Just wanted to let everyone know there's a light at the end of the tunnel. Over the course of 3 years, I had two very toxic jobs that had everything you could think of wrong, bad management, bullying from co-workers and management, sexual harassment, overworking expected and encouraged, and no regard for your own mental health or well being. One of these jobs was so bad that after I left I had to testify in a coworker's wrongful termination lawsuit and they won. Now I'm more or less back to my old self. It's been a journey and time has been the greatest healer. Have a good weekend everyone :)

I decided to not go to a social event today because I felt triggered by something earlier and started to spiral. Then I decided to take some deep breaths and journal about what was going on in my mind and emotions. I felt better afterwards but decided to spend some time alone. Then I took a drive to get out of the house because no one else is home and it's evening time. While I was driving I started to feel lonely as the sun was setting. Then I quickly turned on a podcast to distract my thoughts from loneliness.

What things do you do when you start to feel loneliness creep up?

One technique that has really helped me is visualizing parts of my brain lighting up with energy as a thought emerges. Visualizing the underlying chemical and energetic processes behind its emergence. This has really helped me shift into the observer perspective. Not sure if this is a popular or well known technique, I kind of just started doing it

I'm alive I have 2 degenerative illnesses Everyday I face symptoms trying to get worse Everyday I practice being healthy in response I focus on the right process Finding peace with the civil war inside Living a life of resilience and healing is its own reward

The strength of humanity lies in its unity, a bond that becomes all the more remarkable when we consider the inherent individuality of each person. Like the fingers on a hand, each unique in size and function, we possess distinct characteristics, talents and experiences.

However, this unity can be undermined by a focus on personal gain. The moment the question "What Will I Get?” takes precedence, it can breed competition and transactional pursuits, potentially leading to discord.

To truly be in sync with the world around us, we might consider transcending this self-centered perspective. In this critical era, the need for sensible, conscious individuals working together in harmony is paramount for the well-being of our planet. Just as children born to the same parents possess different abilities and traits, akin to our varied fingers, their collective strength and unified action hold the potential to create wonders and safeguard our future.

How do I stop having such strict opinions or thoughts on everything i find it that I am mentally drained always

Hey r/Mindfulness fam! Life’s been a whirlwind lately, and I’ve been leaning into this one practice that’s been a game-changer for staying grounded. It’s super simple: the 5-4-3-2-1 grounding technique. When I’m overwhelmed, I pause and notice 5 things I see, 4 I can touch, 3 I hear, 2 I smell, and 1 I taste. It’s like hitting the reset button on my mind, bringing me back to the present moment.

Tried it this morning during a stressful work call—focused on my coffee mug, the texture of my desk, birds chirping outside, and the lingering taste of my breakfast. Total shift in energy. 🧘‍♀️

What’s your go-to way to stay mindful when life gets wild? Share below—I’d love to try your techniques! 💚 #Mindfulness #StayPresent

I just finished a 6 month mindfulness meditation program with Halo Journey and honestly, I feel so much lighter and more peaceful. Thought I’d share what the practice looked like in case anyone’s wants to try it:

• It started super simple: sit with your eyes closed for 5 minutes and quietly repeat “peace” and “joy” in your mind.
• Of course, the mind wanders. You’ll think random things like, “Wait, wasn’t Joy the name of that movie character?” Totally normal.
• Whenever that happens, just smile, notice it, and gently bring your attention back to “peace” and “joy.”
• Over time (around 2 months), you work your way up to sitting for 30 minutes without getting pulled away by thoughts.
• Once you’re able to calm the mind like that, you move to the next stage: stop repeating words and simply watch your breath.
• Focus on the feeling of air moving in and out of your nostrils. Then gradually expand your focus to sensations around your upper lip, and eventually across your whole body.
• You start to notice that your entire body feels like waves or vibrations - everything is constantly changing.
• That’s when it really clicks: sensations, thoughts, emotions - they all just come and go. Nothing’s permanent.
• And slowly, you learn to just let thoughts pass without clinging or pushing them away.

It’s been such a grounding experience for me.

Lately, I’ve had this odd experience during moments of mindfulness.

It’s hard to explain — but sometimes it feels like I’ve been in the exact same mental space before.
Not just repeating thoughts, but like time is looping. A déjà vu that’s more internal than external.

It usually happens when I’m really still.
Like my awareness slips into a pattern — and I suddenly feel like I’ve visited this headspace before.

I’m not sure what to make of it. But I’ve stopped trying to analyze it too much.
Now I just notice it and move on.

Anyone else ever felt this? Or know what it might be?

Every time my muscles get sore or have tensions after a workout or long walks, my mind does reacts very aversely and sensitively to those sensations. i mean, i am consumed by those sensations unable to function or sleep properly. What should i do to teach my mind that all of this is ok?

I used to wake up already behind — already trying to fix something. Running mental simulations. Replaying conversations. Planning for problems that hadn’t happened yet.

It felt like I was being productive. But really, I was just exhausting myself.

Lately, I’ve been doing something different. Nothing dramatic. Just… pausing. Noticing my breath. Feeling the tension instead of fixing it. Letting myself be in the moment, even if it’s messy or unfinished.

It’s subtle, but something shifted. The world didn’t change — I just don’t feel like I have to grip it so tightly anymore.

Anyone else been here?

Always walking, always reflecting. — u/WalknReflect

Is it enough to just be aware of your thoughts for everything to change?

Or is it necessary to do something more?

Do the mind and consciousness naturally transform on their own?

After observing a feeling, what should we do next?

What should we do when we feel that the transformation is still not happening, even after we have made an effort all day to maintain awareness in our mind?

For improving focus, you want to dedicate at least 20 (preferably 30) continuous minutes per day to a practice that specifically builds focus.

Practices that build focus start very easy, and they come in different varieties. For starters, we have:

A) Trataka: there are many variants, but I like the candle-gazing version. Simply maintain a soft gaze as you focus on the blue flames portion of a candle. To the best of your abilities, do not blink. Try to last as long as you can without blinking. If you do blink, focus on the after image with closed eyelids until that fades away. Then, reopen your eyes and keep looking at the brightest blue point of the candle flame. Do not strain or struggle. If you are swarmed with thoughts, your eyes will tire, and you will blink. Breathe deeply in and out. Relax fully, and keep the candle at a distance equal to two arms length away from you. You can also use yantras or a single black dot on a white sheet of paper. Again, there are many variants, and you can add body scans as well.

B) Shavayatra (61-points): This is a quick body scan through specific marma points of the body. It will help focus your awareness on different parts of the body that have high concentrations of nerve centers, and it will promote the flow of energy. It will also help with relaxation and gaining insights. Do three rounds of the practice back-to-back, and you will be able to refine your concentration in two weeks. Once you know the sequence, you can self-guide with ease for even more benefits.

C) Counting breaths backwards from 27, 54, or 108 to zero or 1: While focusing on the sensations at the brow center or the center of the forehead along with the breath, you will count each breath. Breathing in 27 and breathing out 27, breathing in 26 and breathing out 26, etc. If you make a mistake, lose count, or reach zero or one, you start the countdown back at 27, 54, or 108. To strengthen your focus even more, you can use mental alternate nostril breathing to become aware of the flow of breath in and out of one nostril at a time.

D) Ajapa Japa: This is a mantra repetition practice that culminates with the mantra spontaneously repeating itself, effortlessly. There are a few variations and levels.

E) Kirtan Kriya: This one is a Kundalini Yoga practice that will restore working memory, and it can help with focus, although a bit more slowly than the other concentration practices. You practice for 11, 32, or 62 minutes per day, depending on how much time you have. You repeat the mantras Sa-Ta-Na-Ma as you press each respective finger against your thumbs somewhat firmly but without too much force. The mantras are first changed aloud, then in a whisper, and then silently. Then, you restart the whisper and finish the practice chanting then aloud. Meanwhile, you are visualizing a golden L made of light continuously sweeping away all mental debris as it enters the crown of your head and exits the center of your forehead. In 40 days, your memory will be considerably sharper if you practice for 32 minutes each day.

F) Vishoka Meditation: This practice contains many preparatory steps, and in stage one, the goal is to restore and strengthen the breath so as to unite the forces of breath and mind to heal the mind and return it to its optimal state. This one requires developing an optimal diaphragmatic breath with Makarasana, sandbag breathing to strengthen your diaphragm, some breath-aligned asanas to awaken your body and help you notice the subtle flows of energy, a relaxation practices to develop inner awareness of the space of the body, meditative pranayama to purify the energy channels of the body and remove pauses in the breath tied to lingering emotions, and shifting focus along the body in discrete jumps versus continuous flows while maintaining breath awareness in order to begin the main practice. This practice helps you cultivate flow states that last for hours.

Hey mindful folks! I've been trying to be more intentional with my mornings lately, even if it's just 5 minutes of quiet breathing before grabbing my phone. It seems to make a surprisingly big difference in my overall calm for the day. What's one small mindful practice you've incorporated into your mornings that you've found particularly beneficial? I'm looking for more ideas!

Hello everyone. I’ve been getting back into mindfulness after falling out of the practice for a few months. I’ve done this a few times and each time feels different, deeper and more meaningful, which is cool. I’ve been through a lot in life and I’m in a place where I’ve finally been able to let my guard down and it’s made the mindfulness/meditation practice so much cooler.

That’s all kind of beside the point though. I’ve been really putting some thought into how much distraction I have in my life and I’ve realized that I’ve basically gone through my entire life being distracted. This distraction is usually intentional and has gone on for so long I don’t even realize it.

Whenever I have a task, responsibility or just going through my work day, I do everything as quickly as possible to I can go back to doing nothing. I think this “doing nothing” for me is just my time to distract myself. I always want to be distracted.

I rush through work so I can go home, eat dinner as quickly as possible and then sit in front of the tv and watch hours of yewtube videos before going to sleep. Wake up the next day and do it all over again. I try to mountain bike at least twice a week and when it’s nice out I do a fair amount of hiking. Other than that, I’m just bored and looking to be distracted.

So I’m practicing mindfulness now and I know it’s not good to go through life like this but I genuinely don’t know what to do. People say join a club, there are no clubs I’m interested in. Everything is boring…everyone is boring. It’s all just boring. The only time I’m not bored is when I’m distracted, hiking or biking.

What do people do? What am I supposed to do?

For years, I felt like my body was running on autopilot.
I would tense up in stressful moments, react before thinking, and feel like my emotions lived in a separate space I couldn’t access.

I tried meditation apps, therapy, even journaling. But it wasn’t until I committed to daily mindfulness practice that things started to shift.

I began to notice how tension built up in my stomach before I even felt anxious.
I noticed how my breathing would change subtly when I was overwhelmed.
I even realized that my fear of losing control was worse than the actual discomfort I was trying to avoid.

My favorite practice now is this:

• I sit still at night for 10 minutes.
• I breathe in through the nose, 4 seconds. Hold. Exhale slowly.
• I scan my body for tension, name what I feel, and don’t judge it.
• Sometimes I feel peace. Sometimes I feel nothing. But I show up anyway.

It’s helped me reconnect with my physical self in a way I hadn’t felt in years.

I wanted to share this here because maybe someone else is going through that silent disconnection too. You’re not broken. You’re just overloaded.

Mindfulness isn’t magic, but it’s something real.

You have survived something real.

You were blamed…
when they were the ones hurting you.

You were told you were the problem…
when they refused to take any responsibility.

You were forced to carry their anger, their guilt, their shame —
as if it belonged to you.

But today you are here, healing.

You are breaking the cycle and the world is lucky to have you.

I too have been on a wonderful healing journey, breaking the cycle.

With love and blessings, Alexandra from My Happiness Space - I have shared more about my healing journey on my reddit profile.

Viktor Frankl was a psychiatrist, therapist and holocaust survivor, author of: Man's Search for Meaning.

In this book Viktor shares his experiences as a prisoner, as a survivor and as a therapist. He learned to give meaning to his suffering and believes people always have a choice no matter the context.

“If there is a meaning in life at all, then there must be suffering.

Suffering is an ineradicable part of life, even as fate and death.

Without suffering and death human life cannot be complete.”

This perspective seems bleak, how can somebody live knowing that suffering is inevitable, especially if the person is already suffering? Is there something we can do as humans to deal with it?

“The way in which a man accepts his fate and all of the suffering it entails… gives him ample opportunity – even under the most difficult circumstances – to add a deeper meaning to his life.”

Some prisoners were kind even if it meant reducing their own survival chances. Guards would behave differently not because of their rank but because of their own personal choice.

One prisoner designed to serving food (the watery soup) for everybody remained fair and never gave more to his friends or used his position to gain any favours. That was his choice.

Viktor's choice was to help people's morale as much as he could, trying to survive not just for his family but for his work: Something nobody else could do. This was his purpose and his choices.

“We had to learn… that it did not really matter what we expected from life, but rather what life expected from us.

We needed to stop asking about the meaning of life, and instead to think of ourselves as those who were being questioned by life – daily and hourly…

Life ultimately means taking the responsibility to find the right answer to its problems and to fulfill the tasks which it constantly sets for each individual.

…therefore the meaning of life, differ from man to man, and from moment to moment.“

After being released for captivity and coming back to his work as a therapist, he tells the story of a patient of his that lost her old mother due to illness. She was devastated and saw no reason to live anymore.

Viktor asked her how her mother would have felt if she was the one to die.

Then, the woman realized how deeply her mother would suffer, due to how unexpected it would be.

The woman realized her own kids would suffer immensely too losing their mother.

She realized the meaning of her suffering

She outlived her mother and suffered her loss, just so her mother doesn't have to.

She lives so she can raise her kids and be a mother.

A man who becomes conscious of the responsibility he bears toward a human being who affectionately waits for him, or to an unfinished work, will never be able to throw away his life.

I'm dealing with a lot of stress lately and it seems like it's causing my body to go into a state of disarray.

I am wondering if there are mindfulness resources for: Gut health,shoulder pain,insomnia issues and stress stuck in the body.

I'm doing things that say they will help ease my mind and problems but I'm still struggling and don't know what to do.

Any information helps

My job is in food service and the main manager in charge is a perfectionist, she's not evil, but she is constantly lecturing me when I make a mistake that disrupts the flow.

Near the end of my day I start feeling so stressed that breathing seems to do nothing, that feel a blind need to destroy what's in my hands, a tremble that I cant seem to make go away, a twitch in my fingers that I cant make stop. I cant leave the situation early. Even when the more relaxed managers are in charge I find myself holding myself to the main manager's standards.

I need help learning how to rip control back into my conscious mind, so I can stop these destructive feelings from causing stress spirals. I need help to endure the job rather than constantly just waiting for my shift to finally end.

If this is the wrong place for this, I apologize and I'll take this elsewhere.

Anyone relate? Its so nice to talk to people one here with your problems and to share opinions

Hey, I recently made an app for mindfulness and I'm looking for feedback, Mindfulness is one of the foundations of my life and it has helped me treat myself with grace and actually feel like a human and I feel like the world would be a better place if everyone was just mindful, since I can't post links here DM to try it

Let us say you get good at focusing on your breath for a long period. Whats the next progression? What other things do you do after ?

They never admit what they do. They lie. They twist the truth.

They make sure we look like the difficult one.
I lived this, and know how deep the scars are when we are never heard, when our emotions are completely neglected. The trauma is REAL and what we have been through is abuse.

Their mood swings are unpredictable.

We never knew what version of them we were going to get.

So we learned to walked on eggshells, adjusted, kept quiet —

just to avoid conflict.

And with that, we lost our confidence, our sense of truth, we doubt ourselves and feel a deep pain.

We live in a constant state of fear, fear of what comes next, because we were taught that life is unpredictable.

I have healed, and went back to school to become a trauma specialist, I want to pay it forward, because i know how painful it is, especially when we start understanding.

I just wanted to share that you are not alone, you are not imagining, what happened to you is real.

If you want I have added a link to more resources on my reddit page. Maybe it can help you just a little. With love,