Health Journal Online

Tag: Mindful

Mindful Racial Healing with Tovi Scruggs-Hussein
Welcome to our series on mindfulness for racial healing by educator, leader, and one of the 2021 Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement, Tovi Scruggs-Hussein.

As the mindfulness community stands at the forefront of helping people everywhere to develop emotional intelligence, compassion, and awareness of both self and others, we hope this series will result in opportunities for reflection, unlearning, and vulnerability to nurture cultural humility and heal.

We are all affected by the divisiveness that currently defines our socio-political environment. This series is an invitation to explore difficult topics with the love and compassion needed for deep, systemic change.

Each article includes:
- Mindfulness-based tools for exploring the topics of race and racism.
- Guided meditations to help you bring insights into practice and then out into the world.
- Reflection prompts that accompany each article so you can integrate the work.
- Q&A opportunities. Simply send your questions to yourwords@mindful.org and we may include them in a future Q&A article with Tovi’s response.
Explore Mindfulness for Racial Healing
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February 19, 2025
How to Build Mindful Social Media Habits in the Age of TikTok—for You and Your Kids
A few years back, I was scrolling through my Instagram feed when I came across an image of Miranda, my childhood best friend. She was on a beautiful white-sand tropical beach, tan and radiant, contorted into an incredible yoga pose. In contrast, I was sitting in my living room, pasty white and deeply bundled against the frigid Maine temps, nearly comatose from tech use. And I noticed something. As I stared at the pic, my throat clenched slightly. My shoulders rose up just a hair. And my stomach dropped. I had a wisp of a thought: Ugh. I wish that was me. This was followed by a cascade of reasons that I was better than her, in a desperate attempt to make myself feel better.

What makes this moment notable, even though this yucky feeling had happened a bajillion times while looking at Insta, was a recognition of how that image impacted me. If I think about my technology consumption like a diet, what I just ate left me feeling bloated and heavy—perhaps the equivalent of eating an entire bag of Cheetos. In the past, I might have scrolled on for thirty minutes, continuing with my day and feeling some unnamed uneasiness, but not really noticing or connecting my feelings to anything in particular. This time, though, it was clear as day. This time helped me wake up and ask myself, “Is scrolling through social media healthy for me?” The answer was a resounding no.

So then I deleted all the apps and never got on social media again.

Yeah, right.

What is true is that this was the beginning of a long process of really waking up to how my technology use was impacting me. I was able to start noticing when my face felt hot and my muscles clenched because an email triggered me before shooting off a fiery response. I recognized that if I woke up and looked at the news on my phone first thing in the morning, I was extra grouchy toward my family as I got ready to teach school that day.

Mindfulness basically asks us to take off our judgy pants for a second and really look at our experiences, especially the ones we think we already know.

On the flip side, my awareness of some of the ways tech really served me grew as well. I was able to notice that I felt empowered by calls to action posted by friends who were promoting social justice. I was grateful for the electronic calendar that reminded me of a forgotten appointment I was supposed to go to in thirty minutes. And especially as we braved the COVID-19 pandemic, I deeply appreciated being able to connect with my students, family, and friends over Zoom.

Listen, I have an obvious bias here. I believe it is really easy for us as humans to get sucked into mindless technology use, and I think that sometimes makes us feel like crap. I believe there are forces at work that make it hard to put the phone or video controller or computer screen down. And I believe that we do have control over ourselves and our choices, but only if we are paying enough attention to notice what’s going on.

Listen to Your Kids

I want to be clear: This is not just a concern for young people. Though the specifics of the challenges around tech use may be generational, the modern struggle for balance and wellness affects all ages.

I am a mother of two young kiddos (ages one and four at the time of publication), which means I am grappling with how to best support them in developing their own healthy relationships with technology.

For now, it is easy because I can just turn off the iPad after one episode or take away the phone after the timer dings. But at some point, I need to transfer that power to them so they can start noticing and making their own choices about the impact their tech use has on them. Of course, they will make mistakes. Of course, I will make mistakes. But I’m hoping, much as I do with my students, that we can figure it out together.

I encourage you to be vulnerable with the young people in your life. Model owning your struggles. Invite them to share theirs. Sit on the same side of the table and problem-solve together rather than fight. We all want less fighting. Be open to the possibility that you are in this together.

You can learn a lot just by listening to kids. The world is different from the one we grew up in. I didn’t have a mobile phone or social media until college and a smartphone came well after that. I had an entire childhood before modern tech became a reality. I can’t fully comprehend what it would be like to grow up in a world where my relationships were mediated by technology. The closest I can come is simply listening to young people. One piece of advice that has really stuck with me came from Jeremy, a teen from Virginia, who said, “One of the biggest mistakes I see parents make is they try to relate too much. While both generations have issues, it’s not the same and they don’t fully understand. Parents should just acknowledge the generation gap, and be open to listening and understanding.”

So, I encourage you to be vulnerable with the young people in your life. Model owning your struggles. Invite them to share theirs. Sit on the same side of the table and problem-solve together rather than fight. We all want less fighting. Be open to the possibility that you are in this together.

Create Social Media Habits That Serve You

Mindfulness basically asks us to take off our judgy pants for a second and really look at our experiences, especially the ones we think we already know. When we fully pay attention, defenses down, hearts open, we can be amazed by how much more there is to learn. By hearts open, I mean we can do this work with care. We can do it because we care . . . about ourselves, about our families and friends, and about the larger community. Acknowledging that we truly do want what is best for all can help us make moves that might not feel easy. Perhaps we create a social justice post to highlight the ways we can better care for one another and this world. Perhaps we put our phones down to really show care to the people we love.

Close your eyes. Okay, I guess you have to read through this first, but then come back and close your eyes and walk yourself through this exercise.
1. Imagine yourself waking up on your most perfect day. What does it feel like to be in bed? How do you soak in that moment? Do you stay there for a while to enjoy the restfulness? Are you someone who loves to jump right up and throw on some upbeat music? Whatever those first few moments in your ideal day look like, imagine them.
1. Afternoon rolls around. What now? Do you go out for a walk? Take a catnap in a sunny patch on the couch? Hit the beach or slopes?
1. How will you wind down from your day? Watch a movie with your family? Read a book curled up in your beanbag chair? Take a short walk around the block?
1. When you are ready, come back to the present.
This is an idealizing exercise. Obviously, we don’t usually have this much control over every moment of the day. We must consider other people’s needs. And we do things—work, errands, exercise, and so on—that may not feel gratifying in the moment but may ultimately serve us. Some life circumstances simply do not allow for us to do all that we wish. But it can be really helpful to know in our bodies what it feels like to live a beautiful day, as well as what factors help create those feelings.

This exercise is meant to highlight the fact that how you spend your time matters. What you fill your mind with—experiences, content, images—matters. It may be the most important thing to consider. The way we spend each moment ultimately adds up to our lives. If we really want to start being clear about how our tech can best serve us, we need to be very clear about what we want it to serve. Many people grapple with this big question their whole lives: What work, activities, causes, and ways of being in the world make me feel most alive, most connected, and most authentically myself? There will not be a final answer to this question. It will be a lifelong inquiry, and your response will undoubtedly shift as you grow and have new priorities.

Finding meaning in our lives won’t come just from what we do, but how we show up.

Finding meaning in our lives won’t come just from what we do, but how we show up. Are we all the way there for those experiences? Or are we distracted? Can we find meaning and contentment even in moments that are not exciting, awe-inspiring, or fun? Our tech habits do not exist in isolation. Sometimes they are a result of some unmet need in our lives. Sometimes our habits result in an unmet need. It helps to figure out what things nourish us and help us to feel most alive. Only then can we really understand how our tech use can support that.

You Can Always Begin Again

The truth is, at least momentarily, it is easier not to try. It is easier not to notice. It is easier to just hop in our tech inner tube and let the tech companies’ brilliant neuroscientists and psychologists whisk us away on a “happy,” tech-fueled river float. It’s easier to let our habits and patterns whisk us away than it is to look at those habits and ask them, “Are you getting me where I want to go? Are you creating the life I want to live?” Sometimes just asking ourselves to pause can feel Herculean. We aren’t used to it. Our habits push us to stick with what we know. Knowing this, perhaps you ask yourself, Can I love the dance? Can I love my humanness? Can I love myself when my actions create sleep deprivation, jealousy, work backlogs, or sadness? Can I fuel my desire to keep coming back with love and care instead of shame?

If we go into the practice of examining our tech habits by criticizing ourselves, and criticizing others, for not living up to our ideals, we won’t want to keep trying. Lead with love.

Maybe we notice we have been scrolling for over an hour one day, only to miss noticing the same behavior a week later. Maybe we choose to set a timer when we play video games one day and hop up after thirty minutes to go get some fresh air, only to hole up for a whole weekend playing games a month later. Still, we can begin again.

And still, we can value ourselves as we fall. We can value ourselves enough to try again.

Attention Hijacked: Using Mindfulness to Reclaim Your Brain from Tech by Erica B. Marcus. Text copyright © 2022 by Erica B. Marcus. Reprinted with the permission of Zest Books, a division of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this text excerpt may be used or reproduced in any manner whatsoever without the prior written permission of Lerner Publishing Group, Inc.
Can We Have Compassionate Tech?

Aden Van Noppen, founder of compassionate tech company Mobius, answers our questions about how technology hijacks attention and how we can foster a healthier relationship with our screens.
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Ava Whitney-Coulter

August 16, 2022
You Can Change Your Life by Loving Yourself

Learning to take care of your heart, to accept the pain that comes with seeing the people you love suffer, and to be okay with suffering yourself, is the true work of self-love—and it begins with the breath.
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Ali Smith, Atman Smith, and Andres Gonzalez

June 10, 2024
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January 18, 2025
7 Mindful Prompts for Reading Poetry
Poetry can seem intimidating, but all it really asks us to do is slow down, get curious, and notice. It’s a lot like meditation! Here are seven mindful prompts to help you discover the nurturing practice of reading poetry.
Poetry is a quiet sanctuary for the mind. Its rhythm and vivid imagery invite us to immerse ourselves. By exploring the depths of a poem, we embark on a journey of self-discovery, connecting with emotions, sensations, and the underlying wisdom within the words. This exploration can be a profound practice in mindfulness, cultivating peace, clarity, and a deeper appreciation for life’s complexities.

Reading poetry isn’t just an intellectual pursuit. We encounter poetry in our everyday lives, whether on a meditation retreat, in quotes or videos on social media, and sometimes in everyday interactions with others. So, how does poetry differ from anything else we read, and why does it deserve special consideration?

While poetry may seem intimidating, all it really asks of you is to be curious, present, and open to listening to your intuition so you may connect with the words on the page.

Poetry has a more challenging job than a novel that is typically linear in its construction. Most poems compress meaning into various poetic structures while using tone and literary devices to express ideas and emotions. When we pay attention to these details, we can better unpack a poem and the multifaceted meanings that exist in it. The sometimes more abstract language of poetry also engages our intuition in a unique way, tapping into our emotions. Poetry also allows for ambiguity and uncertainty about its meaning, making more space for each reader’s individual experience.

While poetry may seem intimidating, all it really asks of you is to be curious, present, and open to listening to your intuition so you may connect with the words on the page. There’s no right or wrong way to read or experience poetry, much like there’s no right or wrong way to experience meditation.

Mindful Prompts for Poetry Reading

When you read a poem, try asking yourself the following questions to gain deeper understanding of both the poem and how it affects you:
- What mood does this poem evoke?
- What emotions are coming up for me?
- What is this poem describing?
These questions can serve as helpful entry points for any poem. Checking in with our emotions can be an easy way to notice a poem’s effect on us.

Next, you might ask yourself:
- What stands out immediately?
Or, as Allen Ginsberg used to say, “Notice what you notice.” You may notice a repeated text pattern or a specific description of an object, a shift in tone, or a point of view. Simply identify something specific that sticks out to you.

Last, ask yourself:
- Who is speaking in this poem?
- Who or what is the poem addressing?
- What questions do I have after finishing the poem?
When you’re done, consider what these prompts bring to light. Did you gain some kind of understanding? Explore your beliefs? Something else?

Explore Your Experience

Now that we’ve explored the prompts to help us better understand poetry’s qualities, we can put them into practice by taking a closer look at the following excerpt from poet Catherine Barnett’s “Critique of Pure Reason” from her collection Solutions for the Problem of Bodies in Space.

Inspired by the work of philosopher Immanuel Kant, this poem helps explore the existential. Barnett typically asks deep, abstract questions about the quotidian parts of our lives while keeping an intellectual curiosity about human existence and our habits and behaviors. Barnett’s poems often invite a sense of internal dialogue or philosophical rumination. Considering the addressee in her poetry opens a conversation about intimacy, self-awareness, and uncertainty. Let’s take a closer look at an excerpt from the poem:

With him pressed so close beside her,
she couldn’t sleep. Perhaps it was his skin,
or the rain. It kept raining.

She lay there trying to remember
exactly how many thoughts she could have.
Was it 30,000 or 70,000? Per hour?

Or was it per minute?
She’d heard from someone
who’d heard from someone

who listened to the number, whatever it was,
from an HVAC specialist.

Take out a notebook and pen or open a word document and reflect on this poem with the help of the prompts:
1. What mood does this poem evoke?
2. What emotions are coming up for me?
3. What is this poem describing?
4. What stands out immediately?
5. Who is speaking in this poem?
6. Who or what is the poem addressing?
7. What questions do I have after finishing the poem?
Meditation and poetry ask us to use the same tools:
- Slowing down
- Being a curious observer of our experience
- Connecting our body and mind
By reading poetry mindfully, we can gain a deeper understanding of both the poem and our inner landscape. Approaching poetry with curiosity and mindfulness opens the door to deeper understanding and richer engagement. Next time you read a poem, try using these prompts to discover what resonates for you.
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January 12, 2025
10 Mindful Books We Loved in 2024

Don’t miss these 10 mindful books from 2024 that help us nurture ourselves, one another, and the world we share.

Throughout 2024 we’ve been treated to mindful books that fueled our minds and our hearts. This past year brought us an abundance of new titles, with topics and perspectives that matter—from motherhood to workplace well-being, from self-compassion to collective flourishing. Reminding us that mindfulness is about more than individual wellness, these authors deliver the information and inspiration we need in challenging times. Enjoy perusing the list below—we hope you’ll love these books as much as we did.

10 Mindful Books From 2024

1. Mothershift: Reclaiming Motherhood as a Rite of Passage

Jessie Harrold
Shambhala

In Mothershift, writer and doula Jessie Harrold offers a supportive, affirming road map to help women navigate the identity change and transformation that often come with motherhood.

Read an excerpt from Mothershift: Grieving the Old You: What to Do When You Feel Lost in Motherhood

2. Just One Heart: A Cardiologist’s Guide to Healing, Health, and Happiness

Dr. Jonathan Fisher
Manuscripts Press

In Just One Heart, cardiologist and mindfulness teacher Jonathan Fisher explores the science of the mind-heart connection through the lens of his own journey from burnout and anxiety to healing and joy.

Read an excerpt from Just One Heart: A Steady Heart: A Cardiologist’s Advice for Lowering Stress

3. Return to Mindfulness: Disrupting Default Habits for Personal Fulfilment, Effective Leadership, and Global Impact

Shalini Bahl, PhD
BrainTrust Ink

In Return to Mindfulness, mindfulness researcher and former town councilor Shalini Bahl illuminates a pathway to reconnecting with what matters and truly living our practice in each moment of our busy lives.

Read an excerpt from Return to Mindfulness: Compassion in Action: Showing Up Even When We Want to Shut Down

4. Flourishing Kin: Indigenous Wisdom for Collective Well-Being

Yuria Celidwen, PhD
Sounds True

In Flourishing Kin, contemplative researcher and teacher Yuria Celidwen identifies seven key principles from Indigenous traditions, revealing how this wisdom invites us to meet the world with a joyous commitment to collective flourishing.

Listen to a guided practice from Flourishing Kin: Guided Meditations by Powerful Women of the Mindfulness Movement: 2025

5. The Self-Compassion Daily Journal

Diana Hill
New Harbinger

In The Self-Compassion Daily Journal, psychologist and acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) trainer Diana Hill offers powerful writing prompts to help you let go of harmful self-criticism and welcome kindness and forgiveness toward yourself.

Read more about Diana’s approach to self-compassion: It’s Selfish, It’s Hokey, and I’ll Lose My Edge: 3 Half-Truths About Self-Compassion

6. Breaking Bias: Where Stereotypes and Prejudice Come From—and the Science-Backed Method to Unravel Them

Anu Gupta
Hay House

In Breaking Bias, lawyer and researcher Anu Gupta takes us on a journey to explore human identities and identity-based biases and offers a unique toolkit to help us dismantle learned bias, within ourselves and in the world.

Read more about Anu Gupta’s mindful approach to bias: Using Mindfulness to Break Racial Bias

7. Mindfulness in the Workplace: Cultivating Well-Being at Work

Andrew Safer
2nd Tier Publishing

In Mindfulness in the Workplace, meditation teacher and mindfulness program developer Andrew Safer shows how we can cultivate clarity and well-being at work—even in the midst of chaos, competing demands, and rapid-fire change.

Read an excerpt from Mindfulness in the Workplace: Increase Your Agency By Responding, Instead of Reacting

8. Consider This: Reflections for Finding Peace

Nedra Glover Tawwab
TarcherPerigree

In Consider This, therapist and relationship expert Nedra Glover Tawwab helps us stay true to who we are and grow more fully into ourselves through setting boundaries, expressing ourselves with clarity and integrity, and more.

9. Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout: Tools to Help You Heal and Recharge When You’re Wrung Out by Stress

Dr. Kristin Neff and Dr. Christopher Germer
Guilford Press

In Mindful Self-Compassion for Burnout, Mindful Self-Compassion founders Christopher Germer and Kristin Neff share empathetic stories, along with quick and effective ways to recharge your batteries, de-stress, and be kind to yourself—so you can be there for others.

Read an excerpt from a previous book by Neff and Germer, The Mindful Self-Compassion Workbook: The Transformative Effects of Mindful Self-Compassion

10. Open: Living With an Expansive Mind in a Distracted World

Nate Klemp
Sounds True

In Open, philosopher and mindfulness entrepreneur Nate Klemp examines why we close down when faced with stressors or threats and how we can train ourselves to open up to the fullness that life offers—even when frightened, outraged, or heartbroken.

Listen to a guided meditation from Open: A 12-Minute Meditation for Understanding Your Expansive Mind

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December 31, 2024
The Top 10 Mindful Articles of 2024

Our goal at Mindful is always to bring you the very best from the science, deep experience, and big questions of mindfulness. This past year has been filled with so much uncertainty, and we believe more than ever that mindfulness is designed to meet us exactly where we are to help us live better and experience stronger connections with ourselves and others.

The top articles of 2024 demonstrate the breadth and depth of all these shimmering, unexpected places that mindfulness can find us: anywhere from a children’s television show and our closets and to the books we read and the heavy spaces of disconnection, loss, and healing we’re navigating in our lifetimes.

The Most Popular Mindfulness Articles of 2024

1. The Whole Child Matters—What It Means to Have Mindfulness in Schools

In an age of increasing anxiety, introducing the mental resilience skills of mindfulness to young minds seems more important than ever. Writer Leslie Garrett went directly to teachers and mindfulness leaders to learn how it supports students, teachers, and their wider communities.

2. What to Do When You Feel Like You Don’t Have Enough Time

Free time can feel like a rare commodity these days. Dr. Diana Hill explores what free time really means to us and how our experience of it has more to do with how we’re spending our time than the amount of it we have.

3. Mindfulness for Racial Healing

The May 2020 killing of George Floyd is still having reverberating effects around the US. Educator and leader Tovi Scruggs-Hussein walks through six key ways that mindful practices can facilitate deeper connections by addressing the core emotional experiences at play in racial bias.

Mindfulness for Racial Healing

Mindfulness can serve as the foundation for powerful conversations, transformational growth, and self-awareness when it comes to race and racism.

4. Nanalan’: The Viral Show That Models How Mindfulness Looks and Feels

Since 1999, Nanalan’ co-creators Jason Hopley and Jamie Shannon have been sharing mindful concepts like empathy, awareness, and acceptance with their young audience. Discover how this heartfelt show (that’s only technically for kids) found TikTok fame and is now reaching and healing people of all ages.

5. How Meditation Supports Health and Healing

Even in an era of unprecedented technical “connection,” the percentage of people who report that they’re struggling with depression, anxiety, and loneliness continues to rise. Studies show that mindfulness is ultimately an effective, low-cost way to manage (and maybe even improve) physical and mental health and well-being.

6. Cultivating Mindfulness Beyond Meditation: How 8 Skills Empower Us in Everyday Life

One of the most common questions people ask about mindfulness is, What does this have to do with my actual life? Shalini Bahl explores eight key ways that mindful practices can impact your daily thoughts, interactions, and choices.

7. Decluttering—Outside and Inside

Letting go is hardly ever easy. Here Barry Boyce examines how decluttering physical spaces can offer gentle insight into how we can also create more lightness and freedom inside our minds.

Decluttering—Outside and Inside

Sorting through and letting go of physical objects we no longer need teaches us about all the things we’re holding onto. As Barry Boyce realizes, it can also help us find kinder, wiser ways of decluttering our mind.

8. After the Funeral: When Grief is Part of Daily Life

Grief is a universal human experience that’s also not talked about with much openness. In her own uniquely compassionate and humorous way, Elaine Smookler shares her personal grief journey and offers comfort and wisdom for others on the long road of loss.

9. Mindful Reading Guide: Contemporary Authors to Deepen Your Practice

We don’t often think of fiction, non-fiction, or poetry as being an integral part of growing our own mindful practices. Using examples from her own library, poet Angela Stubbs walks readers through how we, too, can identify and connect with mindful themes in our favorite books.

10. Q&A: How Connecting With Our Senses Supports Mental Health and Resilience

Modern Western culture is notoriously disconnected from the body, and this fragmentation has far-reaching effects on our mental, emotional, and physical well-being. Authors Norman Farb and Zindel Segal talk about their new book Better in Every Sense and how reconnecting with our senses can help get us unstuck and find real healing.

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December 23, 2024
Game Over? Tips and Techniques for Mindful Gaming
Playing video games can help you feel energized and engaged, but they can also be a huge drain on your well-being. Here’s an intro to gaming mindfully, using simple habits to help you keep playing (and feeling) your best.
Video games offer endless sense-rocking pleasure, welcoming you into an incredible multiverse of art and story, the dopamine rush of points, the pure escapism of an all-consuming on-screen experience. It can be hard to pull yourself away from the screen, even when you really need to. Here’s what’s important to know: Constant sensory super-charge is like constantly revving your engine, without giving it time to cool down. Mindful strategies can help you game the game by learning how to rev down, which will help you sleep, which will help you feel less exhausted, making you stronger and more savvy in the game of life.

In life, and in the game, when something comes your way that you don’t want and can’t avoid, you might feel powerless, cornered, or destabilized. The key to regaining strength and agility—health points, if you will—is seeing what is right in front of you, ready to be used to help you bounce back. This might include super-simple and highly effective rejuvenators like standing up once an hour, stretching and walking around the room, going to work or class, talking to people you love, petting your dog, cuddling with your goldfish, and generally maintaining your connection to the vividness of life, on and offscreen.

The key to regaining strength and agility—health points, if you will—is seeing what is right in front of you, ready to be used to help you bounce back.

This is mindfulness. Other mindfulness practices include the following ways to help you keep your eye on the prize when life is pwning you.

3 Mindful Gaming Techniques

1. A simple breath technique can help you be more present, stable, and energized, in and out of the game. Bonus points: Training yourself to focus on breathing can help when upsetting thoughts threaten to bring you down.

Try This: Once you take a seat at your monitor, take a moment to feel what happens when your body breathes in and out. Notice the belly rise, the back expand and any ways that you experience your body breathing. Focus your attention, as best you can, on feeling yourself breathing in and out three times.

Level up: To bring deeper calm, engage the body’s relaxation response by experimenting with making your out-breath longer than your in-breath. Extending your out-breath soothes the parasympathetic nervous system, which will also help you feel more relaxed and focused.

Try breathing in for a count of three and breathing out for a count of five. Do this for three or more breaths. Find your ideal ratio: Is it two breaths in and four breaths out? Or maybe five breaths in and seven breaths out?

Explore the ratio that brings you greatest calm.

2. Tuning in to your senses is another technique that’s great for gaming. Give yourself five seconds throughout your day to intentionally focus on one or more of your senses. Five seconds of acute listening. Five seconds of feeling your body being held by the chair.

Level Up: When you leave the familiar and welcoming world of the game, you might find it can take time to transition from that sensurround world to being able to joyfully and fully connect to life outside of the game. Paying close attention to your senses, rather than the burbling of your mind can give you somewhere to anchor other than terrified thoughts about an uncertain future or negative chatter about the past. Your senses can only be experienced in the here and now. If you start to feel overwhelmed in daily life, regain ground by diving into touch, taste, smell, sight, and hearing to increase a feeling of okayness.

Try This: A 5-Second Sensory Mission

Explore Sound
- Bring your attention to your ears and deeply listen to the sounds in the room for five seconds.
- Then, bring your attention to fully listening to the music and immersive soundscape of the video game.
- Heighten awareness by noticing how the creators have used adaptive music and sound to create a fantastical world.
Seeing Is Believing
- Look around the room or at your screen and find something that’s been right in front of your eyes this whole time, but you never noticed it.
- For five seconds, take in the artwork, the colors, the impressive detail. Don’t just rush by. Appreciate what you are seeing. (This helps increase the flow of dopamine, endorphins, serotonin, and oxytocin—the feel-good chemicals.)
- Notice what happens to your busy mind when you take five seconds to tune in to what you can see, or any of your other senses.
3. Try a little IRL movement. Feeling fidgety? Been sitting playing all night? Just Died and waiting for the scene to load again? Don’t forget you have a body that also needs refreshing to support your AAA game.

Just Died and waiting for the scene to load again? Don’t forget you have a body that also needs refreshing to help support your AAA game.

Try This: Stand up and walk around your room. While you are walking, bring your attention to the ordinary sensations of movement that you normally wouldn’t take the time to notice. Feel yourself walking: picking up a foot, moving it through the air, feeling the foot touching the ground. Just keep bringing your attention back to the feeling of picking up your foot, moving it through space, and putting it down. Easter Egg: You’ve just unlocked the synergy between body and mind.

Level Up: Going outside to catch at least 5-15 minutes of morning sun every day will feed your bones, help you sleep, and keep you buff.

Try these short mindful gaming exercises, using your senses to connect you to the present, to help you to feel more alive and give you more game. Feel your feet touching the ground as you walk to your gaming chair. Be gently alert, because going gently allows you to be more precise and takes a lot less energy than wasting fire power that isn’t needed. You are cultivating mindfulness and focus by gathering your energy before you even sit down. Well Played.
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December 19, 2024
The Power of Running and Meditation: A Guide to Mindful Movement
While this article has been reviewed for accuracy and fairness by Mindful editors, some material in this article was generated by AI. To learn more about our AI practices and why we sometimes use AI to generate content, please see our statement here.

Combining running and meditation can create a powerful experience known as mindful running, which enhances both mental and physical health. This article will explore the benefits of integrating mindfulness into your running routine, offering insights into how this practice can improve your well-being and overall quality of life.

Whether you’re a seasoned runner or new to the concept of mindfulness, this guide provides practical tips and techniques to help you embrace the power of running meditation, stay focused on the present moment, and enjoy a more fulfilling running experience.

Key Takeaways
- Mindful running is a powerful tool for improving mental and physical health, and can be adapted to suit individual needs and goals.
- By incorporating mindfulness into your running routine, you can reduce stress, improve focus, and enhance overall well-being.
- Remember to stay present, focused, and mindful, and to enjoy the journey of mindful running.
What is Mindful Running?

Mindful running is a practice that combines physical movement with mindfulness techniques to cultivate a greater sense of awareness and presence in the present moment.

It involves paying attention to your breath, body, and surroundings while running, allowing you to stay focused and fully engaged in the experience.

Combining mindfulness with physical activity like running can enhance mental and physical health, reduce stress, improve emotional resilience, and increase body awareness. Mindful running can be done anywhere, at any time, and can be adapted to suit individual needs and goals.

Benefits of Running Meditation

Enhanced Focus and Clarity

Running meditation sharpens your focus by training your mind to stay present. This heightened awareness can translate into improved concentration in everyday life, allowing you to tackle tasks with greater clarity and efficiency.

Increased Pain Tolerance

Engaging in running meditation strengthens the connection between your mind and body. By paying attention to how your body feels during each step and breath, you develop a deeper understanding of your physical and mental state, fostering a sense of harmony and balance.

By practicing mindfulness during your runs, you become more attuned to your body’s sensations. This awareness can help you manage discomfort and increase your pain tolerance, making it easier to push through challenging workouts.

Improved Cardiovascular Health

Combining the physical activity of running with the calming effects of meditation can lead to better cardiovascular health. The rhythmic nature of running meditation promotes healthy heart function, improving circulation and reducing the risk of heart-related issues.

Greater Emotional Resilience

Running meditation helps build emotional resilience by enabling you to process and release negative emotions. As you focus on your breath and the present moment, you learn to navigate stressful situations with a calm and balanced mindset, enhancing your overall mental well-being.

Strengthened Mind-Body Connection

Engaging in running meditation strengthens the connection between your mind and body. By paying attention to how your body feels during each step and breath, you develop a deeper understanding of your physical and mental state, fostering a sense of harmony and balance.

Incorporating these additional benefits into your running routine can further enhance your mental and physical health, making running meditation a valuable practice for overall well-being.

Running Meditation Can Help Boost Mood

Participating in moving meditation while running can immerse you in a sense of positivity. Running naturally triggers the release of endorphins, those mood-enhancing chemicals that can boost your spirits. By incorporating meditation into your run, you intensify this positive effect, which has been proven to help reduce symptoms of depression and anxiety.

By anchoring yourself in the present moment and concentrating on your breathing pattern during running meditation, you foster a deep sense of well-being and emotional upliftment, making it a powerful method for improving mental health.

Running Meditation May Provide More Energy

Engaging in aerobic exercise, such as running, increases your heart rate and circulation, providing an energy boost. By combining running with meditation, you can keep your mind sharp, potentially altering your perception of the run’s difficulty. Staying fully aware of your body’s natural rhythm and taking deep breaths can help you tap into more energy during your run, enhancing both physical and mental performance.

Running Meditation May Improve Performance

Running meditation can help you find your flow during a workout. By staying mindful, you can connect with your body, discover a pace that feels comfortable, and lower the risk of injury. Being present and in tune with how your body feels can enhance your running routine and lead to better outcomes. This approach not only improves performance but also supports lasting heart health.

Running Meditation May Lower Stress Levels

Everyday stress can feel overwhelming, but running meditation provides a much-needed respite. As you immerse yourself in your run and focus on the present, the typical worries that clutter your mind begin to fade away. By integrating mindfulness into your running practice, you can effectively reduce stress and anxiety, leading to a calmer and more balanced mental state. This approach not only helps you manage stressful situations more smoothly but also improves your overall quality of life.

Running Meditation Could Lead to Better Sleep

If you find yourself tossing and turning at night, incorporating running meditation into your routine might be the solution you need. This practice not only helps expend excess energy but also cultivates a tranquil mind, making it easier to slip into a restful sleep. By blending mindfulness with your running routine, you’ll not only enhance the quality of your sleep but also reap the physical and mental benefits that come with a rejuvenating night’s rest. This approach supports overall well-being, making you feel more energized and balanced in everyday life.

The Science Behind Mindfulness

Mindfulness practice can change the structure and function of the brain, increasing gray matter in areas related to attention, emotion regulation, and memory.

It can also increase the production of neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin, and reduce the production of stress hormones such as cortisol. Aerobic exercise like running can enhance mental alertness and cognitive function by increasing blood flow and heart rate.

The rhythmic nature of running can help induce a meditative state, making it easier to practice mindfulness.

Running Meditation Techniques
- Focus on your breath, taking deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth.
- Pay attention to your body, noticing how it feels with each step and movement.
- Use a phrase that you repeat to yourself or a physical sensation to help keep your mind focused and present.
- Practice walking meditation as a way to transition into running meditation.
Running Meditation for Beginners

Running meditation is a wonderful way to blend physical movement with mindfulness practice, helping you stay focused and present in the moment. If you’re new to this practice, it’s important to start with the basics and gradually build up your routine. Here’s a step-by-step guide to help you get started with running meditation:
1. Start with Walking Meditation: Begin by practicing walking meditation. This involves walking slowly and mindfully, paying attention to each step and your breath. This will help you get used to the idea of combining movement with mindfulness.
2. Focus on Your Breath: As you transition to running, keep your focus on your breath. Take deep breaths in through your nose and out through your mouth. This will help you stay centered and calm.
3. Pay Attention to Your Body: Notice how your body feels with each step. Are your muscles tense or relaxed? How does the ground feel under your feet? This awareness will help you stay present and connected to your body.
4. Use a Mantra: Choose a simple word or phrase to repeat in your mind as you run. This can help keep your mind focused and prevent it from wandering.
5. Start Slow: Begin with short runs and gradually increase your distance and intensity. This will help you build endurance and get comfortable with the practice.
6. Stay Patient: Remember, running meditation is a practice. It’s normal for your mind to wander. When it does, gently bring your focus back to your breath or your mantra.
By following these steps, you can start to incorporate running meditation into your routine, helping you stay focused, reduce stress, and enjoy the many benefits of mindful running.

Preparing for Mindful Running

Start by incorporating mindfulness into your everyday life, such as through meditation or deep breathing exercises, and recognize the importance of physical activity in enhancing both mental and physical health.

Begin with short runs and gradually increase distance and intensity as you become more comfortable with the practice.

Find a safe and comfortable running route, and consider running with a buddy or joining a mindful running group.

Overcoming Challenges

Don’t get discouraged if your mind wanders—simply acknowledge the thought and refocus on your breath or body.

If you’re feeling tired or struggling with motivation, try incorporating physical training exercises into your routine.

Remember that mindful running is a practice, and it’s okay to take breaks and rest when needed.

Mindfulness Practice for Runners

Practice meditation before or after your run to help calm your mind and prepare your body. Engaging in physical activity, such as running, enhances both mental and physical health by reducing stress, improving emotional resilience, and increasing body awareness.

Use mindfulness techniques during your run to stay focused and present.

Mindful Running in Daily Life

Incorporate mindfulness into your daily routine through meditation or deep breathing exercises to cultivate a sense of calm and balance.

Use mindful running as a powerful tool to reduce stress and enhance mental health, allowing you to navigate life’s challenges with greater ease.

Apply the principles of mindful running to other areas of your life, such as work or relationships, by staying present and fully aware of your thoughts and emotions, leading to improved communication and emotional resilience.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between mindful running and regular running?

Mindful running focuses on staying present and aware, unlike regular running, which targets physical training and performance. Regular running often involves goals like speed or distance, while mindful running emphasizes breath, body sensations, and surroundings to maintain a meditative state. Mindful running enhances mental health, reducing anxiety and boosting well-being, making it a holistic exercise approach.

How do I get started with mindful running?

Starting mindful running combines the physical benefits of running with the mental clarity of mindfulness. Here’s a quick guide:
1. Set Your Intention: Before running, decide on a goal, like staying present or reducing stress.
2. Choose a Quiet Place: Pick a peaceful route outdoors, if it’s available to you, to connect with nature and avoid distractions.
3. Focus on Breathing: Maintain a comfortable pace, focusing on nasal breathing to stay calm.
4. Be Aware of Your Body: Pay attention to sensations, from your feet hitting the ground to muscle movements.
5. Stay Present: Redirect wandering thoughts to your breath or body, using a mantra if needed.
6. Reflect Post-Run: After running, consider any changes in mood or energy.
By following these steps, transform your runs into a moving meditation that boosts well-being. Remember, it’s a practice, so be patient and enjoy the journey.

Can I practice mindful running if I’m not an experienced runner?

Absolutely! Mindful running is for everyone, no matter your experience level. Focus on the present moment and integrate mindfulness into your run, without stressing over performance. Start at a comfortable pace, paying attention to your breathing and body sensations.

You can begin with walking meditation and gradually transition to running. Mindful running is about self-discovery, reducing stress, and improving mental well-being, offering benefits for beginners and seasoned runners alike.

Mindful Running and Technology

Use apps or online resources to help guide your mindful running practice. There are numerous applications available that offer guided meditations, mindfulness tips, and running plans tailored to enhance your mental state and physical performance.

Consider using a fitness tracker or running watch to track your progress and stay motivated. These devices can monitor your heart rate, pace, and distance, providing valuable insights into your running routine and helping you maintain a comfortable pace.

Be mindful of your use of technology, and avoid distractions such as music or social media. While technology can aid your practice, it is essential to stay focused on the present moment, paying attention to your breathing pattern and how your body feels during the run.

Mindful Running Communities

Engaging with a mindful running community can significantly enhance your practice and motivation. Joining a local mindful running group or club offers a wonderful opportunity to connect with fellow runners who share your interest in combining physical activity with mindfulness. This sense of community can provide encouragement, shared experiences, and tips to help you stay focused and inspired.

Additionally, participating in online forums or social media groups dedicated to mindful running can expand your network, offering a platform to exchange ideas, discuss challenges, and celebrate achievements with like-minded individuals from around the world. For those looking to deepen their practice, attending a mindful running retreat or workshop can be incredibly beneficial. These events often provide structured guidance, immersive experiences, and expert insights into the art of mindful running, helping you to refine your techniques and enhance your overall well-being.
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December 15, 2024
Sweat with Self-Love: How to Incorporate Mindful Self-Care into Your Fitness Journey
As we delve into the world of fitness, it’s easy to get caught up in the hustle and bustle of achieving our goals. We may find ourselves pushing our bodies to the limit, sacrificing self-care for the sake of progress. But what if we told you that this approach can actually hinder, rather than help, our overall well-being? Enter the concept of mindful self-care, a vital component of a holistic fitness journey.

The Importance of Self-Love

When it comes to fitness, it’s easy to forget that our bodies are unique, complex machines deserving of love and care. In our pursuit of physical perfection, we often neglect the most important part of the equation: our own well-being. By prioritizing self-love and compassion, we can transform our relationship with exercise, making it a positive, sustainable experience that nourishes both body and mind.

Mindful Self-Care: What It Is and Why It Matters

Mindful self-care is a deliberate and intentional approach to caring for oneself. It involves cultivating awareness, intention, and a deep connection with one’s body and emotions. By doing so, we can move beyond the superficial masks of social media-induced pressure and societal expectations, instead embracing our true selves. This holistic approach to health and wellness can have a profound impact on our physical and mental well-being, ultimately leading to a more balanced and fulfilling life.

Incorporating Mindful Self-Care into Your Fitness Journey

So, how can you start prioritizing self-love and compassion during your fitness journey? Here are a few simple yet potent strategies to get you started:
1. Listen to Your Body: One of the most crucial aspects of mindful self-care is listening to your body’s needs. This means paying attention to physical sensations, emotions, and intuitive nudges. By doing so, you’ll develop a deeper understanding of your body’s limitations and capabilities, allowing you to make informed decisions that prioritize your well-being.
2. Embrace Imperfection: Let’s face it – perfection is a myth. By acknowledging and embracing our imperfections, we can release the pressure to be "perfect" and focus on progress, not perfection. This, in turn, will lead to a more sustainable and enjoyable fitness journey.
3. Practicing Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with the same kindness, care, and understanding you would offer to a close friend. Be gentle, patient, and understanding when your body needs rest or when you encounter setbacks. By doing so, you’ll cultivate a positive, loving relationship with your body.
4. Reframe Your Think-Get: Move away from the endless pursuit of a "fit" physique to focus on the journey, not the destination. Embrace the process, and celebrate tiny victories along the way. This mindset shift can lead to a deeper appreciation for the present moment and a greater sense of purpose.
5. Make Time for Self-Care: Schedule regular self-care practices, such as meditation, journaling, or even simply taking a relaxing bath. By prioritizing self-care, you’ll recharge and reboot, leading to a more energized and inspired approach to your fitness journey.
Conclusion

As we journey through the world of fitness, it’s essential to remember that our bodies are not merely machines to be pushed and prodded but dynamic, complex beings deserving of love and compassion. By incorporating mindful self-care into our fitness routine, we can create a more holistic, sustainable, and enjoyable experience. Prioritize self-love, and watch your entire outlook transform. Remember, it’s not about the destination; it’s about the journey – and the love you shower upon yourself along the way.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Can I still achieve my fitness goals while prioritizing self-care?

A: Absolutely! In fact, prioritizing self-care can lead to a more focused, committed, and sustainable approach to your fitness journey.

Q: What if I’m new to self-care? Where do I even start?

A: Start small! Try incorporating one or two self-care practices into your daily routine, such as a morning meditation or a relaxing bath. Gradually build upon these habits as you grow more comfortable.

Q: Will self-care make me lazy or complacent?

A: Not at all! Self-care is about recharging and rebooting, allowing you to approach your fitness journey with renewed energy, focus, and passion. It’s not about being lazy, but about being kind to yourself.

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December 3, 2024
Decluttering—Outside and Inside – Mindful

Sorting through and letting go of physical objects we no longer need teaches us about all the things we’re holding onto. As Barry Boyce realizes, it can also help us find kinder, wiser ways of decluttering our mind.

Every Friday for the past two months, together with a couple of friends I’ve enlisted, I’ve been spending half the day going through stuff and sending it away—either to donation bins, friends, recycling, or the landfill. Don’t get me wrong. This is not a Marie Kondo-type thing. I’ve got a long way to go before my place would reach the pinnacle of utter simplicity she asks us to aspire to.

I’m also not a hoarder, though. I’m just a middle-of-the-pack accumulator of stuff who has lived in the same place for 35 years, where we’ve raised some children, had some home offices, and indulged my predilection for kitchen gadgetry.

I’ve done several purges before, but this one I’ve been putting off for far too long, surrounded by nests of stuff beckoning to me: What’s going to happen to me when you’re gone. When I told some friends about it, they put me on to Margareta Magnusson’s book with the gruesome title The Gentle Art of Swedish Death Cleaning: How to Free Yourself and Your Family from a Lifetime of Clutter. Yikes. I could not bring myself to label what I was doing as Swedish Death Cleaning. That’s just a little too on the nose.

I also learned from friends who blazed this path before me that there’s lots of stuff nobody, including my children, wants. They don’t want the furniture I inherited from my parents (too old fashioned and no room for it anyway in the smaller-footprint places they live in), and their lifestyle has little to do with heirloom china, silver, and crystal. An article in Forbes confirmed that I’m far from alone. Apparently, says the magazine, all my furniture is lumped under the category of “brown pieces,” and nobody wants old brown pieces.

This time around, though, I haven’t even gotten to the furniture: I was drowning in shelves and shelves of books, ancient records, mementos and souvenirs, old clothes and shoes, orphaned pieces of hardware, toys and games, and small mountains of obsolete electronics and mysterious cords and connectors. At times, when I wasn’t pulling my hair out trying to decide what to keep and what to discard (thank heaven for having friends there to break me out of that trance), I could crack a smile and remember George Carlin’s bit on stuff:

A house is just a pile of stuff with a cover on it. You can see that when you’re taking off in an airplane. You look down, you see everybody’s got a little pile of stuff. All the little piles of stuff … That’s what your house is, a place to keep your stuff while you go out and get…more stuff!

In the middle of all this something surprising happened. Something kind of wonderful. I started to see past the stuff, to understand that objects take on meaning we cling to, but when that meaning is stripped away it becomes what it is: simply stuff. It’s the Buddhist principle of emptiness, which isn’t about a gaping black void, but rather about how the things of our world are empty of the deep meaning we attach to them. That old sweatshirt I loved so much is now nothing more than a rag

Then, there’s the stuff of the mind, and that’s where the wonderful part comes in. Just as our worldly abode collects clutter, so too does our mental abode. It fills up with old ideas and viewpoints, grudges, regrets, hates and loves, opinions and mythologies, and memories of things we’ve done wrong that we sweep under the rug. Stuff we may not have looked at in a long time. But make no mistake: It’s there and it can guide our behavior.

It can be just as valuable, and probably more so, to do some “Swedish Death Cleaning” with the clutter in our mind. As I started to embrace this fact—not for the first time in my life but more so this time—I began to appreciate the lightening and freedom that can come from going through my old mental stuff and doing some aerating and discarding. Every spiritual tradition has some form of going through your stuff, often called confession or atonement, and twelve-step programs ask one to make a “searching and fearless moral inventory.”

Just as our worldly abode collects clutter, so too does our mental abode. It fills up with old ideas and viewpoints, grudges, regrets, hates and loves, opinions and mythologies, and memories of things we’ve done wrong that we sweep under the rug. Stuff we may not have looked at in a long time.

Just how we approach the old mental stuff we’re holding is critically important, though.

For the icky and even ugly stuff we unearth, it’s so easy to beat ourselves up about it, which we falsely think will help matters. In fact, though, we need to forgive first, because if we don’t, the aggression we wield blocks out the light we need to shine on what we’ve done and how we’ve been holding it. If we get past the knee-jerk aggressive response, we may be able to see what we can learn from the past, repair anything that may be reparable, and then send that old mental stuff to the recycling bin.

Decluttering the place where you live can bring spaciousness into your home. Decluttering what’s clogging up your mind lets space into every corner of your life.

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November 27, 2024
Relationship SOS: Mindful Practices to Rekindle Connection
Relationships of all kinds are dynamic. There are ups and downs, seasons of flourishing, and seasons that feel frustrating and dry. Whether romantic, familial, or platonic, they all require care, attention, and intention to thrive.

Our days are so filled with obligations, pressures, and distractions. It’s easy to slip into autopilot, where communication becomes transactional, and moments of connection feel few and far between.

Before we know it, we’re just not connecting in the ways we need the most. Communication might feel tense or rushed. Resentment can build up. Where we long to feel trust and easy intimacy, we might feel distance.

When connection feels thin, there’s usually a main culprit: We’ve forgotten how to be fully present with this person we care about so much. If we’re wrapped up in the past, holding on to frustrations or grievances, we’re more likely to miss moments of potential gratitude, closeness, and support. If we’re caught up in worry about the future, we’re more likely to miss the goodness that abounds in the here and now.

The newly launched Relationship Affirmations Deck explores the many ways in which mindfulness offers a powerful antidote to this disconnect. By incorporating mindfulness into our relationships, we can cultivate deeper understanding, empathy, playfulness, and appreciation for those we hold dear.

4 Simple, Mindful Practices to Nourish Relationships

Whether you’re looking to reconnect after a period of distance, or you just want to build on what you already have, mindful relationship practices can help. Let’s look at four mindful ways to nourish connection in your relationships, helping them grow stronger and more fulfilling over time.

1. Practice Active Listening

Here’s a question to gently ask yourself: How often do I truly listen to others without planning a response, letting my thoughts wander, or interrupting? It’s more challenging than you might think.

Active listening is a cornerstone of mindfulness in relationships, requiring full presence and an open heart.

What is active listening?

Active listening involves giving your undivided attention to the speaker, genuinely seeking to understand their perspective. This means suspending judgment, refraining from offering solutions unless asked, and showing that you value their words.

How to incorporate active listening into your relationship

Here are three ways you can boost your active listening skills.
- Don’t let distraction get the upper hand. Put away devices like phones or laptops. Face the person you’re speaking with, maintain eye contact, and let them know they have your attention.
- Use verbal and nonverbal cues. Nod, lean in, smile, or say things like, “I hear you,” or “Tell me more.” These small gestures show engagement and encouragement.
- Reflect and validate. When your conversation partner is done talking, it can help to summarize what they’ve said to confirm you understand. For example: “It sounds like you felt hurt when that happened. Is that right?” Remember, validation doesn’t mean agreeing; it simply acknowledges their feelings as real and understandable.
By practicing active listening, you create a reliable space for your partner or loved one to share openly, which strengthens trust and intimacy.

2. Be Intentional About Gratitude and Appreciation

In long-term relationships, it’s easy to take the other person for granted. Over time, we may focus more on what’s lacking or on minor annoyances than on the things we admire about our partner, family members, or close friends.

Why gratitude matters in relationships

Gratitude shifts attention to the positive aspects of your relationship, reminding you of the qualities and experiences you cherish. When expressed regularly, appreciation fosters feelings of being seen, valued, and loved.

At first it can feel awkward to be intentional about gratitude. Calling out specific examples might even feel a little silly. But this practice has been shown again and again to shift our perspective, to sharpen our awareness of all the goodness around us and all the ways we’re held up and supported. All of this makes us better friends, partners, parents, and co-workers, deepening the bonds we share.

How to practice gratitude together

If you want to boost your experience of gratitude and aren’t sure where to begin, here are three simple strategies that can get you started.
- Start a daily gratitude practice. This does not have to be complicated or drawn out! Each day, share one thing you’re grateful for about your partner or your relationship. It could be something small, like how they made you coffee, or something significant, like their support during a tough time.
- Write thank-you or love notes. Leave a heartfelt note expressing appreciation for something specific they’ve done. Over time, these little gestures build a reservoir of positive feelings.
- Celebrate the small wins. Acknowledge and celebrate each other’s achievements, no matter how minor. Recognizing effort strengthens your bond and boosts mutual respect.
When gratitude becomes a habit, it acts as a glue that holds your relationship together through ups and downs. Over time, noticing what’s working becomes the default. When frustrations or disappointments occur—which they inevitably will in our imperfect human relationships—you’ll have this large bank of truthful, positive reminders to draw from.

3. Be Present for Shared Experiences

Relationships thrive on shared experiences, but the depth of connection depends on how present you are in those moments. Whether it’s a dinner date, a weekend hike, or simply watching a movie together, mindfulness can transform routine activities into meaningful bonding opportunities.

What is shared presence and why does it matter?

It’s easy to assume that spending time together automatically equals connection. But proximity isn’t the same as presence. You can sit next to someone for hours and still feel a million miles apart. What transforms time into connection is being fully there.

“Being present” is a phrase you’ll see a lot in mindful spaces. While it can sound a little vague and New Agey, in reality, it’s a very practical approach to investing in our ordinary, everyday lives.

When we talk about being fully present, what we mean is that we’re marshaling our attention on purpose. That looks like putting our focus on the person we’re with, opening our ears and our hearts to them. It also involves being in our bodies—noticing sights, sounds, smells, and sensations—instead of always stuck in our heads and the stories we get hooked on. We’re not getting caught up in something that happened earlier or something that’s going to happen later. When our attention drifts, which it will, we just gently bring it back.

When you’re fully present, even mundane moments become an opportunity for connection. Presence fosters intimacy, as it shows the person you’re with that they are worth your undivided attention.

Ideas for mindful shared experiences

There are so many fun and creative ways to build shared experiences. Here are just a few ideas you can try:
- Mindful meals. Shared meals used to be a cornerstone of cultural connection, and in some places, people are trying to bring them back to combat the epidemic of loneliness that has seeped into Western culture. A mindful meal is simply a meal without distractions. It doesn’t have to be fancy at all. The focus is on savoring the flavors, enjoying the ambiance, and engaging in conversation.
- Digital detox dates. Set aside time to disconnect from screens and connect with each other. Use this time to talk, play a game, or try something new together.
- Explore something new. Novelty and spontaneity strengthen bonds by creating new, positive associations. Take a dance class, cook a new recipe, or visit a place neither of you has been before.
- Practice mindfulness together. Meditate, do yoga, or simply sit quietly and breathe together. Shared mindfulness practices can deepen your emotional connection and align your energies.
One additional benefit of intentional presence? We remember things more vividly. By being fully present during shared experiences, you create memories that are rich in connection and joy.

4. Practice Compassion and Forgiveness

No relationship is immune to conflict or mistakes. In these moments, the way we respond determines whether we drift apart or grow closer. Practicing compassion and forgiveness is a mindful approach to navigating challenges while strengthening the bond between you.

Why compassion and forgiveness are so crucial to connection

Compassion involves understanding and caring for your partner’s feelings, even when you disagree or feel hurt. It’s about recognizing their humanity and approaching difficulties with kindness rather than judgment.

Forgiveness is an emotionally-complicated and often-misunderstood concept. People sometimes fear that forgiveness is the same as saying what happened was okay, or that it means we “forget” or pretend it never happened. That isn’t the case with healthy forgiveness.

Holding onto resentment creates barriers to intimacy. Forgiveness doesn’t mean condoning hurtful behavior, but rather letting go of the emotional weight it carries, so you can move forward together.

How to practice compassion and forgiveness

Studies have shown that a regular mindfulness practice makes forgiveness easier, in part because it expands our compassion and makes seeing another perspective less difficult. Here are five habits that foster real, healthy compassion and forgiveness.
- Pause before reacting. When emotions flare, take a breath. That pause can be the difference between a response that builds connection and one that tears it down.
- Include yourself. Often the person we are hardest on is ourselves. The more we practice taming our ferocious inner critic, the more likely we are to be able to extend that same grace to others.
- Seek understanding. Ask yourself: What might they be feeling or fearing? What’s beneath their words or actions?
- Apologize and accept apologies. A sincere “I’m sorry” can be healing. So can saying, “I forgive you.” Neither one erases the hurt, but both open the door to repair.
- Let go of what no longer serves you. Resentment is heavy. Releasing it—through mindfulness, journaling, or therapy—creates space for something lighter.
Compassion and forgiveness aren’t always easy. Some might say that these can be the most challenging part of a mindfulness journey, but they are what allows relationships to grow through challenges rather than crumble beneath them.

Building a Relationship That Feels Alive

Mindfulness in relationships isn’t about perfection. It’s about presence—about showing up, over and over, in small but meaningful ways. When we listen deeply, express gratitude, share moments with presence, and choose compassion, we create a relationship that feels alive, tender, and worth tending to.

And here’s the beautiful thing: every moment is a chance to begin again. So, whether you’re navigating a tough season or just looking to strengthen what’s already good, start small. Start today. The relationships that matter most are worth it.

Put the Focus Back On Connection with Relationship Affirmations

If you’re looking for a wonderful companion product that can support your journey to mindful, meaningful connection, you’ll love our new Relationship Affirmations card deck.
52 beautifully designed, high-quality cards, each featuring a unique mindful phrase.

A simple wooden holder to display each day’s card. A QR code on the back of each card that links to 25 bonus premium digital practices, like coaching and guided meditations.
This deck provides a simple reminder that brings your attention back to gratitude, compassion, honest communication, and healthy interactions. Whether used alone or with a loved one, these cards can provide the gentle structure and support to help you grow your relationships with care and intention.
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November 21, 2024