Mindfulness originated from the Buddhist tradition. The term ‘mindfulness’ is a modern translation of Sati from the Pali language, meaning ‘inherently ethical, appreciative, and lucid awareness’. Sometimes, mindfulness may be viewed simply as a form of mental training, but its true qualities is far from cold or empty. As Christian Feldman explains, ‘True mindfulness is imbued with warmth, compassion, and interest’—this is what we might call ‘heartfulness’. In this sense, mindfulness opens us to a deeper, more wholesome form of intelligence, which is reflected in languages like Vietnamese or Chinese, where the same word is used for both heart and mind.

We acknowledge that mindfulness can be defined in various ways, depending on the specific intentions and cultural contexts.

Have you ever found yourself frantically searching the house for the keys to lock up and take your kids to school on time, only to realize they were in your hands the whole time? 

Or opened your phone to quickly send a few messages before taking care of emails, only to discover it was sent to the wrong person—someone you didn’t mean to text?

When this happens, you might think rushing through tasks is a time-saver or even a sign of efficiency. And sure, automatic habits can be incredibly useful in getting us through the day without overthinking every little thing. But the trouble starts when we rely too much on autopilot without checking in.

Now, if you may, take a moment to notice the ripple effects: You might end up taking even more time, scrambling to get the kids to school on time. Or resending a message to the right person—maybe even explaining yourself to the wrong one! And, you’ll miss so much of your life in this way. But beyond the mix-ups and delays, there’s something bigger at stake. You’re missing out on so much of your life.

Mindfulness doesn’t promise to prevent these little mix-ups, nor does it guarantee they won’t happen again. Instead, it nudges you to shift your perspective from ‘What’s wrong with me?’ to ‘What’s already here?’ Then, with a bit of gentle humor, you can ask yourself: ‘Okay, what can I learn from this? What might I do differently next time?’

In other words, mindfulness isn’t about perfection. It’s about pausing without self-criticism. And in that pause, you reclaim the freedom to step out of habitual reactions, find your ground, and approach yourself with kindness, fresh curiosity, and maybe even a chuckle. Or a smile even in the awkward moments.

Mindfulness is something we all naturally have. It’s more about re-member-ing to reconnect with it, rather than searching for it outside ourselves. However, when we’re running on ‘autopilot’, it’s too easy to lose touch with this inner resource. 

The good news? Like learning a new sport or language, mindfulness muscle gets stronger with practice.
There are different ways to practice but it mostly comes down to  two. First, formal guided mindfulness meditation—like body scans, sitting, or mindful movement where you can set aside time and follow a structure, similar to a workout for your mind. Second, informal mindfulness, where you practise speaking and listening more intentionally or simply pay attention to the daily activities, from having a cup of coffee, commuting, to reading with your kids. The key is remembering that the attitudes of curiosity, openness, or perhaps even playfulness you bring along are as important as the practice itself.

Systematic reviews, meta-analyses, and neuroscience research provide strong evidence that mindfulness practices positively impact individuals, leading to broader benefits for communities. These benefits, to a greater or lesser extent, span across various areas crucial to overall health and well-being:

1. Different aspects of mindfulness were linked to different benefits. Studies highlight that increased positive mood and wellbeing are strongly associated with bringing awareness to daily routines and appreciating the small, ordinary. On the other hand, reduced negative moods are closely related to receptivity and non-judgement of difficult thoughts, emotions, and painful feelings.
2. Improved sleep quality: Mindfulness-based programs, such as Mindfulness-Based Cognitive Therapy (MBCT), have been shown to improve sleep quality and reduce insomnia symptoms, particularly in older adults. Better sleep significantly impacts physical and mental wellbeing, leading to more energy and focus throughout the day.
3. Stronger immune system and reduced stress: Regular mindfulness practice helps lower cortisol (the stress hormone) and improves immune function, enhancing resilience to colds, flus, and other common diseases. This offers the important implication for overall health and productivity.
4. Better attention and emotional regulation: Cumulative evidence proves that some certain form of mindfulness practices helps enhance self-regulation, reduces self-judgment, and promotes self-kindness. These are the important predictors of greater empathy and healthier relationships, both with ourselves and others.

Depression relapse prevention: Mindfulness-based interventions, such as MBCT, have been shown to reduce depressive relapse by up to 50% compared to psychoeducation and support groups, and are at least as effective as cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and antidepressants (Kuyken et al., 2016).

Although the study of mindfulness and the brain is still developing, recent brain imaging research has revealed one of its most surprising features: mindfulness meditation can change the brain, a phenomenon known as neuroplasticity. Notable changes include:

• Amygdala: Reduced stress reactivity
• Hippocampus: Improved learning and memory capacity
• Insula: Increased empathy and self-compassion, which contributes to greater sense of genuine connection and happiness

These findings suggest that mindfulness not only enhances overall well-being but also supports deep-seated and positive changes in the brain. That said: Trust your own good sense. Let your practice be your best teacher! While science is promising, neuroscience is still evolving. So, it’s wise to stay curious and avoid overstating the benefits of mindfulness.

Watch professor Mark Williams explains how mindfulness changes some brain patterns that specifically leads to reduced depression relapse.