Mindful voices

When did you first start practicing mindfulness and why were you motivated to do so?

I first began practicing mindfulness when I was diagnosed with a mood disorder in 2006. My thoughts were out of control then—picking out the negative in any situation, setting unrealistic goals upon myself, feeling guilty for all the mistakes I've made. After spending many years in bed, hiding from the world, I stumbled upon the practice.

Mindfulness gave me the option to get out of my head and into the world. It took reaching rock bottom before I took my mental health seriously. Fearing getting sick again, I embarked on a new way of approaching my life. The options at that time were obvious—either continue living a horrible lifestyle and end up in a psychiatric ward, or begin practicing mindfulness and befriend myself.