100 Acts of Mindfulness

These simple mental fitness exercises deliver tools proven to cultivate focus, calm, and compassion.

#1: mindful walk

Whether you go for a hike in the woods or a stroll around your neighborhood, you can count your walk as a mental wellness booster if you tune into your surroundings and really pay attention. What do you smell? What do you hear? Can you feel a breeze or the sun? If your mind wanders to your to-do list or family concerns or the latest episode of your favorite TV show, try focusing again on just one sense.

#2: MOMENT TO ARRIVE

Monday morning can be a rough landing. Before you dive into your inbox, pause. Focus on your posture. Straighten your spine. Relax your shoulders. Press your feet into the ground. Take a full breath. Take another full breath. Better? Try this any time you need a quick mental reset -- when you are getting off work, settling onto the floor for playtime with your toddler, or having just finished a challenging conversation. Taking one minute to "arrive" before any activity, personal or professional, means you aren’t carrying baggage from the past activity to the possibility of the present. It's a clean slate.

#3: Three breaths to let go

In a 10-minute practice led by Jackson Hole's own Kirsten Corbett, we use our breath to respond not react, a handy (not to mention free and always available!) tool when we're confronted with conflict or stress. Instinctive reaction served our cave-dwelling ancestors well when they needed to survive predators, but in the 21st century, we want to use the part of our brain that helps us show up with focus and clarity. Kirsten shows us how.

#5: SEND WELL WISHES

A remarkable amount of good comes from the simple act of wishing well for others. We can practice this through “well wishes” meditations, which help us feel more connected to others. Research suggests that, when practiced regularly, well wishes meditations can improve our social interactions and close relationships. One of our youngest teachers, Isaac Kinney, shows us how it’s done.

#7: Journaling

Gift yourself a few quiet moments today to being a journaling practice. You can do it with a dedicated notebook and favorite pen, or simply start with a blank sheet of paper. Write down three things you feel grateful for in your life, from the tiniest pleasures to a monumental event. Include details such as people, places, and feelings, and notice your mood as you record the memories. Do you feel happier? More hopeful? Less stressed? Expressing gratitude helps you focus on the positives in your life.

#9: Stoplight practice

At a red light, take a moment to note your hands gripping the steering wheel. Focus on your posture, making sure to sit up straight and press your feet firmly into the floor. Take a deep breath and hold it for a count of three. Then slowly exhale while you observe the people around you. Send them a silent message of care.

#11: boxed breathing

Breathe in for a count of four. Hold it for a count of four. Breathe out for a count of four. Hold it for a count of four. With the steady cadence of your breath, you possess the power to steady your mind. Laura Callari guides us a 10-minute boxed breathing practice.

#13: practice generosity

Practice generosity by giving something you value away. It can be an object, your knowledge, or your time.

Act #15: Simply pause

Before you get in the car, return a phone call, or start a new activity, take a minute or two to just be. Breathe deeply, relax your shoulders, close your eyes if it feels good or soften your gaze. And relieve yourself of the pressure to do anything. In this moment, try to let all expectations go. Becoming Jackson Whole Founder Sara Flitner offers a 6-minute guided "Being" practice that shows you how to use your breath to rest your mind.

Act #17: Do One Thing at a Time

Dr. Amishi Jha, a leading neuroscientist studying attention, tells us that our minds wander 50% of the time. Multi-tasking makes it worse. Today, make a point of giving whatever you're doing your full concentration. If you find yourself time traveling with memories of the past or worries about the future, gently return your thoughts to the present moment with intention. Maintaining focus like this for at least several minutes multiple times a day benefits your brain the way pushups build your muscles.

Act #19: Mindful Gardening

Just stepping outside is good for the mind, but you can increase the benefit by mindfully tending your garden. Focus on only one task. When you water the plant, just water the plant. When you cover the garden, do just that one thing.

Act #21: Ask Yourself

Ask yourself questions and listen without judgement to your own replies. What am I feeling right now? What do I need right now? What can I do right now? Take three deeper, fuller breaths. Ask. Listen.

Act #23: Listen for the Cues

Your physical body provides data, such as hunger pangs, that cue you on how to act. Emotions are data, too, but we often react in response to them. Try instead to notice, pause, then act.

Act #25: Mindful Listening

Start by focusing on to the sound of your own breath. Just listen, as you take three deeper, fuller breaths. Begin to notice other sounds around you. Label what you hear, with no judgement or effort to change anything.

Act #27: Slow it Down

Practice pausing before you speak. Much of the time, after a pause, you’ll discover you have a more accurate way of expressing yourself. Sometimes you might dissolve the urge to “pile on” with more speech altogether. Use the pause as a way to quiet emotions and let your speech be of benefit to those around you.

Act #29: Light Reflections

Sit outside in a comfortable spot or near a window and notice the light. Does it have a color? Does it flicker? Does it cast a shadow? By being fully present in the present moment, you just practiced a moment of mindfulness. This type of focused attention gives your brain a break from the noise of modern life.

Act #31: Take Stock of yourself

When you're standing in line or waiting for the microwave to heat your lunch, take mental stock of yourself. Notice the physical sensation of your feet pressing into the ground. Stretch your neck tall, relax your shoulders, and breathe slowly and deeply. Try to observe your thoughts without judgement and without reaction. Ask yourself: What am I feeling right now?

Act #33: Practice Generosity

Practice being generous. Pay someone a compliment.

Act #35: Spread Generosity

Actively support the work of organizations that align with your values. You can contribute to the effort financially, through volunteer time, or simply by spreading the message to your network.

Act #37: Loving Kindness Toward a Loved One

Begin as you did with #36, sitting comfortably. Take two deep breaths. Think of someone you love, someone important to you. Silently recite a few kind thoughts toward that person. May she feel safe. May he feel content. May she live with ease. Repeat.

Act #39: Gratitude for little things

Silently expressing gratitude for the pleasures and privileges in your life can give you a happiness boost. Simply notice something right now that makes you feel appreciation... the light on the mountains, your pet indulging in a leisurely stretch, your first cup of hot coffee. Stop. Notice. Give thanks. Focus intently on that feeling.

Act #41: Practice Makes Progress

We call it "mindfulness practice" for a reason -- you have to keep at it to keep reaping the benefits. If you find your mind wandering when you're trying to work or catch yourself reacting instead of responding with control to a tense situation, simply return to your breath as an anchor. This 10-minute guided practice from Becoming Jackson Whole founder Sara Flitner shows you how.

Act # 43: Smell the Roses

The adage “smell the roses” encourages us to pay attention to the moment. You can turn this sage advice into a mindfulness exercise by actively noticing all your senses. What do you see? What do you hear? What do you smell? What do you taste? What do you feel? Notice details without judgment or expectations. You can incorporate this moment of mindfulness into your day whenever you need to calm anxiety, ease stress, or refocus your thoughts.

Act #45: Listen to your Mother

When Mom told you to stand up straight, she gave you more than a lesson in good posture. She gave you an anchor for mindfulness and an exercise for mental fitness. Simply bringing your attention to the way you sit or stand is a 20-second micro-practice that encourages alertness. Straighten, but don't stiffen, your back. Level your chin with the floor. Take a deep inhale to a count of four. Then exhale fully to a count of five. Repeat the breath cycle two or three times while maintaining the posture.

Act #47: Notice the creep

Many of us hold tension in our shoulders. Under stress, we tend to creep our shoulders up toward our ears. The first step: just notice this happening. Then, relax your shoulders. Inhale, notice. Exhale, relax your shoulders. We often try to calm the body with our thoughts, but in fact, it's often easier to do the opposite. We can calm the mind by relaxing tension in the body.

Act #49: Feet as your anchor

Focusing on one sensation anchors you in the present. Try wiggling your toes, pressing up on the balls of your feet, then grounding down into the floor with your heels. Spend a moment feeling your feet. You can do this sitting in your car at a stoplight, waiting in line at the store, or when you need a mental pause between projects at work.

Act #51: Body Scan

Scan your body and identify a spot where you experience some pain or tightness or tension. Perhaps it's a bit of arthritis or a tight hamstring muscle, tense shoulders, or even a constricting piece of clothing. Instead of trying to remedy the discomfort, meet it with curiosity. Notice the sensation and take three slow, deep breaths. What changes? What do you feel?

This 14-minute Body Scan practice led by Samuel Singer provides an excellent antidote to long days spent in front of a computer screen.

Act #53: Set an Intention

Set an intention for how you want to show up in the world today. Maybe you want to step out as your most compassionate self or let go of self-limiting fear. Think of something you want to nurture in your life, and promise yourself to give it mindful attention as you go about your day.

Act #55: Five Point Check-In

When you notice your mind time-traveling to past grievances or future fears, pull it gently back to the present by checking in with your five senses. What do you see, hear, smell, taste, and feel?

Act #57: Brain Push-Up

Ever wonder why we use fitness metaphors to describe mindfulness? In this five-minute video, Dr. Jha explains why she thinks of mindfulness as a cognitive training tool and leads us through a short breathing practice.

Act #59: Walking Transition

Take advantage of the lingering evening sun to cap your workday and transition into homelife with a mindful walking practice. Our friends at Mindful provide simple steps to make the most of your steps with this 10-minute moving meditation.

Act #61: A Reset of Your Phone

Rather than drifting into the distractions on your phone's screen, pay attention to the device itself. How does it feel in your hand? What do you see that you never noticed before? Can you hear something other than sounds from the speaker? Now consider what, if anything, changes for you cognitively when you include awareness of the physical experience in your connection to the device.

Act #63: Light Perceptions

Keeping your attention on an object of focus, such as your breath or an empowering phrase or an external stimulus, can calm a busy mind and improve your problem-solving ability. Rather than aiming to empty your mind, focused-attention practices redirect scattered thoughts to the present moment. In this 10-minute practice, Vanessa Sulzer guides us in the visualization of light as an object of focus.

Act #65: S.T.O.P.

Pull out this pocket practice when you need to interrupt a stressful situation or calm a worried mind.

S = Stop. Press pause on current activities.

T = Take a slow, deep breath.

O = Observe, without judgment, your thoughts, feelings, and bodily sensations. Sit, stand, or walk with the experience for a minute or two.

P = Proceed with your day. You can choose to resume where you left off with a fresh perspective or redirect your focus entirely.

Act #67: Expand the Space

Viktor Frankl, noted Austrian neurologist and psychiatrist, wrote, "Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and freedom.”

Our Mindfulness-Based Attention Training (MBAT) teacher Scott Rogers showed us that in that space between stimulus and response, we have a chance to pause, which gives us an opportunity to choose an action instead of succumbing to an undesirable reaction. Put this to practice when you feel a craving to eat, the urge to lash out in anger, or an impulse to purchase something you don’t need. You can use a focused-attention micro-practice in the moment to expand the space, lengthen the pause, and give yourself a better probability of responding with control.

For example, take three deep, full breaths, exhaling slowing through your nose as you notice how breathing feels. Or take a moment to check in with your posture, correcting the position of your shoulders. Or focus your sight on something pleasant, such as your pet or a piece of art on the wall, and look for specific details you never saw before. When you come back to the situation at hand, see if you can be deliberate in your behavior.

Act #69: Body Scan for Better Sleep

This top to bottom (or bottom to top) bedtime check-in from Mindful can help you fall asleep faster and slumber more soundly.

Act #71: Defuse the trigger

In a tense moment, take a step back and simply notice the physical sensations you are feeling. Clenched jaw. Tightening in the chest. Racing heart. Quickened breath.

Then consider the thoughts generating those reactions. Does the story in your head match reality? In times of stress, we often misinterpret the situation, setting us up to overreact in an unpleasant way.

Mindfulness increases our situational awareness, neutralizing the fight/flight/freeze tendency and giving us an opportunity to choose our response.

Act #73: Lunchtime Refreshment

Lunchtime provides the perfect opportunity for a mental reset that can improve your performance through the afternoon. To make your meal mindful, move away from your desk and sit down to eat in a place with no distractions. Don't multitask; keep your attention on the experience of fueling your body. Notice the aroma, flavor, and texture of the food. Try to spend a full 15 minutes enjoying your meal. If you can swing it, follow up with a 10- to 15-minute walk.

Act #75: Sit with Discomfort

We often rush to relieve physical discomfort. We turn the air conditioning on when it gets hot, eat at the first twinge of hunger, reach for the ibuprofen after a strenuous workout. The next time you become aware of an unpleasant but harmless sensation, try to sit with it for a few moments. Just notice how it feels.

Act #77: Notice Something Delicate

Notice something delicate. A bird. A child's hand. An icicle. A glance. What about it draws you in? What emotions does it evoke?

Act #79: Breathe. Again.

Never forget the power you possess in your ability to take a deep breath.

Act #81: Background Sounds

The dog snoring, the whir of traffic, birdsong...

Sounds often happen on the periphery of our awareness. Take a break from whatever you're doing and bring them into focus. This exercise can reset your attention and interrupt rumination and worry.

Act #83: Breathe Before You Speak

During interpersonal communication, it can be difficult to wait your turn to speak. Someone says something that triggers a thought, and it's natural to want to jump right in and respond. But this can lead to awkward interruptions and choppy conversations. Zoom compounds the effect.

Curb the urge to interrupt by inserting a pause before your reply. One deep breath can give you just enough time to confirm that the other person reached a full stop and is ready to "pass the mic."

Act #85: Wired to Connect

As humans, we have different likes, different lifestyles, different views. But we're all wired to connect and want to belong. In times of conflict, it can help to remember what we have in common. When you feel anger, annoyance, or frustration brewing, recite to yourself:

This person is human, just like me; this person makes mistakes, just like me; this person wants to be happy, just like me.

Act #87: Awareness of Our Connection

Set aside a bit more time for this weekend connection treat, a culmination of the previous four Acts. Let Sharon Salzberg, best-selling author and world-renowned meditation teacher, guide you through a 10-minute practice to cultivate an awareness of connection.

Act #89: Do Your Best

It’s not always possible to get the outcomes we want. Sometimes the check is late, the colleague is a no-show, or the doctor doesn’t call back. Even when we feel small or insignificant – true, true – we have a lot of impact on our loved ones, our co-workers, our fellow diners and shoppers. So trying remains important. Practice making peace with the paradox: Inhale, “I do my best.” Exhale, “I let go.”

Act #91: Focus on Gratitude

Yes, life feels overwhelming. Yes, we must forego some of our favorite activities. And yes, expressing gratitude can make it better. Instead of missing what you don't have right now, try focusing your thoughts on the good things -- the attention of your teenager, the extra time to enjoy the comforts of your home, the mood boost from a brisk walk. Feeling grateful won't solve complex problems, but it will put you in a better mindset to face the challenges.

Act #93: Mindful Moments

As you move through the day, give yourself a moment to transition between activities. Pause for at least one but up to three full, deep breaths, noticing how it feels to fill your lungs on the inhale and visualizing any tension in your body dissipating on the exhale. Do this before you enter a room, dial the phone, pick up a new task.

Act #95: Narrate Your Performance

Choose a routine chore – washing dishes, folding laundry, making the bed – and give a play-by-play of your performance. You can deliver your commentary out loud or silently to yourself, but be sure to include plenty of detail. Describe the scene and the action. Where does the show take place? How do you look? Who else is there? What tactics do you use? When does a challenge arise? Why do you achieve success? Yes, it will sound silly. But it will also increase your awareness of the present moment, which leads to better focus and improved attention.

Act #97: Keep Building

The final installment in our 100 Acts of Mindfulness is right around the corner. Which is OK, because you have enough. You know enough. No need to get fancy. For the next full minute, find something near you and pay attention to it. Sound, light, shapes and textures, your breath. Keep things simple; just pay attention to something, on purpose, without making up a story about what you notice. When you lose your focus, smile at yourself and bring it back.

Act #99: Count

Take three deep, full breaths.
List three things you appreciate right now.
Bring to mind one thing that went well recently.

#4: Rewrite the script

Are you constantly getting jerked around by the critic in your own head? Be mindful of that script. Just notice. Over time, you begin to notice that other thoughts, much less negative or critical, are within your ability to choose. Maybe something like:

• Right now, I let go of worry.

• My thoughts are not me.

• There is a way I can be helpful today.

#6: Notice something new

Too often we get so caught up in the sameness of our daily routine, we're not even aware of what we're doing. Did I turn off the stove? Where did I put my glasses? Did I remember to call my friend back? Bring the moment into focus by looking for something new in your familiar surroundings. Maybe the sun coming through the window casts a shadow you didn't notice before. Or you see a fresh detail in a painting hanging on your wall. Or you make a novel discovery about your partner or your pet. This exercise counteracts the tendency to operate on auto-pilot and lets you fully engage with the present.

#8: Just Like Me

When you feel frustrated, angry, or annoyed with someone, silently reciting the things you have in common – this person is human, just like me; this person makes mistakes, just like me; this person wants to be happy, just like me – can put the brakes on an urge to react and help reduce conflict.

#10: tune into your attention

Find a space where you can sit solo for a while and listen to one full song. Take a deep breath and relax. Then let the music wash over you. Pay attention to how it makes you feel. Does the music impact your mood? Does your heart rate change? Does the song remind you of anything?

#12: BRAIN FOOD

A mid-afternoon snack refuels your body, but it can also recharge your brain if you eat it mindfully. Instead of wolfing it down while you keep working, take a few moments to eat it with attention. Notice how it feels to unwrap it or peel it. Inhale the scent before you take a bite. Think about the flavor. Resist the urge to check your phone or talk to someone or do anything that would cause you to lose focus for the few minutes it takes you to finish your snack. When you're done, you should feel mentally refreshed, not just physically sated.

Act #14: mental hygiene

Put all your attention on the physical sensations of washing your hands. Water. Soap. Suds. Pressure. Warmth or coolness. Bring your attention to the simple but essential act of washing your hands. When you're done, notice how your mind feels revived.

Act #16: Notice yellow

As you go about your Monday routine, take an occasional moment to notice the color yellow. Just notice it. Focusing your attention on one element of your immediate surroundings like this gives your mind a break from external stimuli and internal noise.

act #18: mindful hygiene

Dentists recommend brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day. You can use this time to take care of your mental hygiene, too, by exercising your capacity for paying attention. Notice the scent and flavor of the toothpaste. Feel the pressure of the bristles against your gums. Focus on hitting every surface of every tooth with your brush.

Act #20: Mindful Routine

Pumping gas may seem like a chore, but you can turn it into a moment to refuel mentally. Instead of letting your mind drift to your to-do list or evening plans, pay attention to your surroundings, right here, right now: the grip of the pump, the scent of fuel, the click of the register. Leave with a full tank.

Act #22: Be Human

Take a minute to label any emotions you feel in the present moment. Don’t try to analyze or change them. Just name them.

Act #24: Let It Be

Breathe in; relax your body. Breathe out; let things be as they are.

Act #26: Give Someone Your Full Attention

Put your focus on every aspect of someone as they speak, with the intent to listen fully. Listen to understand, not to react. Listen with your ears, your mind, your full attention.

Act #28: Notice What You Notice

Pause. Breathe in and out slowly, for one breath cycle.

What do you notice? A thought? A feeling? A sound? A physical sensation somewhere in your body?

Notice what you notice.

Act #30: Check in with Yourself

FEEL your emotions. NAME them. LOCATE them in your body. BREATHE into that place for 10 cycles, about 90 seconds. Don’t resist. Don’t expect unicorns and rainbows. Uncomfortable emotions are part of being human, and aside from trauma, abuse, and mental illness, those emotions won’t hurt you much.

Act #32: Mindful Refreshment

Take a drink of water. Notice the feeling of the cool liquid hitting the back of your throat. Follow the sensation into your stomach. Pay attention to how your body responds.

Act #34: Generosity to Self

Be generous to yourself. Set aside 10 minutes in the middle of the day solely for you. Use it to sit quietly, eat a popsicle, take a walk, anything that makes you feel good.

Act #36: Loving Kindness Toward Yourself

Feel yourself sitting comfortably. Take two deep breaths. Silently recite a few kind thoughts toward yourself -- may I feel safe, may I feel content, may I live with ease. Repeat.

Act #38: Loving Kindness Toward Someone Challenging

Think of someone you find challenging, with whom you have conflict. Silently recite a few kind thoughts toward that person. May he feel safe. May she feel content. May he live with ease. Repeat.

Act #40: Expression of Gratitude

Think of someone in your personal orbit who adds value to your life. It can be a close friend, a family member, or the cashier at the grocery store who always seems to be smiling. Make a point to thank them today.

Act #42: Strengthening Your Mental Muscle

Just as you can train your body to become more physically capable, you can train your mind to pay attention with better focus. Strengthening your mental muscle gives you more control over your response to internal and external cues, allowing you to act with intention rather than a knee-jerk reaction. You can explore this superpower with a 12-minute guided Attention to Breathing exercise by school nurse and mindfulness educator Laura Callari.

Act #44: Naming Emotions

Noticing your emotions and purposefully naming them allows you to take a step back from the intensity of feeling. This may give you just enough of a reset to allow you to respond to a situation with compassion and understanding for yourself and others. It doesn’t discredit your emotions, but it can prevent you from being poorly served by them.

Act #46: Focus on something still

No matter where you find yourself at any moment on the anxiety/ease continuum, you’re surrounded by calm things -- trees, clouds, items on a shelf. Focus your attention on something still. Can you mentally note three details about it, perhaps something you never noticed before?

Act #48: Belly Breathing

Belly breathing can take you to a state of deep relaxation and a feeling of ease. This 5-minute practice from our friends at Mindful will show you how to get there.

Act#50: Consider the Messenger

Act #50 The next time you open an email, reflect on the person who wrote it. It doesn’t matter if the message came from someone you know. Think about the effort that went into the email, and wish the author well.

Act #52: Just listen

At some point today -- while in a meeting or a conversation with someone -- try to JUST listen for seconds at a time. Your goal is to be ONLY in this moment. Pure listening is really hard (it'll get easier with practice), so only commit to a few seconds at a time. When you notice that your mind has wandered, gently bring yourself back to the person's voice. You may mind-wander every few seconds; that is to be expected. Always bring yourself back with patience.

Act #54: Look for things that are blue

Several times today, pause and look around you for things that are blue. It might be a coworker's shirt, the last of the season's fresh berries, or the ink in a ballpoint pen. Notice the different hues and how the color blends or contrasts with others around it. Brief but focused attention like this provides a beneficial reset for your mind during a busy day.

Act #56: Drive Your Intention Home

Next time you're driving, notice someone in a car nearby. Silently wish them well with these three phrases:

May you be safe. May you be happy. May you live with ease.

(Bonus points for practicing this with a driver who cuts in front of you!)

Act #58: Nourishing Gratitude

Each time you eat or drink today, consider the people along the way who played a part in bringing that food or beverage to you. Silently express gratitude for the farmer, the processing facility worker, the truck driver, the grocery stocker, and the cashier.

Act #60: Color Breathing

Think of an emotion or a quality you want to cultivate in yourself, then assign it a color. You might choose yellow for happiness, green for patience, or blue for compassion.

Begin the color breathing exercise by taking three deep, full breaths, inhaling and exhaling through your nose. On the next inhale, imagine filling your body with your chosen color, spreading the desired emotion or quality throughout yourself. Repeat until you feel awash in it. You can also do this in reverse, breathing out a color representing an emotion you want to release.

Act #62: Loving Kindness

This 8-minute Loving Kindness Practice by Amy Manhart encourages connection with our larger community through the silent expression of well-wishes for people we know, people we encounter in our daily routines, and people who challenge us.

Act #64: Conscious Chores

What is your least favorite daily activity? Folding laundry? Brushing your teeth? Doing the dishes? Making the bed? Waiting at the post office? During that activity, choose one physical sensation associated with it and focus your attention there. Perhaps it's the temperature of the water on your hands, the taste of toothpaste in your mouth, or the feeling of your feet when you rock back and forth standing in line. Notice what you notice about those typically routine actions when you focus your attention there.

Act #66: What Goes Around

Give what you want to receive. It could be praise for a job well done, an expression of love, or simply a smile.

Act #68: Always the Breath

Sit up straight and strong.

Relax your shoulders.

Soften the area around your heart. Lower your gaze.

Now breathe. In. Out.

You can use your breath to steady your thoughts in times of mental turbulence.

Act #70: Sort for the Similar

Instead of passing judgement, ask, “How am I like that?” Instead of focusing on points of disagreement, ask, “Where do our values converge?”

Act #72: Find something beautiful right now

Right now, no matter where you are, take a moment to look around and find something beautiful. Focus your attention on it and mentally note three details about that thing of beauty.

Act #74: Wandering Mind

Harvard social psychologists conducted a study with 1,200 people and concluded that adults pay attention 53 percent of the time. The other 47 percent accounts for a lot of stress resulting from lost productivity.

You can shift this paradigm with awareness. Ask yourself: Where is my mind right now? Is it on task? If not, simply note (without judgement) that it's wandering and bring it back to what you're doing.

Act #76: The Power of Perspective

COVID-fatigue, election angst, financial strain....

It can feel like it's coming at us from every direction these days. Instead of going down the rabbit hole of worry, observe provoking thoughts as a bystander, with detached curiosity. Don't try to stop them or change them or join them. Just watch them pass by. After a few minutes, turn your attention to the breath. Notice how it feels on the inhale and the exhale.

With each cycle, try to expand the inhale and hold it at the top for a count of three before exhaling completely.

Act #78: Feel the Season

Notice seasonal changes. What looks different? What sounds different? What smells different? How do you feel different?

Act #80: Reach Out

Cut the media clutter and ignore the faux friend masquerading as your iPhone. Connect with a human. Science tells us we're wired for relationships. We say, just notice: Do you feel better after spending time with a mentor or good friend?

Act #82: Feel Your Feet

Notice the sensation of your feet pressing into the floor. Try to isolate each toe and feel it lift and lower. Rise up on the balls of your feet and note the stretch in your calf muscles. You can do this quick self check-in while you're waiting in line, sitting at your desk or in traffic, or cooking dinner.

Act #84: Wish Them Well

Instead of fueling your own frustration trying to figure out why people think the way they do or adding to the discord by arguing against their views, silently wish them well instead.

May you be happy.

May you be healthy.

May you feel fulfilled.

Act #86: Sweep Your Side of the Street

Instead of finding fault with someone else, practice focusing your attention where you have power. When you feel tempted to criticize your neighbor’s unplowed driveway or unkempt yard, turn your attention to yourself instead. Pause. Ask yourself, “What constructive thing could I do right now?” Notice if anything in your mood or level of physical tension improves.

Act #88: Step Back

Today, notice when you might yield to others. Let the other car go first. Let the talker talk. Let your kid not eat every bite. Notice how it feels to surrender when the stakes are small. Does it create more space in your mind, release some of the tightness in your shoulders or neck? Notice how it feels to let some things go.

Act #90: Notice the Little Things

As harried modern humans, we spend big chunks of time oblivious to things around us. We put so much energy into dodging demands and keeping balls in the air that we overlook meaningful details of life. Bring the moments that matter into focus with a noticing practice.

Smell your coffee and notice how the aroma makes you feel. Watch your toddler pick out an outfit and notice how his clothing choices reflect his personality. Take a walk around your neighborhood and notice new things. Just like pushups strengthen our biceps, we can improve our awareness by exercising our "attention muscle."

Act #92: Self-Compassion

Consider how you would act toward someone you care about who is suffering -- a friend, a family member, a colleague. Now consider the difficulties in your own life and give yourself the same comfort and care you would offer a loved one. This 9-minute self-compassion practice from Amy Lane shows us how.

Act #94: Come to Your Senses

Find mental clarity with a five-finger countdown of what you can hear, see, feel, smell, and taste. Start with a deep, full breath, inhaling slowly and exhaling completely. Then listen for five distinct sounds. Look for four things in your view. Notice the textures of three things you can touch. With another breath, try to distinguish two different aromas. Finally, focus your attention on the perception of one dominant flavor (and feel free to pop a mint or take a bite of food to make the experience a pleasurable one). This exercise works particularly well when you feel pulled in multiple directions and want to regain focus.

Act #96: Count on Your Breath

Be grateful for just this one breath. No need to go bigger. Each small act really does get each of us one step closer to self-awareness, which gets us one step closer to a community of aware people. Do your part by noticing that eacah breath comes without effort. Let the gratitude and kindness unfold naturally.

Act #98: Things Change

Things change all around you, all the time. Different faces in the cars on the same route to work each day. The sky that changes color hour by hour. The family member who left for work in a bad mood and came home in a good mood. Today, make a practice of noticing those things.

Act #100: Begin Again

Our human experience is a lot of beginnings and endings, strung together and often contained within each other. The inhale and exhale nest within the cycle of a conversation, the passing of a day, the giving way of one season to the next. We let go of one thing and make space for another. Today, each time you remember to do so, release with the exhale. Put your attention on what is arriving with the inhale.

Thank you for traveling these 100 Acts of Mindfulness with us. Your enthusiasm and attention has delighted us. The quest to live your life on purpose, with attention and intention, just gets more interesting. So tomorrow, begin again.