The true value of mindfulness

This week I was interviewed by an online magazine about my role as a coach and mindfulness teacher. One of the questions had me reflect on the benefits of mindfulness, and what it means to me personally...

And as I reflected on this, I realized, there is no price tag or dollar amount that can capture how valuable mindfulness is. Even saying 'priceless' doesn't do it justice. This is your LIFE we're talking about.

Think about it: literally every single thing you experience comes through the lens of your mind.

The quality of your life is not determined by what you have, so much as your relationship to what you have. Two people can have the same experience, and interpret it wildly differently. Let's take food. Someone not used to having enough food to eat each day may be filled with gratitude and joy for finding a piece of food on the ground, while another might completely ignore it, or be disgusted by anything that is not Michelin star level.

Think about your own life. How much do you pass by without even noticing? Happiness is everywhere around you, IF you know how to cultivate a mind of gratitude. The problem is, we are trained, by society, by our bodies, by evolution, to look for what's wrong, to look for what we need to fix.

Here's the good news: It doesn't have to be that way. You can train your mind to find happiness everywhere.

This doesn't mean to be blind to the suffering of the world, or even the suffering of your own experience. But it's about not being overwhelmed by your suffering. It's about learning to have a healthy perspective.

What you do with your mind, where you place your attention, and how you interpret what happens, is beyond priceless. It is everything. It is the universe you live in. Why not make that universe a more compassionate, connected, and meaningful place? Why spend your life living as though nothing were ever good enough.

You have a choice. Choose joy. Choose compassion. Choose wisdom.

Now, I'd love to hear from you! What benefit has mindfulness brought into your life? Just hit reply in the comments below and let me know.