Year of Mindfulness from the Community

+Brighter Being Library

We have so enjoyed welcoming each and every one of you into our community this year. Thank you for believing in (and living!) a life with intention by embracing the power of mindfulness.

One of our main intentions as we continue to grow this community is to explore new and unique ways to remind you that you have the all the power, strength, clarity, and beauty inside of you. In a world full of distractions, we often find ourselves simply needing to take a mindful moment to be reminded of that inherent truth, and it's from that very intention that LumenKind was born.

As we reflected on this past year, we wanted to do something to commemorate all of the beautiful souls who have gathered around this idea that mindfulness matters. We asked our community to share with us a bit about their own journeys, and collected those responses for you here.

Our hope is that you may read this blog post during a time when you might need some fortification, and come back to it as often as you need. We encourage you to brew a favorite cup of tea, get cozy, grab a journal, and settle in as you absorb the brilliance of these bright souls.

WHAT'S A DAILY RITUAL THAT YOU JUST CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT?

“I adore my morning ritual. When I started my first full time job, I had little energy in the mornings and evenings as I adjusted to the long days. I began to implement a morning routine after investing more time in my mindfulness practice and after a few months of adjustments to the routine, I felt energized, happier and more self aware than ever. That morning routine consists of going on a run (sometimes) after I wake up, breakfast and matcha and then a 10-15 minute meditation. It's simple but it has absolutely changed the way I find my energy.” — Katy in Knoxville, TN

"When I wake up in the morning I like to take an hour without any technology. I like to make breakfast and walk out on my porch, if it is a nice day, and take the time to set my intentions for what I want to accomplish that day or even plan for the week." — Tyler in Waveland, MS

“I always wake up my young daughter by snuggling her and welcoming the day with kisses and giggles. This simple ritual grounds me in overwhelming gratitude for my family. Now if I could only get up 30 minutes earlier to work out!” — Christina in Austin, TX

“A Gratitude Practice. My rituals are forever changing, but taking a moment to remember how much I have to be grateful for always sticks.” — @jessicaashwellness

"Every morning, I have hot tea and then off to yoga class. I love it so much because it helps ground and center me before the day." — @mrs.yorkie

"Morning snuggles with my pup while I eat breakfast!" — @cnsmith88

"Wake up early, make a cup of coffee & writing out what I am grateful for & my intentions for the day." — @mowcey

“1 minute mediation- from the book with the same title." – ✨ Rene in Pennsylvania

WHAT ARE YOU CURRENTLY EXPLORING OR DISCOVERING IN YOUR MINDFULNESS JOURNEY?

“I'm currently exploring how to build my toolbox for self care. When the discovery and healing process has been harder than I thought, I realized I needed something now more than anything that could help the process. I started being mindful for the first time in my life: setting daily intentions, being present and aware, going out of my comfort zone and doing things for me, and it felt great. I now wanted to share my mindfulness journey with my closest friends, wanting to talk to them about this journey, sharing thoughts and spreading a mindfulness approach on life and little did I know...they were thanking me and embarking on their own mindfulness journeys. I went through a brief period of forgetting any intentions I had set, falling back into old habits on how to cope that weren't working—I had given up on my tools. It took those close friends calling me out to make me realize I wasn't being mindful and needed to find my way back.” — Beeta in Chicago, IL

"A deeper connection to love and forgiveness." — Dena in New Jersey

“It's always a journey to continue to tap and tune in to my body, but lately, I've been really trying to be present and IN my body. Tasting, smelling, seeing, enjoying, feeling, etc.” — Jessica in California

"I'm discovering that my mindfulness practice is necessary in my day-to-day. I fell away from my morning routine and yoga practice for a couple months and found myself in a lethargic and lonely space. However, that time taught me the importance of investing in myself so that I may be the inspiring light I strive to be." — @katy_hill3

"Sleepy time yoga, regular movement, more technology disconnection, getting outdoors" – Rene in Pennsylvania

"Being in the moment." —@lhotchkiss74

“I am learning of the many paths I can take in life. Everyone makes their own path and I am finally excited to make my own.” — @tyler_trapini

"Being fully present at all times & in every interaction." — @mowcey

"Meditation & focusing on my goodness - pushing away the negative feel my mind tries to play." — @alisonreinholt

WHAT IS THE GREATEST LESSON 2018 HAS TAUGHT YOU?

“2018 taught me that social media does not define your work. Getting out in the community, networking with like-minded people and building relationships are all so valuable. Don't sweat if you didn't get a good picture to post! — Taylor in Austin, TX

"You come first. Only you can make that happen. And if you insist upon it, people will respect your wishes." — Rene in Pennsylvania

"Everything changes and evolves. Everything. So, being humble with this understanding and embracing change instead of fighting it has been the most powerful and sometimes painful lesson." — @csmartell

Just go for it. The adventure is worth it." — @ganniek

"Believe that the path you are on is exactly where you need to be. Everything you want, wants you." — @tara_leahs

"That life is good / and anything that annoys me is a blessing." — @heather.maio

"Impermanence." — @srprothe

"You create your own destiny, and originality is far too under appreciated. Following others will not bring you any closer to what your true calling is in your lifetime. Self love is not selfish." — @tyler_trapini

Also in Our Journey

Whole30 CEO Melissa Urban Leads You to Step Wholly Into Your Power

We met Melissa Urban, Whole30 Co-Founder and CEO and New York Times best-selling author, just six months after LumenKind launched. Since our shared mindful moment in 2018, she’s been an inspiration for us as a brilliant health and wellness leader and a generous soul. So today, we’re beyond excited to share that she launched her Empowerment Pack of Mindful Marks

Walkabout Virtual Reality Game Invites a Pause while Still in Play

Mighty Coconut, an Austin, TX-based animation studio, created a beloved virtual reality Mini Golf experience that has the likes of Jim Henson Company knocking on their door. To offer a new way for players to enjoy the digital environment, connect with one another, and tap into the meditative power of their putting greens, the Walkabout team invited LumenKind to play together! We begin our journey in Shangri-La...

Top Education Organization Inspires Leaders to Focus on Wellness

Texas Association of School Administrators (TASA) developed a first-of-its-kind leadership performance program to inspire education leaders to integrate wellness practices into their daily lives. TASA tapped LumenKind to customize a monthly mindfulness outreach and curate a unique collection of Mindful Marks to support the first cohort of the Breakaway Program.

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