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 person wearing a blue jacket, black shirt, jeans, and a white hat stands on a dock in front of a boat. The background includes wooden pilings, a body of water, and a partially visible building. The atmosphere seems overcast or foggy, as if hinting at an untimely death lurking in the misty air.
Depression & Grief
An Untimely Death, a Full Life 

Zoë Nudell, featured in Mindful's Sea School story, passed away last week. Our Editor-in-Chief and Associate Editor share their thoughts.  Read More 

  • Barry Boyce
  • November 5, 2013
all in the same boat
Kids & Teens
Glimpse: All in the Same Boat 

At sea school teenagers learn more than just how to sail a boat. They learn how to seize the whole experience. Don’t miss their story in the December issue of Mindful magazine. Read More 

  • Mindful Staff
  • October 10, 2013
Elaine Smookler
Magazine
The Best Medicine 

Even if we hurt—maybe especially if we hurt, says Elaine Smookler—it helps to laugh.  Read More 

  • Elaine Smookler
  • July 27, 2013
Ad for a mindfulness app with meditations, articles, and a section sidebar, shown on a phone held in hand.