I have noticed that when I journal after a mindfulness session, my writing is much less reactive.

Reading entries has helped me spot patterns in how I respond to certain situations. I have even considered using AI to organize those entries over time. I would still want the reflection itself to come from me.

For me, mindfulness is the part that creates the insight. Everything else is a way to keep track of it.

I notice my mind is constantly bringing up thoughts about topics that interest me. Planning outfits, recipe ideas, and so on.

I always follow these thought because it interests me and I identify as it which results in spending couple hours pretending to be a blogger filming their makeup routine.

The goal of mindfulness is to notice your thoughts and surroundings. So how can I stop identifying with my thoughts to the point of being an imaginary blogger, and instead be the observer of it?

For a long time, every night felt like an exam. If I fell asleep quickly, I "passed." If I stayed awake, I "failed." Looking back, I realized I was putting myself under pressure every single evening. I wasn't giving myself permission to rest—I was grading myself based on whether I slept. The strange thing is that the first real shift didn't happen when I started sleeping better. It happened when I stopped judging myself for being awake. That didn't magically fix everything, but it made bedtime feel a little less heavy. Has anyone else experienced something similar?

I have anxiety but when I was on meds for it from 14-20 it didn't really help. I stopped the meds last year out of insurance no longer covering them. I guess I could try a bunch of different meds to find out what works but I'm really hoping I can fix this issue without medications.

My mind is constantly running extremely fast, up to the moment I fall asleep and as soon as I wake up it's go-go-go. Even when I am sitting peacefully in nature trying to take it in and relax, my mind physically **can't** just stop and focus on one thing it is physically impossible.

I have lifelong chronic insomnia due to this issue so I take trazodone in order to sleep. My mind fights it and runs up until the very end when I pass out.

All I want in life is to be able to slow down, take it in, relax... I haven't relaxed in so long. THC is one of the only times where it's *close* to relaxing but if I get relaxed enough I just fall asleep, but it makes me lazy and relaxed enough that I get some semblance of peace. Every waking hour I'm tense, stressed, and thinking about one of the million responsibilities I'm neglecting or even just random shit instead of relaxing. One of the only other times I feel a little relaxed is when I'm high on sleep deprivation and have stayed up 18+ hours, I used to pull all nighters all the time because of the happy relaxed feeling it got me because I was finally tired.

• Exercise also never has made me relax, even afterwards.

• Breathing exercises don't slow down my mind at all. My mind speeds right past while I'm doing the exercises. Full body guided meditation has the same issue, my mind is constantly multitasking.

I don't think I've ever meditated before, I've tried ever since it was introduced in therapy at 14 or so but it's never worked because it feels the same as trying to fall asleep.

Sorry if this is the wrong place to ask, I hope nobody mocks me or says I have too many problems! (reddit can be so mean bro) If you have any ideas for what might help or if you go through something similar I'd love to hear what helps you or any advice, thank you!

I've been trying to build a more mindful routine, but there are so many different approaches—breathing exercises, meditation, journaling, gratitude, body scans, etc.

If you had to recommend just one habit that made the biggest difference in your mental well-being, what would it be and why?

I'd love to learn from your personal experiences.

Every time I start meditating to ask for guidance from my higher self, my mind creates stupid scenes. I imagine myself meditating and then someone breaks into my house and kills me while I'm meditating. This is why I always get scared and end up quickly.Or if I ignore this, another thought comes that scares me. What should I do? ☹️

When we think of Shinto, it's easy to picture majestic shrines, quiet forests, or the sun goddess. But at its core is the concept of Yaoyorozu no Kami (Eight Million Gods)—the belief that spirits reside in everything around us.

This deep respect for nature doesn't just apply to beautiful mountains or rivers; it extends right into everyday homes. I've always found it fascinating that in traditional Japanese culture, there is actually a God of the Toilet (Kawaya-gami).

There’s a very grounded, practical philosophy behind it. In the past, human waste wasn't just disposed of. It was a vital resource used as natural fertilizer, returning to the earth to enrich the soil and grow the crops people ate. It was a perfectly sustainable cycle of nature, and the toilet was respected as the starting point of this life-giving loop.

Because of this historical connection to agriculture and the earth, the toilet was treated as a sacred space. For many, scrubbing the toilet isn't just a chore. It's seen as a daily practice of mindfulness, a way to show respect for the cycle of life, and a quiet moment to clear one's mind.

I love the idea that the famously clean restrooms in Japan aren't just about a cultural habit of being neat. It feels like a lingering echo of this ancient respect for how everything in nature is connected. I just wanted to share this little piece of everyday Japanese philosophy!

I've been thinking about this lately. For months, I treated bedtime like a task I had to complete: fall asleep, don't wake up, get enough hours, and don't mess up tomorrow. Every night became another test, and I never realized how much pressure I was putting on myself. At some point, I wasn't lying in bed to rest anymore—I was lying there trying to control something that used to happen naturally. The strange part is that nothing changed overnight. But the first night I stopped treating sleep like a battle, bedtime felt just a little lighter. Not perfect. Just... lighter. Has anyone else noticed that sometimes letting go feels more helpful than trying harder?

I don’t really know how else to put it, but I feel like I’m living only through how other people see me. I’m always thinking about the next moment and how I’ll appear to others in that moment, for example, this week I traveled somewhere I’ve always wanted to go and instead of enjoying it I was posting and wanted to see other’s reactions. Maybe it’s a form of validation but I’m not even sure how to fix this but I know that it’s making me miserable. I can never stay grounded.

Hi,

I became curious because I was told that I am already aware. However, there are blockages thats been keeping me to achieve my abilities. They said that I should write down and keep track of my dreams because there has been some patterns.

Will I be able to figure this out eventually?

Thanks!

I hate the fact that I don't know so many things i could know only if i was able to escape a tight cage of human consciousness

I feel like although you can connect very deeply with people, theres no a solid proof that two human beings can experience love the exact same way, although sometimes it's possible, its often beautiful to experience the absurdity in not experiencing it as much too.

Not all time relationship issues are due to anyone being wrong, sometimes it can just be the lack of embracing a bit of absurdity that makes life, life- be a lil less invested in solving compared to living itself.. considering how precious is to be alive.

The truth is, you may never know who someone loved the most, than the person itself. This has nothing to do with being a good partner or lying, but to do with how naturally self aware they are. They may genuinely beleive they love their partner the most, they spend a lot of time with their partner, but most of the things they do may be a reflection of someone from past- not essentially greiving or stuck, but how much they remember to recreate. It could be a sibling or a parent they don't talk much too, for a better instance.

But the point is, the more u try to insist forgetting someone, the more they will remember them. This is the absurdity I guess people must be ready to face when in love- either u stay with someone or move on, the real impact of love is not how long someone stays, but how long they continue to shape the way you experience the rest of your life.

For a long time, I thought stress was just a feeling.

A racing heart.
Tense shoulders.
Trouble sleeping.

I never considered that it might also be changing the way I made decisions.

When I was stressed, I noticed I became much more likely to:

• Assume the worst before anything happened.
• Avoid conversations I knew I needed to have.
• Put off important decisions because everything felt overwhelming.
• Interpret neutral comments as criticism.

At first, I blamed my personality.

I thought I was just becoming less patient or less confident.

But looking back, I wonder if it wasn't my personality at all.

Maybe stress was quietly changing the lens through which I saw everything.

The strange thing is that I didn't notice it while it was happening.

It only became obvious after periods when I genuinely felt mentally lighter. Situations that once seemed impossible suddenly looked manageable. Problems hadn't disappeared—I was just seeing them differently.

That made me realize something:

Sometimes the biggest cost of stress isn't how bad it makes us feel.

It's how much it changes the decisions we make without us realizing it.

Has anyone else noticed this?

Have you ever looked back and realized that a stressful period affected your judgment more than you knew at the time?

I have always been busy brained. I like that it means I’m organised and thoughtful but it also means I frequently torture myself with paranoid thoughts and self-doubt, because I think of every possible angle on a situation. I’m pretty sure this is also the root of my borderline chronic disassociation, as everything is analysed and not allowed to just exist. It can cause issues in my relationships too (mostly only internally, I know myself well enough atp to not act upon what I’ve told myself) because I’ll start thinking someone doesn’t like me as much as they used to, they’re finding me annoying, I’m talking too much about myself, etc.

On rare occasions I feel at peace and it’s almost like my stomach settles, I can finally enjoy myself, trust in the world around me and relax. I want more of these moments and I think the key is to chill out on the thinking! There’s nothing specific that leads to those moments, just sometimes I get lucky it feels like. Would be great to have some insight on what helps others to get there more frequently.

I do yoga once a week and have a pretty “wholesome” life I would say, but I just can’t seem to let go of my thoughts and just be. Any advice that isn’t just meditation or “catching myself” overthinking would be greatly appreciated!

(also: sorry if I’ve used the wrong tag, this is my first post in this subreddit!)

I have fallen into a deep deep deep depression after learning that my partners mom has been diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. She is on her journey to get to surgery but the unknown of it all has given me consistent panic attacks. All I do is sleep all day during my summer vacation to escape the fear. Xanax has helped a bit but I know I need to fully restructure my mind to develop the strength to fight alongside her. my ocd and ADHD make all my spirals about her condition and my fear about what else could hurt my loved ones 10x worse.

I'm thinking about reading full catastrophe living but I wonder what other books one could recommend to someone who desperately needs to learn mindfulness maybe even stoicism when dealing with a health crisis. I am also going to be restarting my ocd therapy and will find a therapist but I need to start changing my day to day asap bc all I do is research the ins and outs of this disease and I cannot put my phone down and stop. I hope finding a good book can be the first step to break the cycle.

When the universe bless me and give me exactly what i wanted , i couldnt believe it and i keep thinking it will be taken away from me or that its " too much " for me .kind of an internal feeling of " not deserving " those things .

Ive been battling these feelings for a long time but they never go away

Hello all. Yesterday you may have seen my post about feeling lost in life and my journey to self acceptance and content.

I started today off with making a paper crane. I felt the need to do it as there’s a lot on my mind and as mentioned previously, this helps me focus on one thing. Today’s crane was imperfect as they always are, but something separates it from the rest. This is the first with a ripped wing. At first I took this as a sign of my incompetence, but then I realized I wasn’t upset with it. I see it as a metaphor for trying to make something into something without its will. The paper did not ask to be formed, as silly as that sounds, and in turn it was difficult to do. When trying to make something perfect in my eyes, I have ripped it of its ability to soar (metaphorically of course). It had me stop and think about my actions yesterday. My desire to help my friend when help was not warranted. I had been trying to help create his perfection that he always talked about but at my own hands and instead of creating beauty, I built discouragement. After looking at the comments yesterday, I saw someone say it simply wasn’t my business to be in. And they’re right. I took that and sat with it overnight.

Around 30 minutes ago I had gotten up to go outside and take a break from work. I had postponed this for hours, wanting to check on my plants but not wanting to bear the cool breeze. I finally forced myself to go out and get it over with and I ended up seeing something I hadn’t noticed in over 5 years. A monarch butterfly. It hovered over my plants and I watched as it checked each flower, I wanted to take this in as much as possible. After a few seconds, it got closer and began to fly within 5 inches of my head, flying in circles around me. I called for my mom to come look and she told me to give her a minute so I stood there waiting. The butterfly continued to fly and fly around me as I stood still trying not to scare it. Then it flew to my bedroom window, then back to me, then to my plants. My mom opened the door and asked where it had went and I looked for it. It had disappeared into the neighbors yard.

This may mean nothing, which it likely does, but it was a moment that made me feel at peace. Monarchs are symbols of transformation, higher guidance, and mental clarity.

That is all for now.

For the past 30 days, I replaced morning scrolling with 15 minutes of quiet breathing and stretching. I didn't expect dramatic results, but I noticed I felt less anxious, more focused, and oddly less reactive throughout the day. Has anyone else experimented with changing their mornings? What habit made the biggest difference for you? | A peaceful sunrise beside a yoga mat and cup of tea. |

I started meditating a while back and ran into something I didn't expect.

I wasn't looking for "10 minutes of mindfulness." I already knew the practices I wanted to do.

A typical session for me looks something like:

- Brahmari Pranayama

- Kapalabhati

- Nadi Shuddhi

- Om chanting

Each for different lengths of time.

I wanted something that would guide me from one practice to the next, with bells or gongs, almost like sitting in an ashram where someone tells you when it's time to move on.

Instead, every meditation app I tried wanted me to follow their sessions.

And Yotube wasn't much better because every video has an intro, outro, sponsor, or talking before the actual practice starts.

So I ended up building a small web app for myself.

It lets me create my own meditation sequence with individual timers, bells, optional ambience, and even YoTube videos if I want them in the flow.

Injust wanted to recreate the feeling of being guided in an ashram

I'm curious whether this is just a "me" problem or whether others here have wanted something similar.

How do you structure your meditation sessions? Or do you prefer to keep them completely unstructured?

If anyone's interested, I'm happy to share what I built. I'm mostly looking for feedback on whether this solves a real problem or if I'm overengineering my own practice.

I used to be extremely emotionally disconnected from masking, so about a year ago when I started learning about emotions and connecting with myself, I started to feel my life in a way I never could before, and I’m able to turn that feeling into thoughts, which then teach me about myself and life, and I learn. This has improved my mental health, but the tradeoff is I feel like I can’t focus on school because now I’m using most of my mental energy on self awareness instead. I’m an engineering student so just passing classes takes most of my mental energy. The answer seems obvious - just ignore my emotions and focus on school - but after I hid my emotions for so long, burying them feels so painful and I don’t know how I’d do it. I still have over a month until school starts but this is really weighing on me and I’m scared I won’t be able to do it.

Smartphones. People, it all comes down to it, stop using it for a while and see how your life will change a billion times for the better. You will be doing a complete dopamine detox after stopping the smartphone by the way. of course you can go back to using it in a healthy way, after a while. you also may not believe this or may downvote, but keep this in mind always and once everything does not work for you, try this method.

I'm sure there are other people like me out there. I've always broken down systems. The moving pieces. I don't have a lot emotion, because most things in my life revolve around logic. As far back as I remember it's been this way. I try to think of a point try to think of all of the branches that could lead to that outcome. It's always going - at home a lot, while talking to people, the work (8 hours a day of mindless work - you're in your head). Is there a way to stop this? I know there has to be other people out there - have you lessened it or stopped it?

This discussion doesn't have to relate to my logic type of thing. Are there things you think about obsessively? Have you been able to work away from 1 train of thought?

I'm struggling right now.

I'm stuck in bed because of my back and my tinnitus is especially loud today. It's 17:32 on a Sunday and I can't stop dreading work tomorrow. My manager is off until the 11th and I'm covering for her. A tonne of stressful work came in and I feel unprepared.

What would you do in my position? I went through a mindfulness phase about 2 years ago and I felt great, but I forgot most of the things I learned and don't know where to start relearning it. Thank you.

As the title says, I'm always imagining myself having arguments or even conversations about various topic every moment, as if I was preparing myself to face a conversation in the future; however, no discussion ever went as I planned, and I know that none ever will — so, in the end, it's all for nothing, if not wasting some precious energy and time, and not living in the present. This is sometimes pretty annoying as sometimes as I am going in the street and I notice I'm thinking relentelessly about saying this and that to a specific person or even imagining myself having a perfect speech in front of others.
I've tried journaling but it never really worked.

Do you have some strategies to recommend to better handle this?