by guest blogger Rick Hanson, PhD, author of Just One Thing

We spend so much of our time trying to get somewhere.

Part of this comes from our biological nature. To survive, animals - including us - have to be goal-directed, leaning into the future.

It's certainly healthy to pursue wholesome aims, like paying the rent on time, raising children well, healing old pain, or improving education.

But it's also important to see how this focus on the future - on endless striving, on getting the next task done, on climbing the next mountain - can get confused and stressful.

excerpt from Just One Thing by Rick Hanson, PhD

To take any steps toward your own well-being, you have got to be on your own side. Not against others, but for yourself.

For many people, that’s harder than it sounds. Maybe you were raised to think you didn’t count as much as other people. Maybe when you’ve tried to stick up for yourself, you’ve been blocked or knocked down. Maybe deep down you feel you don’t deserve to be happy.

Think about what it’s like to be a good friend to someone. Then ask: Am I that kind of friend to myself?

If not, you could be too hard on yourself, too quick to feel you’re falling short, too dismissive of what you get done each day. Or too half-hearted about protecting yourself from mistreatment or telling others what you really need. Or too resigned to you own pain, or too slow about doing those things—both inside your head and outside it, in the wider world—to make your life better.

Plus, how can you truly help others if you don’t start by helping yourself?

The foundation of all practice is to wish yourself well, to let your own sorrows and needs and dreams matter to you. Then, whatever you do for yourself will have real oomph behind it!

by Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

As I look out my window and see the overcast, gray sky, I'm reminded of the seasons changing, and although fall is coming up, winter is just around the corner. While it's a wonderful practice to be in the present moment, at times it's good to look toward the future so we can use this moment for planning.

I believe it was Benjamin Franklin who said, "Failing to prepare is preparing to fail." When it comes to seasonal affective disorder (SAD) or just being negatively affected by less light and shorter days, this is a great opportunity to get your ducks in a row to stave off a depressive slide.

Here are five key tips to stave off any upcoming fall and winter blues.

by guest blogger Susan Albers, PsyD, author of But I Deserve This Chocolate, 50 Ways to Soothe Yourself without Food, Eat, Drink, & Be Mindful, and Eating Mindfully

There are many ways to eat mindlessly. It's likely that you've been reading a lot about mindless eating in the news.

In my book Eating Mindfully, I outlined several different kinds of mindless eaters. See if any of these characteristics sound familiar:

A) I tend to eat when I'm nervous, stressed or bored.

B) I tend to overeat when I am with my friends or at parties.

C) I tend to eat whenever I see food, particularly if it smells or tastes good.

D) I tend to eat at the same time of the day whether I am hungry or not.

E) I'm too busy to eat, I squeeze it in between tasks or while I'm working.

F) I tend to automatically follow diet "rules" instead of thinking through whether I want it or not.

G) I tend to eat well at meals but have difficulty during the holidays.

H) I tend to eat well during the day but snack as soon as the sun goes down.

I) All of the above

by guest blogger Elisha Goldstein, Ph.D., co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

Mattie was born on July 17th, 1990 with a genetic defect leading to Dysautonomic Mitochondrial Myopathy. He was bound to a wheelchair his entire life until he body finally came to rest at age 13. But Mattie was born into this world with a gift, a gift that lead all 7 of his books to become NY Times Bestsellers and landing him on the Oprah Winfrey Show, Larry King Live, Good Morning America, Primetime, The Today Show, CNN News and many other programs many times to share wisdom with millions of lives.

When I heard what Mattie’s final words to his Mom were, it popped me into a space of clarity.

This 13 year old little boy said:

"Choose to inhale; do not breathe simply to exist."

How many of us just exist in a choiceless world? How often do we actually choose this breath?

Quick Tip for Therapists by Sameet Kumar, PhD, author of Grieving Mindfully and The Mindful Path through Worry and Rumination.

Mindfulness meditation is a popular evidence-based approach. Unlike many other interventions, mindfulness requires therapist experience. The best way to teach mindfulness to your clients is to practice it yourself so you have familiarity with its challenges, pitfalls, and benefits.

Mindfulness instruction is best given at the end of the first session, ideally in the context of addressing immediate stressors. You can tell your client earlier in session that you will spend the last ten minutes teaching them a new tool for stress management.

by guest blogger Ronald Alexander, Ph.D., author of Wise Mind, Open Mind

Today many of us are dealing with devastating losses in our lives, from natural disasters such as the earthquake and tsunami in Japan to losing our homes, jobs and relationships. After the initial shock of any type of trauma, there are, of course, the various stages of grief that everyone goes through, including denial, rationalization, anger and acceptance. For those who are on this journey, it is important to have faith in yourself and the inner compass that guides you. If you do this, you'll understand that opportunities for growth and happiness lie in the most unexpected places, ready to be seized if you're open to recognizing and embracing them. I don't believe we ever get over a significant loss, but we do learn to move through it, live with it, and perhaps even use it creatively to find our life's purpose and harvest its lessons.

by guest blogger Ronald Alexander, Ph.D., author of Wise Mind, Open Mind

I think everyone from young to old is aware that Valentine's Day is Feb. 14. But did you know that starting Feb. 13 it is also Random Acts of Kindness Week? Now this seems appropriate, since Valentine's Day is supposedly based on the martyred saints who, around 200 A.D., performed marriages for soldiers ordered by the Roman Emperor to remain single. Their acts weren't necessarily random, but they were based on kindness and service.

Today, service -- or Seva, as we say in Sanskrit -- is essential for one's transformation, personal growth and tapping into their creativity. At every step of the way in your journey, you need to be sharing in some shape or form, whether it's to somebody in need of comfort or financial help. I think it's important to see that we are all in this together; it's not about acquiring more stuff or taking care of what you have. It's about actively -- in a social, political or spiritual way -- contributing to the whole thing.

by Elisha Goldstein Ph.D., co-author of A Mindfulness-Based Stress Reduction Workbook

As family and friends begin to gather during the holidays, at one point or another we may have to face either ourselves or a loved one with addiction. There are really very few people who are not touched by addiction in one way or another. Addiction comes in the form of alcohol, drugs, sex, shopping, eating, sugar, and other compulsive behaviors that are an avoidance strategy and eventually cause distress.

When caught up in the cycle of addictive behavior, there is an inability to accept whatever is being felt in the present moment and the mind is constantly wandering onto the next ‘fix.’ So it’s safe to conclude that addiction often builds a wall of disconnection and makes it difficult to actually be present for the holidays.