Mindfulness is the process of maintaining awareness of our thoughts, feelings, bodily sensations, and surrounding environment, through a gentle, nurturing lens. Mindfulness is a state that can be achieved through practice. It’s not static, nor are some people ‘born more mindful’ than others.

Mindfulness encourages acceptance; meaning that we pay attention to our thoughts and feelings without judging them—without believing, for instance, that there’s a “right” or “wrong” way to think or feel in a given moment. When we practice mindfulness, we are aware of our thoughts and we tune into what we’re sensing in the present moment rather than rehashing and ruminating on the past or imagining and worrying about the future.