Personal Essays

First-person stories about what mindfulness looks like in real, messy, everyday life. These essays are honest, personal, and often funny - written by people who've found that paying attention changes everything.
A silhouetted figure holds an umbrella while walking along a beach at sunset.
Magazine
The Case for Not Trying So Hard 

Even leisure and relaxation can get tied up in seriousness, busyness, betterment. For Sallie Tisdale, the trick is to stop trying so hard. Read More 

  • Sallie Tisdale
  • March 24, 2016
A person in a yellow coat stands between two rainbows on a white wall.
Magazine
The Perks of Disappointment 

Being let down is a universal human experience. But whether you want something you can’t have or you’ve got no clue what you want, disappointment can also mark the best path forward. Read More 

  • Carolyn Gimian
  • March 19, 2016
A solitary bare tree stands in a snowy, misty landscape.
Books & Reviews
Simply Being Awake to What Is 

How the clear and kind words of Stephen Levine helped one journalist stop admonishing himself and helped him sit with his inner rumble and panic. Read More 

  • Dan Olmsted
  • February 2, 2016
panic button. high anxiety
Magazine
High Anxiety 

Anxiety disorders adversely affect the lives of about 40 million Americans. They are plagued by insecurity, dread, persistent stress, and irrational fears. Noted essayist and author Barbara Graham reveals her personal story of a lifelong struggle with high anxiety, and details her expansive search for relief and peace of mind. Read More 

  • Barbara Graham
  • January 29, 2016
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