized. We also hold the conviction that real human connection is the heart of mindfulness practice in the first place—so we partner with globally-respected writers, teachers, researchers, and thought leaders to bring you articles, guided meditations, talks, courses, and events that are alive with human compassion, wisdom, and creativity.

We recognize that we’re shepherding a legacy that’s thousands of years old, using the latest tech tools—and we take both the responsibility and the opportunity seriously.

A New Chapter

On May 25, 2026, we welcomed Joseph Russell as our new Chief Executive Officer.

Russell brings over 15 years of experience building, scaling, and leading digital products and mobile technology businesses. As co-founder and CEO of DreamWalk, one of Australia’s most recognised app development companies, he helped hundreds of brands and businesses—from Coca-Cola to The Secret—design and launch successful digital experiences. Throughout his tenure, DreamWalk produced dozens of chart-topping mobile applications before it was acquired by multinational advertising group Wellcom in 2012. Russell then re-acquired the brand and relaunched under his leadership in 2017.

Russell has been featured by The Today Show, The Project, The Australian, Lifehacker, and Executive Style, and has written extensively on digital product strategy for Smart Company, B&T Weekly, and Inside Small Business. He has also served as a mentor and advisor to social impact startups through ygap.

“We’re living through a period of extraordinary uncertainty. The research on what mindfulness does for human resilience—our capacity to respond rather than react—has never been more relevant.” — Joe Russell, new CEO of Mindfulness United

As our new CEO, he’s joining Mindfulness United at a pivotal moment for both the company and the broader mindfulness industry.

Russell was candid about why the timing feels meaningful: “We’re living through a period of extraordinary uncertainty. The research on what mindfulness does for human resilience—our capacity to respond rather than react—has never been more relevant.”

Russell added: “Mindful.org has spent 15 years earning the trust of readers, researchers, and practitioners. When you combine that with an app guided by teachers who helped build the clinical science of mindfulness—that’s something genuinely rare. My job is to bring those two things together and do justice to the groundbreaking products and legacy this team has built.”

Matt Dickinson has faithfully led the work of MU for six years, and we are grateful for his vision and dedication. Reflecting on this transition and why he chose Joe to carry on the work of MU as our new CEO, he said, “Joe brings exactly the combination of skills this company needs at this moment—deep expertise in mobile product and digital growth, a genuine understanding of what it takes to engage an audience, and a personal connection to the mission. We are thrilled to welcome him to the team and excited to see what he builds.”

Joe also recognizes that joining Mindfulness United is a rare opportunity to create genuine, lasting change for millions of people who are hungry for more clarity, calm, wisdom, and connection in a world that often feels fragmented and frantic.

“Mindfulness isn’t a wellness trend,” he says. “These practices have been around for thousands of years. The science is real, the teachers are world-class, and the need has never been greater.”

He says his job is to make sure this platform reaches everyone who needs it.

As the leaders, organizers, developers, designers, creators, and editors that make up the Mindfulness x Mindful team, we’re on board with that, and we can’t wait to see what’s next.

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June 9, 2026
Being Courageous About Change: Mindful Guidance on the Proactive Pivot
Being Proactive

Proactive pivoting is one of the hardest things, because it implies that we’re making a change before we absolutely have to make a change.

We really don’t like change. We’re creatures of habit. We like our routines, and we like the familiar. When it comes to proactive pivoting, we need to conjure up a certain amount of strength, and faith that what we’re about to do will work out for us.

Proactive pivoting is about getting ahead of change, seeing that change needs to come, and mustering the courage and the strength to make that change.

We’re often more accustomed to crisis pivoting. This is when we have to pivot—when things happen legally, medically, relationally, or vocationally that require our immediate, all-hands-on-deck attention.

Proactive pivoting is different. It is about getting ahead of change, seeing that change needs to come, and mustering the courage and the strength to make that change.

Loss Aversion

There are a few fears and obstacles that can get in the way when we’re thinking about pivoting. We all have our go-to place when it’s time for a change—the uncertainty, or the fear of failure, the unknown. Whatever those fears are, we all have them.

The science of loss aversion shows that even if the change will bring us something equal to, or even a little better than what we currently have, we still resist.

There’s also something that can get in our way called loss aversion. It turns out that even if the change will bring us something equal to, or even a little better than what we currently have, we still resist.

The science indicates that in order to make a change, we need to perceive that what we’re going into is twice as positive as what we currently experience. Keeping in mind that experiencing this loss aversion can be very helpful to us in times of pivoting—just knowing that is a phenomenon, and being aware of it, can help us to face it.

A Personal Example of Proactive Pivoting

Here’s a personal example of a proactive pivot that occurred in my family.

My mom was living in Janesville, Wisconsin, where she was born and where she had lived her entire life. She was 85, and she decided to move to Dallas, Texas.

She was in perfectly fine health and has four children. I’m the oldest of four, and she decided to move before anything happened in her life that would force her to make a change. She was very familiar with her community—she knew her neighbor, she had grown up there, she was driving a car, and she had a very nice life there. But she was able to muster the strength to make a big change at her age. Now four years later, she’s still very healthy and is very grateful that years earlier had made that change.

Deciding Not to Pivot is Okay, Too

Sometimes change is genuinely not the right choice in a given moment, and that’s okay.

We can become present with what our current situation is, assess it, and maybe determine that in the grander scheme of things, it’s not the time for us to pivot.

In these moments, we don’t have to feel regret or guilt because we actually didn’t go through with it.

The key is that we consider pivoting when things in our life indicate that would be best for our well-being, and if it’s not, then we can gently surrender.

We are generally more skilled at crisis pivoting than proactive pivoting, so it isn’t always easy to know what the right thing to do is in the moment. Being compassionately present with ourselves in the process is key—including in the moments that we decide not to make a change, or in the moments when we decide to stay or move on, and we’re not sure.

Mindfully Reflecting on Your Own Actions

Think about a time in your life when you did proactively pivot.
- What brought on the moment when you knew you had to consider change?
- What did you do to prepare?
- What helped you make your decision?
- How did you feel about the change after you made it?
- What were you most grateful for? What did you learn?
Life is change, and change is constant. Mindfulness builds our courage, because it helps us pay more attention to our real lives as they’re happening—and that, in turn, helps us to discern when it’s time to change directions.
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April 10, 2026
Save the Planet Through Compassion?- Mindful

Karen Armstrong, founder of the Charter for Compassion, on what we need to do to make a better world.

When British author Karen Armstrong won the TED prize in 2008, she used the money to convene a group of religious thinkers from a wide range of faiths to craft an updated version of the Golden Rule for the 21st century. What emerged was the Charter for Compassion, which calls on people around the world “to work tirelessly to alleviate the suffering of our fellow creatures, to dethrone ourselves from the center of our world and put another there, and to honor the inviolable sanctity of every single human being, treating everybody, without exception, with absolute justice, equity and respect.”

That document inspired the creation of an international network, which now includes hundreds of organizations and more than 75 cities, ranging from Kara- chi to Belfast to Chippewa Falls. Below is a 2016 conversation with Armstrong about the charter, her vision for a more compassionate world, and why this particular mindful quality is actually essential to save the planet.

Why the focus on compassion?

Every one of the major religions has formulated its own version of the Golden Rule. That’s the essence of faith and spirituality. And it seemed to me that it wasn’t just a nice idea; it was an urgent global imperative. Unless we learn to ensure that all people, no matter where they live, are treated the way we would like to be treated, the world isn’t going to be a viable place.

You’ve said that a compassionate city has to be an uncomfortable city. What do you mean?

It should be a city that’s uncomfortable about pain and suffering in the world. Especially in the West, we live lives of such privilege that we often block out the awful things that are going on in the world. We shouldn’t be able to sleep, for example, when we see all these migrants literally dying to get into Europe.

The Golden Rule insists that we cannot confine our benevolence to just our own congenial group.

The Golden Rule insists that we cannot confine our benevolence to just our own congenial group. “You must have concern for everybody,” says one Chinese sage. “Love the stranger, the foreigner,” says Leviticus. “Reach out to all tribes and nations,” says the Koran. That’s the message of the Charter.

That’s nice, but don’t we live in a me-first culture?

People always say to me, “We have to have compassion for ourselves.” That’s true. Unless you face up to the pain in your own life, you’re going to be hard on other people. But you can’t stop there. A few years ago, I wrote a book called Twelve Steps to a Compassionate Life, and I made self-compassion step three. There are nine other steps after that, ending with: Love your enemies.

We have to see ourselves as a collective. The alienation the West is causing is as dangerous for humanity as climate change.

How so?

One thing that makes me angry about Europe is that we think that we’re the only ones who are being attacked by terrorists. Two days before the most recent attacks in Paris, 44 people were blown up in Beirut by an ISIS suicide bomber, and the media in the West barely mentioned it. This is noticed in the Muslim world. Earlier this year, I gave a lecture in Amman, Jordan, and a man who’d brokered the peace deal between Jordan and Israel came up to me and said, “The West has lost its humanity.” We care only for ourselves. This is not compassion.

Is there a city that inspires you?

Karachi, Pakistan. They’ve created a network of schools there that integrate compassion with the core subjects in the curriculum rather than teaching it as a separate entity. It was the children who asked the mayor to make Karachi a compassionate city. They said they wanted a community where there was more equality and they could go out in the streets and not be blown up by a suicide bomber.

What gives you hope?

I’m happy that so many of the people who’ve come forward to help are business people. I’m a writer who sits around writing about ancient history. What do I know about building organizations? But business people know how an idea becomes part of the structure of life, not just a lot of wild do-gooding that makes people burn out.

This is a broken world and one has to look at it squarely and with love. If we succumb to despair then all is lost. One must keep on, but always maintain that high state of discomfort.

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February 15, 2026
Connect With Loving-Kindness: Simple Meditation- Mindful

This classic loving-kindness meditation can help you to awaken to how connected we all are. You don’t have to like everybody, or agree with everything they do—but you can open up to the possibility of caring for them, because our lives are inextricably linked.

This classic loving-kindness meditation can help you to awaken to how connected we all are. You don’t have to like everybody, or agree with everything they do—but you can open up to the possibility of caring for them, because our lives are inextricably linked.

A Meditation to Connect With Loving-Kindness (Even When It’s Hard)

Read and practice the guided meditation script below, pausing after each paragraph. Or listen to the audio practice.

1. Begin by thinking about someone who has helped you; maybe they’ve been directly generous or kind, or have inspired you though you’ve never met them. When you think of them, they make you smile. Bring an image of the person to mind, or feel their presence as if they’re right in front of you. Say their name to yourself, and silently offer these phrases to them, focusing on one phrase at a time.

May you live in safety.

May you have mental happiness (peace, joy).

May you have physical happiness (health, freedom from pain).

May you live with ease.

Don’t struggle to fabricate a feeling or sentiment. If your mind wanders, simply begin again.

2. After a few minutes, move on to a friend. Start with a friend who’s doing well right now, then switch to someone who is experiencing difficulty, loss, pain, or unhappiness.

3. Offer loving-kindness to a neutral person who you don’t feel a strong liking or disliking for: a cashier at the supermarket, a bank teller, a dry cleaner. When you offer loving-kindness to a neutral person, you are offering it to them simply because they exist—you are not indebted to or challenged by them.

4. Offer loving-kindness toward a person with whom you have difficulty. Start with someone mildly difficult, and slowly work toward someone who has hurt you more grievously. It’s common to feel resentment and anger, and it’s important not to judge yourself for that. Rather, recognize that anger burns within your heart and causes suffering, so out of the greatest respect and compassion for yourself, practice letting go and offering loving-kindness.

5. Finish by offering loving-kindness to anyone who comes to mind: people, animals, those you like, those you don’t, in an adventurous expansion of your own power of kindness.

Loving-kindness offers us a profound sense of connection, guiding us to live our lives with greater intention and compassion. In this online course from Mindful, Sharon Salzberg—one of the world’s leading loving-kindness meditation teachers—offers us her distinctive approach to loving-kindness practice. Learn more and sign up today!

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February 5, 2026
A Meditation on Endings – Mindful
By drawing our attention to endings and our developed habits about the way we meet endings, we can learn how to step fully into our lives with appreciation and gratitude, says Frank Ostaseski.
How Do You Meet Endings?

I want to draw our attention to endings: the end of a day, the end of a meal, the end of something precious and rare, the end of this sentence.

How do you meet endings? I mean, most of us have some developed habits about the way in which we meet endings. Are you aware of your habits? Without any judgment or criticality, let’s just take a look to see what our relationship to endings are. Like, when you go to a party, or you go to a conference: Do you have a tendency to leave emotionally or mentally before the conference is over or before the party’s over? Or maybe you’re the one in the parking lot waving goodbye to everybody as they depart. Or maybe you find some way of cocooning yourself, isolating in some way, pulling back into a kind of protective stance. Or perhaps you become ambivalent or indifferent about endings—maybe endings are very emotional for you. Maybe you get sad or scared. Let’s just take a look.

When you end a relationship, how do you do it? Do you try to shift it into some other form of relationship so that it will continue? Do you end it with a text? How do you say goodbye in the afternoon when you leave your work—do you say goodbye to your colleagues? When a friend is sick and dying, do you go visit them? How do you meet endings? What are your patterns? Are you happy with the way you meet endings? You don’t have to be wedded to your old way of doing it. You have the freedom to change it, right here, right now.

When an ending comes, what happens in your body? Do you get tight, contracted? What’s the emotional experience? Does it bring about anxiety, fear, sadness? And what happens in your mind when endings come? Do you have remembering thoughts or planning thoughts? How do you meet this experience?

Exploring Endings and Beginnings

The way that we end something shapes the way the next thing begins. When we hang on to the past, it limits our capacity to welcome the new. A lot of times we hang on because we’re still demanding something of the past, wanting it to give us more of what we’d hoped to get from that situation—more success, more love. The more comfortable we are with endings, the more we can welcome the new and release the old.

The way that we end something shapes the way the next thing begins. When we hang on to the past, it limits our capacity to welcome the new.

I used to run a preschool with a friend of mine, and we had these three- to five-year-olds that we would take into the outdoors. There, we would give them the task of collecting dead things, and the kids loved this. They’d go out into the woods and collect an old stick or fallen leaf or a rusty old car part, or sometimes the bones of a bird or a small animal. And then we’d bring them together and we’d lay out all of their discoveries on a blue tarp and in a grove of fir trees. And then we had a kind of show and tell. And the kids had no fear—they were full of curiosity. And sometimes when they presented the item they found, they would weave a great story about it, like how this rusty old car part had fallen from a spaceship. Or this leaf was being used by a mouse—to keep him warm until summer came. They had no fear. I remember one little girl said to me, I think the trees are very kind that they allow the leaves to fall from them so that new ones can grow. It would be really sad if the tree couldn’t grow new leaves.

We know that birth will end in death. And reflecting on this might imbue our lives with more appreciation and gratitude. We know that the coming together of things inevitably means their dispersion, and reflecting on this may cause us to live a life of simplicity, to really cherish and care for what we have.

We know that everyone we love will one day die. Reflecting on this may cause us to think about how we want to care for them now. The way we meet in ending shapes the way the next moment arises. The study of endings is a beautiful way to step fully into our lives.

Learning From the Breath

And the breath can help us restore; it can revitalize our life. The breath helps us to unhook from the daily frenzy. It brings balance to the instinctive drive to fight, take flight or freeze. Breath offers us an extraordinary opportunity to look at our relationship to endings.
1. Let the belly be soft; let the shoulders relax. Bring your attention to the breath, to the direct experience of breathing in and breathing out.
2. Be aware of the sensations in the body: the large, gross sensations and the subtler sensations of tingling or pulsing. Just let yourself settle into the rhythm of the breath however it is. There’s no need to control it or shape it in any way.
3. See if you can become aware of the very beginning of the inhale, the middle, and the end of the inhale. Do the same with the exhale: note the very beginning, the middle, and end of each exhale.
4. See if you can become aware of that moment of transformation when the inhale becomes the exhale, when the exhale becomes the inhale. Relax. Let the breath breathe itself. Then you might notice that little gap, that pause, at the end of the exhale—maybe it’s just a nanosecond. Bring your attention fully and completely there. What happens in the gap? Were there physical sensations? Is there an emotional response? Do you find yourself anxious or feeling a sigh of relief? What happens in the mind? Is there a tendency to want to control the breath, to micromanage it in some way?
5. Just let yourself rest in the gap. Rest in the pause. This pause: it’s a moment of faith or fear. Do you trust that the next breath will emerge? Can you relax with things just as they are? Breath is a microcosm of our whole life: coming and going, appearing and disappearing.
6. As we settle, we begin to feel like the breath is breathing us. Relinquish your control of the breath and let it breathe you. Settle back into the constant change—the coming and going, the beginning and ending of all experience.
Thank you for your practice.
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January 7, 2026
Let Them Lead – Mindful
Many of us strive to show up skillfully for the young people in our lives, whether it’s as their parent or relative, as an educator, coach, or mentor. Yet knowing just what they need to fuel their growth and leadership is not always easy. While facing all the challenges of growing up, youth today are also deeply aware of conflict and uncertainty in the world around them, and many come from families and communities impacted by systemic inequality. However, their experiences and voices are key to their ability to create change—something I recently witnessed firsthand through a youth leadership program.

Nuestra Juventud: Creating Communities of Hope was founded on the principle that healing communities means centering youth voices and fostering a deep sense of trust in their own wisdom. Launched in 2023, the fellowship gently nurtures youth leadership, voice, and vision in the heart of Southern New Mexico, a region that has often been overlooked and under-resourced. The program, designed to cultivate philanthropy, leadership, and collective care, invites youth to act with intention and generosity in service of their communities. Serving as the Project Coordinator for Nuestra Juventud, I learned just as much from the first youth cohort as I hoped to offer them.

Learning to Lead

Developed in partnership with Ivy Child International and Aprendamos Family of Services, Nuestra Juventud—“Our Youth”—is a six-month fellowship that brings together high school and middle school students, primarily those who are Black, Indigenous, and People of Color from underserved communities. Participants gather monthly to engage in leadership workshops, community exploration, and intergenerational dialogue.

Nuestra Juventud is guided by six key objectives:
- Educate and Engage: Youth explore systems of collective impact and have opportunities to visit and learn about nonprofits in their communities.
- Personal Development: Fellows reflect on their own identities, values, and growth.
- Cultivate Social Responsibility and Philanthropy: Through learning the “Three T’s” of giving—time, talent, and treasure—youth can see themselves as active contributors.
- Enhance Collaboration: Intergenerational dialogue and teamwork teach youth how to build with others.
- Empowerment: Youth discover their voices and the impact they can have.
- Leadership Skills: Training sessions focus on SMART (Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, and Time-bound) goals, Jim Kouzes and Barry Posner’s five practices of leadership, and leadership qualities.
A cornerstone of the fellowship is the opportunity for each young person to develop their personal mission statement and select a local nonprofit organization that aligns with their values to support with a mini-grant, made possible through the generosity of the Covarrubias–Aprendamos Foundation. Through this process, youth learn not only about the mechanics of philanthropy but also about the importance of aligning one’s actions with deeply held beliefs or values.

In the first iteration of the program, our youth chose to award mini-grants to a range of nonprofits spanning services for families and youth, a domestic violence shelter, a community health center, a local arts council, a community faith center, an animal shelter, a children’s literacy group, an immigrant and migrant hospitality and advocacy center, and others. A special highlight for the youth was the opportunity to develop a logo with symbolic meaning to the inaugural group. This logo will be used for the program moving forward.

Follow the Wisdom of Young Leaders

From the very first session, youth began discovering their voices and connection to one another. One of the most powerful moments came when several fellows spoke on a youth panel at a regional conference for educators and social workers. Their stories and insights became the highlight of the event, offering powerful reminders of what becomes possible when we trust young people. These reflections speak to the lasting ripple effects of this work. But it wasn’t just the fellows who transformed—mentors, family members, and nonprofit partners shared with me that they’d come to see youth not just as recipients, but as collaborators and visionaries. That shift in perception may be one of the most meaningful outcomes of all. With the permission of the fellows (some of whom prefer to remain anonymous), I share some of their remarks here.

Youth are not empty vessels waiting to be filled—they’re full of insight born from lived experience. Whether it’s navigating systems, caring for siblings, or advocating for peers, their wisdom is real and necessary.

1. Trust Young People as Experts of Their Experience

Youth are not empty vessels waiting to be filled—they’re full of insight born from lived experience. Whether it’s navigating systems, caring for siblings, or advocating for peers, their wisdom is real and necessary.

Through the first iteration of the program, youth discovered new ways to not only trust their own wisdom, but also put it into action: “I learned that I am not the only one who feels I can do more for our community and the meaningfulness of philanthropy and acts of kindness,” said one participant. Another fellow, Alex, shared, “It takes courage to stand up when you see something wrong. A good leader encourages the heart.”

2. Recognize Different Kinds of Leadership

Alexa reminded her peers to “Stay true to what you believe in.” Encouraging youth to lead from who they are, rather than who others expect them to be, is a vital way to nurture their convictions, skills, and dreams.

One of the greatest lessons from Nuestra Juventud is that leadership doesn’t always look like standing at a podium. Sometimes it’s quiet listening. Sometimes it’s creating space for others. Sometimes it’s saying, “I don’t know, but I want to learn.” As Avery offered, “A leader is someone who is good at listening to others and is understanding of others’ perspectives”—a reminder that authentic leadership is rooted in humility and care.

3. Celebrate Cultural Identity as a Source of Power

By centering the cultural backgrounds of participants—Chicana, Indigenous, Afro-Latinx, and more—Nuestra Juventud affirms that cultural knowledge is a leadership asset. Youth reflect on their ancestors, their languages, their lived experiences, and the land itself as sources of strength. As Anelise put it, “I want to lead with my abuelita in my heart.”

When youth deepen their connection to their own identity, they also gain more confidence to help them understand and communicate across cultures and backgrounds. “I learned how to get out of my comfort zone and talk to new people,” another participant said.

4. Create Space for Healing

Many fellows come into the program holding the weight of family challenges, racism, and intergenerational trauma. Through peer circles, storytelling, mentorship, and opportunities for creativity, they find space to heal. And in healing, they find clarity, courage, and connection.

Many expressed the desire to continue helping their community after the program ended. Anelise reflected, “A good leader demonstrates compassion with the people they lead.” And in the words of another fellow: “I didn’t know how to be a leader and never considered myself a leader. Now I know I am a leader and can make a difference.”

5. Know That We All Have a Role to Play

Youth benefit from experiencing intergenerational connection and support. As one fellow put it, “I learned how to collaborate with people of all ages and how to share a space with others.” Others shared that they enjoyed having a mentor.

“Leadership begins with love—for our people, our places, our future generations and the futures we imagine together.” — Manny, youth fellow

The success of Nuestra Juventud isn’t just about the youth; it’s also about the adults who listen, step back, and support. Community members, mentors, funders, and facilitators show that transformation is collective work.

As youth fellow Manny said, “My mission is to make my community a better place to live.” It’s a reminder that leadership begins with love—for our people, our places, our future generations and the futures we imagine together.

5 Ways to Uplift the Next Generation

Nuestra Juventud is not just cultivating philanthropy and social responsibility for the future—it’s nurturing the leaders of now and creating communities of hope in Southern New Mexico. Each of these youth fellows is a testament to what’s possible when we trust our youth.

The wisdom shared by Nuestra Juventud participants makes one thing clear: Young people are ready to lead, but they need us—the adults in their lives—to show up with presence and corazón (a word often used in Chicanx expressions of care and leadership) differently. Here are a few ways we can all support our youth and honor their leadership:
- Listen With Respect and Curiosity: Create space for youth to speak openly, and listen to them with the intent to understand, not to respond.
- Mentor Without Controlling: Offer guidance and presence, but let youth lead and make decisions.
- Invite Youth Into Real Decision-Making: Include them meaningfully in program design, community efforts, and leadership roles.
- Celebrate Identity, Don’t Erase It: Acknowledge and affirm the cultural backgrounds and lived experiences of our youth.
- Invest in Youth—Financially and Emotionally: Support programs like Nuestra Juventud and believe in the vision youth hold for their communities. Our collective work is needed for our youth to lead with corazón, culture, and courage.
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January 5, 2026
Alive, Together – Mindful

A letter from Mindful Magazine’s 2026 Editor, Amber Tucker.

I read a quote recently that spoke to me, and to a key idea in this edition of Mindful: “We do not have to live as if we are alone.” (That’s writer and environmentalist Wendell Berry, quoted in writer and teacher Sebene Selassie’s Substack newsletter, Remind Me to Love.) I know I’m not the only person who feels alone, sometimes, in long hours hunkered over a desk, grasping for a sense of gosh-darn interconnectedness.

At the same time, making a magazine is an inherently (and at the best of times, a joyfully) collaborative endeavor. Countless tiny yet critical steps involving dozens, even hundreds of people around the world, all counting on one another’s skills, knowledge, and dedication. Having worked at Mindful for more than seven years, I remain in awe of the ecosystem that brought into being the Trust Yourself issue you’re reading now.

Like a healthy relationship, a meaningful project requires trust in others, and trust in ourselves. There’s a generative power in that. Trust that we’re more resilient than the sore back or disgruntled thoughts or horrific headlines or aching heart that may, right now, be overwhelming. Remember that we’re in this together, our feet planted firmly. As meditation teacher and author Kimberly Brown says, in Stephanie Domet’s article: “It does take time to become intimate with your body and your mind and become friendly with it. But when you can let yourself become familiar, then you can also start to trust.”

The stories in these pages explore trust from numerous angles. Sue Hutton shares science-backed strategies to honor your unique brain wiring, while Misty Pratt investigates why the brain craves certainty and how to lessen anxiety about the unknown. Mara Gulens reckons with the grief of a changing body—maybe an unexpected path to wholeness. Sharon Ross extols the art of a simple invitation to help us break through loneliness and nurture community. And if you’re ready for a fresh start with mindfulness (at any age or experience level), turn to page 12 for a week’s worth of audio meditations, and to page 75 for a guide to your own daily practice: essential to becoming more familiar and friendly with you.

I hope this issue of Mindful adds tools to your kit for this lifelong adventure of returning to ourselves and to one another. Amidst the chaos and pain and love of being alive, we are all we truly have. May we all find our way to trust in that.

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December 18, 2025
The Mindful Athlete: How Mindfulness Can Improve Your Performance and Reduce Injury

Introduction to Mindfulness in Sports

The world of sports has witnessed a significant shift in recent years, with athletes and coaches recognizing the importance of mental preparation in achieving success. One concept that has gained popularity in this context is mindfulness. Mindfulness, in essence, is the practice of being fully present and engaged in the current moment, while cultivating a non-judgmental awareness of one’s thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. This article explores how mindfulness can improve athletic performance, reduce the risk of injury, and enhance overall well-being.

What is Mindfulness and How Does it Apply to Sports?

Mindfulness is rooted in ancient Eastern spiritual traditions but has been secularized and adapted for modern applications, including sports. In the context of athletics, mindfulness involves training the mind to focus on the present moment, letting go of distractions, and developing a greater awareness of the body’s physical and emotional states. This can be particularly beneficial for athletes, who often face high levels of stress, pressure to perform, and risk of injury. By practicing mindfulness, athletes can improve their concentration, resilience, and ability to manage stress, all of which are critical for optimal performance.

The Benefits of Mindfulness for Athletes

The benefits of mindfulness for athletes are multifaceted and well-documented. Firstly, mindfulness can enhance focus and concentration, allowing athletes to stay fully engaged in their training and competition. This improved focus can lead to better execution of skills, faster reaction times, and more effective decision-making under pressure. Secondly, mindfulness can help athletes manage stress and anxiety, which are common barriers to performance. By learning to recognize and manage their emotional states, athletes can maintain a more consistent level of performance, even in high-pressure situations.

Mindfulness and Injury Prevention

In addition to improving performance, mindfulness can also play a crucial role in injury prevention. When athletes are more aware of their body’s physical state, they are better able to recognize early signs of fatigue, strain, or potential injury. This heightened awareness allows them to adjust their training or competition strategy, reducing the risk of exacerbating an existing condition or developing a new one. Furthermore, mindfulness practices such as meditation and deep breathing can help reduce muscle tension and improve flexibility, both of which are key factors in preventing injuries.

Implementing Mindfulness in Your Training

So, how can athletes incorporate mindfulness into their training regimen? There are several strategies that can be effective. One approach is to start with mindfulness meditation, which involves setting aside a few minutes each day to focus on the breath, observe thoughts and feelings without judgment, and cultivate a sense of calm and clarity. Another approach is to integrate mindfulness into physical training, for example, by paying close attention to the sensations in the body during exercise, or by using mindfulness to enhance the quality of movement and technique.

Mindfulness in Team Sports

Mindfulness is not limited to individual sports; it can also be highly beneficial in team sports. When team members practice mindfulness together, they can develop a greater sense of cohesion and communication, leading to more effective teamwork and strategy execution. Mindfulness can also help team members manage the emotional dynamics of competition, such as dealing with frustration, anger, or disappointment, in a more constructive way. By fostering a mindful team culture, coaches and athletes can create an environment that supports peak performance, mutual respect, and enjoyment of the game.

Overcoming Challenges and Maintaining Motivation

Like any new skill, incorporating mindfulness into an athlete’s routine can come with its challenges. One of the main obstacles is finding the time and discipline to maintain a regular mindfulness practice. Athletes often have demanding training schedules, leaving little time for additional activities. However, even small moments of mindfulness practice, such as taking a few deep breaths before a competition or focusing on the present moment during warm-up routines, can be beneficial. Another challenge is maintaining motivation, especially when the benefits of mindfulness may not be immediately apparent. Athletes can overcome this by setting realistic goals, tracking progress, and celebrating small victories along the way.

The Role of Coaches and Trainers

Coaches and trainers play a vital role in supporting athletes in their mindfulness journey. By understanding the principles and benefits of mindfulness, they can encourage and guide athletes in incorporating mindfulness practices into their training. This might involve leading team meditation sessions, providing resources on mindfulness, or simply creating an environment that values mental preparation as much as physical training. Coaches can also model mindful behavior themselves, demonstrating the importance of mindfulness in achieving success and well-being in sports.

Conclusion

The integration of mindfulness into athletic training represents a significant shift towards a more holistic approach to sports performance. By cultivating mindfulness, athletes can enhance their focus, resilience, and overall well-being, leading to improved performance and a reduced risk of injury. As the sports world continues to evolve, the importance of mental preparation will only continue to grow, making mindfulness a valuable tool for athletes, coaches, and teams seeking to gain a competitive edge. Whether you are a professional athlete or simply enjoy sports as a hobby, embracing mindfulness can help you reach your full potential and enjoy the process of improvement and competition.

FAQs

Q: What is mindfulness, and how is it different from meditation?

A: Mindfulness is the practice of being fully present and aware of the current moment, while meditation is a specific technique used to cultivate mindfulness. Meditation involves focusing on the breath, a mantra, or the body to achieve a state of inner calm and awareness.

Q: How can I start practicing mindfulness as an athlete?

A: Start by setting aside a few minutes each day for mindfulness meditation or deep breathing exercises. You can also integrate mindfulness into your physical training by paying close attention to your body and movements.

Q: Can mindfulness really improve my athletic performance?

A: Yes, mindfulness has been shown to improve focus, concentration, and resilience, all of which are critical for optimal athletic performance. It can also help manage stress and anxiety, which can be barriers to performance.

Q: How long does it take to see the benefits of mindfulness?

A: The benefits of mindfulness can be experienced immediately, such as feeling more calm and focused after a meditation session. However, consistent practice over time is necessary to see significant and lasting improvements in athletic performance and overall well-being.

Q: Do I need to be religious or spiritual to practice mindfulness?

A: No, mindfulness is a secular practice that can be adapted and beneficial to anyone, regardless of their religious or spiritual beliefs. It is based on universal principles of psychology and physiology.

Q: Can mindfulness help with injury recovery?

A: Yes, mindfulness can play a role in injury recovery by helping athletes manage pain, reduce stress, and stay motivated during the rehabilitation process. It can also help athletes return to their sport with a greater awareness of their body, reducing the risk of re-injury.

December 14, 2025