Happy 2026! As we start the New Year, one of the best resolutions we can make for our health, happiness, and relationships is simply to practice being present.
In this age of distraction, mindful attention is a gift we can give every hour of every day to ourselves, our families, our friends, and others whose lives we touch.
Living in the present feels good and gives our brains relief from ruminating about the past and worrying about the future. It also makes us more aware of those around us, which can spark a desire to help others. For instance, research consistently shows that practicing mindfulness makes people kinder to strangers by increasing empathic concern, compassion, and pro-social behavior. This leads to more willingness to help those who are in distress or socially excluded. No doubt, we can all use more kindness and compassion.
For years I’ve been teaching and writing about how practicing mindfulness as part of daily life activities, even for a few seconds or minutes, adds up at the end of the day to the kind of brain health that you get from sitting in formal meditation. So I wasn’t at all surprised to see this article on “micro-dosing” mindfulness.
“According to a growing body of research from teams around the world, those who complete extraordinarily brief exercises — lasting as little as 20 seconds a day — report feeling peace and joy that lingers long after the exercise ends,” it states.
By breaking ruminative thought cycles and calming the physiological stress response, practices as simple as pausing to take three breaths can have profound benefits for our health and happiness. Other evidence-based interventions studied and mentioned in the article include brief writing exercises and self-compassion methods cultivating gratitude, awe, and a sense of purpose.
It’s nice to see science continuing to verify truths I’ve been teaching for years, such as:
“Micro-dosing” mindfulness is just another way of saying you don’t have to sit in meditation for long periods to experience all the benefits of bringing yourself back to the present moment. The more you think about it, the more you realize: You can incorporate mindfulness into just about everything you do. Whether it’s brushing your teeth; sipping your morning coffee; cooking; eating; walking; getting grounded through the soles of your feet; or listening, singing or dancing to music, all of life is the meditation!
So as we walk through 2026, remember: Where there is presence, there is peace. Here’s a short poem from my upcoming collection, “Gentle Currents: Poems of Pause & Peace,” coming March 3!
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