Day 21

Just Like Me is one of our favorite practices, cultivating an awareness of just how linked we are to one another. Deep down, human connections are stronger than we may realize.

Day 20

During these practices, there's nowhere to go and nothing to do except be in the present. The simplicity of this may be restful, or it may be unsettling. Samuel Singer’s 12-minute gratitude practice is an exploration of the many, many, many things for which we can be grateful today.

Day 19

This 9-minute practice from Amy Lane uses the familiar anchor of the breath to cultivate comfort, rest, and compassion for ourselves and others.

Day 18

"To extend compassion and kindness toward others to the extent that we'd all like, we must first extend compassion and kindness toward ourselves." Samuel Singer guides us, with this 8-minute meditation, to practice treating ourselves as we'd treat our best friend.

Day 17

Practicing gratitude boosts resilience, calms the nervous system, and raises self-esteem. And we're grateful to Mackenzie Cole for this 9-minute practice, a detailed recollection of a pleasant memory.

Day 16

As you engage this 9-minute practice from Sara Flitner, notice how it feels to send well wishes to a neutral person — someone you encounter but don't know well. Perhaps it's the driver in the car next to you at a stoplight. Or maybe it's a worker in the checkout line. What do you notice -- without judging yourself -- as you send well wishes to that neutral person in your life?

Day 15

With this 8-minute practice courtesy of Samuel Singer, we’ll anchor our attention on a series of positive, loving phrases, silently repeated. An important instruction during this practice is to notice the emotions that come up as you repeat these phrases. Just notice.

Day 14

Before we can readily extend kindness to others, especially during extended periods of stress, we must begin with ourselves. Self-compassion expert Dr. Kristin Neff suggests we "give ourselves the same kindness and care we’d give to a good friend." This 7-minute self-compassion practice from Kirsten Corbett is a great place to start.

Day 13

What is the quality of presence in this moment? This 9-minute practice from Amy Lane explores that question. With a gentle and loving approach, Amy guides us to notice what's going on -- internally and externally -- without changing, manipulating, or fixing.

Day 12

Rather than moving our attention from the bottom to the top of the body, this 9-minute body scan from Sara centers on the torso. It's also a lovely bridge to the type of practice we'll begin tomorrow.

Day 11

During body scans we're instructed to notice sensations. For many of us, this may awaken unpleasant, uncomfortable body sensations. Through this 8-minute body scan, Samuel asks us to note -- without judgment -- sensations as positive, negative, or neutral. No matter the quality of the sensation, just note it without trying to fix or change anything. And then let it go.

Day 10

During this 9-minute body scan, Vanessa Sulzer observes, "when we bring our attention down into our body . . . our state changes just a little bit. It helps us get out of so many thoughts and more rooted in something else." See if that resonates as you do this practice.

Day 9

During this 7-minute body scan practice from Kirsten, there's no need to strive to make anything happen. Just pay attention to body sensations, moment by moment, and do your best to let things be as they are.

Day 8

Mackenzie introduces a different type of practice -- the body scan -- with this 8-minute mental check-in from toes to head. When your mind wanders (and it will!), gently bring your attention back to the instruction. You may become so relaxed during this practice that you fall asleep. That's not a problem. A deep breath can help you reawaken, or feel free to take this opportunity for a little nap.

Day 7

This 7-minute practice from Sara opens the field of awareness a bit, guiding us to notice when thoughts arise. Your aim is to bring gentleness and patience to thought patterns as they come and go.

Day 6

This 7-minute practice from Kirsten Corbett uses sound as the anchor of attention. Kirsten encourages us to "fall into receptivity," as we let the sounds come to us. And then notice. Just notice.

Day 5

At the top of each inhale there's a brief gap, a seemingly insignificant pause. Through this 6-minute practice, Sara Flitner guides us to use that gap as the focus of attention, a place to find the tiniest bit of rest.

Day 4

Mackenzie Cole, who jumped in with both feet last year and became one of our newer teachers, gently reminds us during this 5-minute practice that the point of the practice is not to stop thoughts altogether. Rather, the point is to notice your thoughts and -- as often as necessary -- redirect them to the anchor, the breath.

Day 3

The experience of breathing is one of the best anchors for our attention. It’s a concrete physical sensation we can return to repeatedly. Kirsten Corbett’s 6-minute practice encourages us to attend to details of the breath.

Day 2

Samuel Singer offers a 5-minute Focused Attention practice -- to help us gain awareness of our breathing. Over time, we can learn to use our breath as an anchor point, a place to return our attention when our mind wanders off.

Day 1

We begin with a 6-minute practice from Becoming Jackson Whole's founder and president. Your mind will wander during this practice — maybe a lot — just do your best to follow Sara’s instructions.

And come back tomorrow.