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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.
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
A person with short blonde hair, wearing a colorful scarf and dark coat, stands facing a wall covered in variously colored sticky notes with handwritten messages and drawings. The notes are arranged in a grid pattern, reflecting the essence of a mindful season.
Gratitude
A Mindful Season 

As the holiday season approaches, Janice Marturano asks us to consider the treasures in our lives and offers a short practice for reflecting on those treasures.  Read More 

  • Janice Marturano
  • November 29, 2013
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
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