21 Mindfulness Quotes

Mindfulness means paying attention to the present moment, non judgmentally, with awareness, on purpose. So often in our lives, we find ourselves thinking of the past, or racing ahead with thoughts of the future that we find ourselves missing out on the present moment — which really is all we have. How wonderful would it be to be fully present in the moment with a loved one? To fully connect to the joy of being alive?

It’s all possible through mindfulness.

so How do you practice mindfulness?

Mindfulness can be learned, practiced, and cultivated through various techniques. The beauty of mindfulness is that you can practice it anywhere!

I am someone who struggles with mindfulness. It doesn’t come naturally! But my daily practice of mindfulness has helped me immensely. Here are some useful methods to practice mindfulness:

mindful breathing

One method is by focusing on your in-breaths and out-breaths. When you breathe in, recognize it is your in breath. With you breathe out, recognize it is your outbreath. Focus your mind on your breath. Enjoy your breath, savor it. Don’t force it into anything other than what it is. I like to say, “breathing in, I know I am breathing in. Breathing out, I know I am breathing out.” You can practice saying what helps you feel calm and connected to your breath.

Awareness of your body

Another way to practice mindfulness is to focus on your body on your in-breaths and out-breaths. As you breathe in, become aware of your body. Feel the peace and harmony throughout your mind and body.

mindfulness quotes

Below are some mindfulness quotes which capture some of its beauty and power in our lives. There is a wisdom that comes with mindfulness. Try it out and share any of your thoughts or what has helped for you in the comments below.

1. “Many people are alive but don’t touch the miracle of being alive.”
   – Thích Nhất Hạnh, author of The Miracle of Mindfulness: An Introduction to the Practice of Meditation

2. “Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.”
   – Thích Nhất Hạnh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

3. “The things that matter most in our lives are not fantastic or grand. They are moments when we touch one another.”
   – Jack Kornfield, No Time Like the Present: Finding Freedom, Love, and Joy Right Where You Are

4. “Meditation practice isn’t about trying to throw ourselves away and become something better. It’s about befriending who we are already.”
   – Pema Chödrön, How to Meditate: A Practical Guide to Making Friends with Your Mind

5. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” 
   ― Amit Ray, Om Chanting and Meditation

6. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” 
   ― Thich Nhat Hanh, Stepping into Freedom: Rules of Monastic Practice for Novices

7. “Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” 
   ― Amit Ray, Mindfulness Living in the Moment - Living in the Breath

8. “Look at other people and ask yourself if you are really seeing them or just your thoughts about them.”
   – Jon Kabat-Zinn, Wherever You Go, There You Are

9. “The way to live in the present is to remember that ‘This too shall pass.’ When you experience joy, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ helps you savor the here and now. When you experience pain and sorrow, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ reminds you that grief, like joy, is only temporary.”
   – Joey Green

10. In today’s rush, we all think too much — seek too much — want too much — and forget about the joy of just being.”
    – Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

11. “I wish that life should not be cheap, but sacred. I wish the days to be as centuries, loaded, fragrant.”

    –Ralph Waldo Emerson, The Essential Writings of Ralph Waldo Emerson

12. “The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
    - Thich Nhat Hanh, Peace Is Every Step: The Path of Mindfulness in Everyday Life

13. “As you walk and eat and travel, be where you are. Otherwise, you will miss most of your life.”
    – Buddha

14. “Few of us ever live in the present. We are forever anticipating what is to come or remembering what has gone.” 
    – Louis L’Amour

15. “All you really need to do is accept this moment fully. You are then at ease in the here and now and at ease with yourself.”
    – Eckhart Tolle, The Power of Now: A Guide to Spiritual Enlightenment

16. “The habit of spending nearly every waking moment lost in thought leaves us at the mercy of whatever our thoughts happen to be. Meditation is a way of breaking this spell.”
    – Sam Harris, Waking Up

17. “There are two types of seeds in the mind: those that create anger, fear, frustration, jealousy, hatred and those that create love, compassion, equanimity and joy. Spirituality is germination and sprouting of the second group and transforming the first group.”
    – Amit Ray

18. “You must live in the present, launch yourself on every wave, find your eternity in each moment. Fools stand on their island of opportunities and look toward another land. There is no other land; there is no other life but this.”
    – Henry David Thoreau, Walden

19. “If you feel lost, disappointed, hesitant, or weak, return to yourself, to who you are, here and now and when you get there, you will discover yourself, like a lotus flower in full bloom, even in a muddy pond, beautiful and strong.“
    – Masaru Emoto, The Hidden Messages in Water

20. “Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.”
    –Jon Kabat-Zinn, Full Catastrophe Living

21. “You have a treasure within you that is infinitely greater than anything the world can offer.”
    – Eckhart Tolle, A New Earth: Awakening to Your Life’s Purpose

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stress management, anxiety treatment, and mindfulness-based therapist in mclean, falls church, arlington, and vienna

Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!

3 Ways to Grow from Pain

“The wound is the place where the Light enters you.”

— Rumi

Life is beautiful but it is also hard — painfully so. We lose our loved ones. We try and we fail. We struggle. We experience disappointment. We lose hope. 

Suffering is an inevitable part of life, touching each of us in different ways. Some of us may be new to it, struggling to know what to do with the pain in what had otherwise been a quiet, peaceful existence. Others may find themselves more embittered and hardened. When working through darkness, it can be difficult to see how we will ever survive it.

But hope and life again are possible. I know this from my life as a clinical psychologist working with survivors of car accidents, cancer, health crises, and depression. But I also know it from personal experience. The pain is real, but it doesn't have to defeat you. It's not easy, and it may be one of the most challenging seasons of your life to work through, but when you get through it—and you will—it can make you even more strong and beautiful. 

The question is, how? How is it that some people experience heartbreak and tragedy and make it out stronger and wiser? How do you transcend the pain and turn it into something good, something whole, something beautiful?

In other words, how do you turn garbage into flowers?

“You are the gardener, and you have in your hands the power to transform garbage into flowers, into fruit, into vegetables... The same thing is true of your happiness and your sorrow. Sorrow, fear, and depression are all a kind of garbage.  These bits of garbage are part of real life, and we must look deeply into their nature.”

— Thich Nhat Hanh

As Thich Nhat Hanh indicates in the quote above, you have the ability to choose what to do with the pain. Although the pain serves as a catalyst for growth, it itself does not lead to growth.  Instead, how we respond to pain an suffering can make all the difference. We must garden and transform it.

1. Embrace it

It's natural to run from the pain and avoid it. But sometimes avoiding and resisting emotions can make them worse. Like a Chinese finger trap, we can get caught in them, and they can intensify.

It can help to spend time reflecting on your emotions and processing the event. What if you turned toward your pain and examined it with compassion and curiosity? What if life can be worth living even with suffering in it? What if multiple things could be true at once—that darkness and light can coexist in life?

2. Find meaning

When we experience difficult times, our fundamental sense of meaning is shattered. Everything we thought we knew has shifted. We may feel as if life is meaningless.

“Those who have a ‘why’ to live, can bear with almost any ‘how’.”

— Viktor E. Frankl

A fundamental aspect of experiencing a difficult, traumatic event then, is making sense of the loss, and working to find meaning and purpose from your pain and suffering. Oftentimes, this search to make sense of the suffering, can lead to significant spiritual growth and strengthened faith. Finding meaning and purpose and reflecting on lessons learned through pain can provide comfort, lead to a greater sense of control, and renewed hope. Participate in activities that bring you joy and solace. Volunteer to help others who may be going through similar journeys.

3. Get support

When going through a difficult time, some of us may want to spend time alone from others. But the opposite — spending time with others who can support you — is important. It's okay to be vulnerable and need others. Let others know how they can help support you. Accept their flowers and meals. Find someone to walk beside you.

 It will take time and effort, but over time this storm in your life will pass. There is hope through embracing pain, finding meaning from it, and getting support. 

What type of suffering and pain have you been experiencing? What has helped you cope with it? I would love to hear your thoughts. Share your comments here.

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Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT) in McLean, Falls Church, arlington, and Vienna

Victoria Chialy Smith, PhD is a licensed clinical psychologist providing individual therapy to children, teens, and adults. Our practice provides Cognitive Behavioral Therapy (CBT), mindfulness based therapies, and other premier evidence-based treatments, and serves the Falls Church, McLean, Great Falls, Vienna, Arlington, Alexandria, and the greater Washington DC region. Call, email, or schedule an appointment with us online today. We’re happy to help!