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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.
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Eating & Body Image
Eat Well, Heal the Earth 

Dan Barber has some wacky ideas about how we need to eat in the future to live sustainably. He wants us to scrape off cattails and put the fuzz on our plates, and serve carrots like steaks. Why? Because he’s taken the time to contemplate and explore the connection between how we eat and how we care for our land. Read More 

  • Donna Nebenzahl
  • February 10, 2015
Two individuals, both dressed in dark winter coats and hats, are seen from behind as they lean close to each other, gazing upwards in a forest with leafless trees on a cloudy day. Their close proximity suggests a deeper kind of love and companionship.
Depression & Grief
A Deeper Kind of Love 

So many of us will find ourselves caring for a loved one as they brave the journey through old age, decline, and death. Caregiving is demanding—at times overwhelming—and it can cultivate intimacy, wisdom, and insight. Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • December 11, 2014
A woman bundled in a black jacket and scarf walks past a wall adorned with graffiti, including a large red heart. In the background, another person, wearing a beige hat and coat, sits on the sidewalk focused on something in their hands.
Gratitude
Your Brain’s Greatest Blind Spot to Happiness 

Our brains are wired to chunk data and make things routine so we can handle more complex tasks, writes Elisha Goldstein. But what happens when the brain applies this method to other human beings or even the people who are dearest to us? Read More 

  • Elisha Goldstein
  • September 5, 2014
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