What changes do we want to see in the world of education? What would things look like? I envision peaceful, happy places that inspire and motivate children (and adults!) to explore and develop to their fullest capacity, where individual temperament, learning style, strengths and weaknesses are all respected and worked with in a humane way that brings out the best in all of us. Ultimately, this vision would extend beyond education because for it to take root in education, it will need to be sown in the greater society....

Sometimes our behavior surprises even ourselves. It has happened to me. It has likely also happened to you. Maybe, despite your lawn sign that reads “Love Wins,” you flipped the bird to a driver who cut you off. Perhaps, like another friend of mine widely known for her kindness, you told an antsy child to “sit the [bleep] down” during a sleepless transatlantic flight. These experiences are jarring. That’s not who I am, we later think to ourselves....

In his new book, Forest Bathing: How Trees Can Help You Find Health and Happiness, Japanese medical doctor and researcher Qing Li presents some sobering statistics: By 2050, according to the United Nations Population Division, three quarters of the world’s people will live in cities. Even now, the average American spends 93 percent of the time indoors, and some ten hours a day on social media—more than they spend asleep....

Here’s another great addition to your Thanksgiving weekend: The Science of Gratitude podcast. It’s co-produced by the Greater Good Science Center at UC Berkeley, a major resource for research on the impact of gratitude. The hour-long episode is hosted by Academy Award winning actor Susan Sarandon.

Of course, there are the obvious answers: I need to pay the bills; I gotta put food on the table. And some of us can readily identify that we also work to make a difference in the world, feel challenged, or be creative. However we chose to answer the question, the “why” of going to work is central to making a living. But what happens when you’re just not into it anymore?...

Watching the brutality and aggression of hardened stances on whether to wear a mask, whether climate change is real, and whether conspiracy theories are valid has me feeling deeply unsettled. I’m worried about the chaos of so much division, and its potentially detrimental impact on our communities and our society. In order to keep pushing forward into the work of connecting with compassion, I’m holding the words of John Lewis (who will no doubt be remembered as one of the greatest, most compassionate leaders in American history) close at hand....

When was the last time you noticed how your body was feeling? Not just when you have a headache or you’re tired or you have heartburn after that spicy taco you ate for lunch. But just noticing how your body is feeling right now, while you’re sitting or standing or lying down. How about noticing how your body feels while you’re sitting in an important meeting or walking down the street or playing with your children?...

A 12-Minute Meditation to Meet Yourself Where You Are—Right Now Show notes: More from Cheryl Jones on mindful.org thrivingwithcheryljones.com read more Mindful Staff December 3, 2021 Cheryl Jones May 26, 2021

A Guided Practice on Compassion What words and what tone feels most authentic for you? Take a few more moments just to offer yourself some kindness. Remember to pause at any moment in a stressful time, naming the experience and remembering that you’re not alone. Offer yourself some words of kindness and encouragement. read more Heather Hurlock December 9, 2020 Michelle Maldonado November 30, 2020

You may notice that certain thoughts are typical for you when you become depressed. These thoughts form your depressive signature. They represent your symptom pattern just as much as early awakening, loss of appetite, or loss of enjoying activities you previously enjoyed can be part of your particular depressive pattern. How Mindfulness Helps with Depressive Thoughts Several components of mindfulness play a particular role in helping to heal depression. First is the mindfulness focus of being in the present moment....

Etienne’s original statement was the more precise one. When you take over a project and begin to micromanage, you are only serving yourself. Studies have shown that micromanaging is counterproductive. It decimates team morale by breeding a culture of distrust. It also leads to team members creating roadblocks for fear of making a wrong move. Sometimes, though, we aren’t aware that we’ve gone down the prickly path of micromanagement. Anxiety, stress, fatigue, and other emotions can cloud our better leadership judgement....

Mindful’s platforms include the corporate training product, LifeXT by Mindful; the bi-monthly magazine, Mindful; mindful.org; e-newsletters; videos; podcasts; conferences; directories; and other collaborations. Who You Are An energetic, flexible, creative, and detail-oriented contributor, the Associate Editor has a solid understanding of mindfulness, some experience as an editor and writer, a facility with technology, and an appetite for exploring new platforms and ways of telling stories. A solid team player, the Associate Editor supports the work of Senior Editors, the Managing Editor, and the Editor in Chief....

1)Bring your attention to the sensations in the body and breath in this moment. Begin by closing or lowering your eyes, and become aware of the condition of your body in this moment. Notice the feeling of your body at rest. Also, notice any sensations of contact between your body and what supports you. Begin to bring your attention to the breath as it enters and leaves your body, letting the breath breathe itself, witnessing this, not having to make it happen....

In a recent study, psychologists at the University of Texas at Austin and the University of Rochester set out to see if a small shift in mindset could reduce teenagers’ social stress. And they found that with a simple, half-hour training, they could help teens cope better, keep their bodies calmer, and even do better in school. They recruited 60 high school students for an initial experiment, half of whom learned to cultivate a “growth mindset....

Researchers have conceptualized mindfulness as being a trait—a quality inherent in an individual—or a state, which can be arrived at through meditation. In a recent study published in Psychological Science, Andrew Hafenbrack and colleagues used these two concepts to investigate whether the enhanced present-moment awareness that comes with mindfulness would reduce “sunk-cost bias”—that is, the tendency to continue down a path once we have already made some sort of investment of time, money, or effort....

But I’ve also felt a great deal of gratitude for the kindnesses that have punctuated so many of my days lately, like when a neighbor left herbs from her garden at my gate or when a faraway friend whom I haven’t heard from in years sent text messages of love. These positive experiences have affirmed to me that when times are difficult, our common human response is not to show reckless disregard of others but to show compassion....

BT also published a series of articles in its in-house newspaper, with expert comments, case studies and links to resources. Staff were invited to post views and questions on BT’s Your Views website, or share experiences of how they promoted their own good mental health. The company’s initiative coincided with World Mental Health Day on October 10. More: employeebenefits.co.uk BT World Health Organization – World Mental Health Day

I recently attended a talk at a fundraiser where the presenter, Amy McLaren, discussed her story of going to Kenya with her husband and making a deal with a child there that if he shares his report card with them at the end of the each month, they would pay for a month of his schooling. They didn’t expect him to follow through, but after they returned back to Canada, a month later they received a letter with a picture of this boy holding up his report card....