If you need a way to feel grounded during the day, take a pause and reflect on a mindfulness quote.
Mindfulness is the act of being in the present moment.
And for a lot of us, being present feels like a constant tug of war, where our mind is either yanked towards the past, or being pulled into the future.
You’ve probably caught yourself doing that – dwelling on past mistakes, replaying cringey conversations with acquaintances or awkward scenes from work, or feeling regret about missed opportunities. And you’ve probably played out scenes in your mind that have yet to take place, like wondering what to make for dinner instead of listening to your friend, or worrying about your career while you’re on vacation.
Luckily, it’s just as easy to anchor yourself into the present moment and practice mindfulness. If you’ve ever lost yourself in a simple activity like knitting or coloring, or felt a sense of peace while taking a nice, long walk, chances are you’ve experienced mindfulness.
Even something as mundane as doing the dishes or taking a few deep breaths is a form of mindfulness. As long as you're taking a pause to check-in with your body and your thoughts, without judgment, you are being mindful.
And while mindfulness has become a buzzword of late, it does have real benefits, and has been known to treat everything from stress and anxiety to improving our sleep.
How to practice mindfulness
Okay, so we know that mindfulness makes us feel better and is good for our body and soul, so why don’t we do it more? Mindfulness is like any other practice or habit. The key to having a consistent practice is to start small and have a simple, approachable routine.
Here are some simple activities you can do to incorporate more mindfulness into your day:
- Journaling
- Coloring
- Knitting
- Doing the dishes
- Taking a 20-30 minute walk without your devices
- Cooking
- Chopping Vegetables
- Collaging/drawing
The benefit of these mindful activities is that they encourage you to concentrate on the task at hand, instead of fixating on toxic thoughts or worries. When your mind is focused on coloring or cutting up shapes for a collage, you’re less likely to entertain distracting thoughts or come up with worst case scenarios.
You can try incorporating a mindful activity into your regular routines. Maybe do a little journaling or meditating after your morning cup of coffee. Or go for a decompressing walk in the evening. Or, you can simply try to take deep breaths whenever you need to feel calm.
Mindfulness quotes
We’ve gathered our favorite mindfulness quotes to help you feel more present and grounded in different areas of your life.
Hopefully these mindfulness quotes will provide some relief whether you’re at work, dealing with stress, or trying to bounce back after a difficult situation. You can try meditating on the words or write them in your journal or planner and refer to them whenever you need a spiritual boost.
Mindfulness quotes for stress
Mindfulness is one of the most powerful, yet simple ways to combat stress and anxiety. Thich Nhat Hanh is known as the father of mindfulness, so who better than him to provide some inspiration for your mindfulness practice. Here are mindfulness quotes from Thich Nhat Hanh to help you during times of stress.
“The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.”
“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
“We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize.”
Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.”
Mindfulness quotes for work
The office can be a pressure cooker for stress. From back-to-back meetings, last-minute deadlines, less-than-stellar performance reviews, and hellish commutes, it’s no wonder that so many of us have gotten sick and overwhelmed from work.
If you ever need to regain a sense of peace at the office, use these mindfulness quotes to help steady you and bring you back to the present moment.
“We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” - Buddha
“Breathe out unwanted thoughts with your exhale and re-focus your attention directly on what is important right now, at this moment.” - Amit Ray
“Whatever the present moment contains, accept it as if you had chosen it. Always work with it, not against it.” – Eckhart Tolle
“You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” – Pema Chödrön
“You can't stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” Jon Kabat-Zinn
“Nowhere can man find a quieter or more untroubled retreat than in his own soul.” – Marcus Aurelius
Mindfulness quotes for resilience
Whenever life gets overwhelming and intense, it’s natural to want to distract ourselves with our thoughts or our devices.
But during challenging times, mindfulness can help us be more resilient. By paying attention to our surroundings and our bodies, we can quiet our mind, and in turn, regain the strength to move forward. Here are some mindfulness quotes to inspire resilience.
“Empty your mind, be formless, shapeless—like water. Now you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup, you put water into a bottle, it becomes the bottle, you put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” – Bruce Lee
"Each morning we are born again. What we do today is what matters most." - Buddha
“Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again.”- Nelson Mandela
For even more inspiration for your mindfulness practice, you can find powerful mindfulness quotes here.
