C. Estelle Campenni, Ph.D.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is a flexible state of mind that makes it easier to be attentive and aware of what is happening in the present moment without being reactive to the experience.
You are being mindful when you are focused and engaged with what you are experiencing.
In many ways, mindfulness is simply the innocent act of being your authentic self. Because each of us is unique in our own special way, the experience of mindfulness can be different for each of us.
While many people equate mindfulness with meditation and yoga, it really is a naturally occurring state of being that anyone and everyone can, and likely does, experience more often than they realize.
How do you experience mindfulness in your daily life?
To help you understand your own version of mindfulness, consider a time when you were fully attentive and aware of the moment you were living and were able to accept that moment without judging or interpreting it.
Use the provided text box to describe that experience before moving forward.
So how is mindfulness experienced in daily life?
As a way to formally investigate the ways in which people experience mindfulness in their daily lives, I conducted a qualitative study in which people were asked to describe a time when they were mindful. Specifically, they were asked to consider a time when they were fully attentive and aware of the moment they were living and were able to accept that moment without judging or interpreting it. A thematic analysis was conducted on the data provided by 55 participants to identify the different categories of experiences people had in their daily lives that can be considered mindful experiences.
Five themes emerged which included:
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novel, first-time experiences
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experiences that made one appreciate diversity
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individual engagement in personally satisfying experiences
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interpersonal interactions, and
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moments that required emotional control.
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Explore the dropdowns to expand on each theme.
Campenni. C. E. (2010). A mixed-method investigation of daily experiences of mindfulness. Presented in Washington, DC at the National Conference for the Association of Psychological Science.
Real life examples of mindfulness
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How does mindfulness relate to this theme?The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are behaving as if on automatic pilot or as if we are following a script of how we are supposed to behave. When we experience something for the first time, there is no script to follow and we therefore are more present to what is actually happening in the moment as opposed to what is supposed to happen based on past experiences and expectations.
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What are novel, first time experiences?Novel situations include meeting people for the first time (e.g., first dates, new clients), driving to a new place, taking new courses or course experiences, completing new work assignments, visiting a city for the first time, and watching a sporting event for the first time.
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Specific examples of this themeSome specific verbatim responses that represent novel, first time experiences include: On a first date I would be very mindful of my body language and choice of words to make sure I am sending the right signals. Last year I watched a lacrosse game for the first time and paying attention was a huge benefit. I came home knowing the official rules and wanting to see another game. When meeting someone new for the first time, I try not to judge them by what they look like. I try to keep an open mind despite what stereotypes go along with their outward appearance.
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How does mindfulness relate to this theme?The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are behaving as if on automatic pilot or as if we are following a script of how we are supposed to behave. When we experience something for the first time, there is no script to follow and we therefore are more present to what is actually happening in the moment as opposed to what is supposed to happen based on past experiences and expectations.
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What are novel, first time experiences?Novel situations include meeting people for the first time (e.g., first dates, new clients), driving to a new place, taking new courses or course experiences, completing new work assignments, visiting a city for the first time, and watching a sporting event for the first time.
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Specific examples of this themeSome specific verbatim responses that represent novel, first time experiences include: On a first date I would be very mindful of my body language and choice of words to make sure I am sending the right signals. Last year I watched a lacrosse game for the first time and paying attention was a huge benefit. I came home knowing the official rules and wanting to see another game. When meeting someone new for the first time, I try not to judge them by what they look like. I try to keep an open mind despite what stereotypes go along with their outward appearance.
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How does mindfulness relate to this theme?The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are behaving as if on automatic pilot or as if we are following a script of how we are supposed to behave. When we experience something for the first time, there is no script to follow and we therefore are more present to what is actually happening in the moment as opposed to what is supposed to happen based on past experiences and expectations.
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What are novel, first time experiences?Novel situations include meeting people for the first time (e.g., first dates, new clients), driving to a new place, taking new courses or course experiences, completing new work assignments, visiting a city for the first time, and watching a sporting event for the first time.
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Specific examples of this themeSome specific verbatim responses that represent novel, first time experiences include: On a first date I would be very mindful of my body language and choice of words to make sure I am sending the right signals. Last year I watched a lacrosse game for the first time and paying attention was a huge benefit. I came home knowing the official rules and wanting to see another game. When meeting someone new for the first time, I try not to judge them by what they look like. I try to keep an open mind despite what stereotypes go along with their outward appearance.
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How does mindfulness relate to this theme?The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are behaving as if on automatic pilot or as if we are following a script of how we are supposed to behave. When we experience something for the first time, there is no script to follow and we therefore are more present to what is actually happening in the moment as opposed to what is supposed to happen based on past experiences and expectations.
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What are novel, first time experiences?Novel situations include meeting people for the first time (e.g., first dates, new clients), driving to a new place, taking new courses or course experiences, completing new work assignments, visiting a city for the first time, and watching a sporting event for the first time.
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Specific examples of this themeSome specific verbatim responses that represent novel, first time experiences include: On a first date I would be very mindful of my body language and choice of words to make sure I am sending the right signals. Last year I watched a lacrosse game for the first time and paying attention was a huge benefit. I came home knowing the official rules and wanting to see another game. When meeting someone new for the first time, I try not to judge them by what they look like. I try to keep an open mind despite what stereotypes go along with their outward appearance.
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How does mindfulness relate to this theme?The opposite of mindfulness is mindlessness. When we are mindless, we are behaving as if on automatic pilot or as if we are following a script of how we are supposed to behave. When we experience something for the first time, there is no script to follow and we therefore are more present to what is actually happening in the moment as opposed to what is supposed to happen based on past experiences and expectations.
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What are novel, first time experiences?Novel situations include meeting people for the first time (e.g., first dates, new clients), driving to a new place, taking new courses or course experiences, completing new work assignments, visiting a city for the first time, and watching a sporting event for the first time.
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Specific examples of this themeSome specific verbatim responses that represent novel, first time experiences include: On a first date I would be very mindful of my body language and choice of words to make sure I am sending the right signals. Last year I watched a lacrosse game for the first time and paying attention was a huge benefit. I came home knowing the official rules and wanting to see another game. When meeting someone new for the first time, I try not to judge them by what they look like. I try to keep an open mind despite what stereotypes go along with their outward appearance.
Assessing mindful awareness and mindful acceptance
Mindfulness is a flexible state of mind that makes it easier to be attentive and aware of what is happening in the present moment without being reactive to the experience. This definition suggests that it is necessary to consider the two components of mindfulness to fully know how mindful one is. These two components can be considered a) mindful attention and b) mindful acceptance.
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Take the survey below to assess each component of mindfulness.
Survey Key
1=Never | 2=Rarely | 3=Sometimes | 4=Often | 5=Very Often
Does coloring help promote mindfulness?
There has been increased interest in self-management techniques claiming to increase relaxation and mindfulness as a way to reduce anxiety and stress. One self-help technique that has gained in popularity is adult coloring books containing detailed mandala designs and blank pages that allow for free form coloring. In a study designed to determine if this type of coloring works to increase mindfulness and reduce anxiety, Campenni and Hartman (2019) conducted a study in which participants were asked to color predrawn mandala patterns or to do free form coloring in an open circle. Measures of anxiety, mood, and mindfulness were used to determine what impact these forms of coloring had on each of these variables. Drs. Campenni and Hartman found that whether one colors in a predrawn mandala or colors freely in an open circle, participants reported being more mindful, feeling their mood to be more positive, and felt less anxious after only 20 minutes of coloring. The results offer convincing evidence that coloring structured and unstructured mandalas are equivalently effective strategies for improving mood, anxiety, and mindfulness. These types of activities work to help individuals get into a sense of flow that coordinates mind and body by offering a simple motor skill task to engages attention. These types of exercises can be thought of as a form of attention training that helps one to develop a mental discipline.
Campenni, C. E. & Hartman, A. (2019) The effect of completing mandalas on mood, anxiety, and state mindfulness, Art Therapy, 37(1), 25-33.
Can mindfulness be cultivated through acts of self-care?
Richards, K. C., Campenni, C. E., & Muse-Burke, J. L. (2010). Self-care and well-being in mental health professionals: The mediating effects of self-awareness and mindfulness. Journal of Mental Health Counseling, 32, 247 – 264.
Self-care refers to anything you do to feel good about yourself. Different types of self-care include physical, mental, emotional, spiritual, and social. Attending to your personal needs is an important factor in maintaining your mental and physical health. It makes sense that the more frequently you attend to your personal needs and take care of yourself, the better you will feel and the healthier you will become. However, an interesting finding uncovered by researchers at Marywood University was that the more important you believe self-care to be, the more effective self-care is in improving one’s well-being. It is interesting to consider why this might be. That is, what is it about believing self-care to be important that improves well-being. Mental health care professionals were surveyed about how frequently they practiced self-care, the importance they placed on self-care, and well-being, and mindfulness. The findings validated the notion that well-being is highest when one frequently practices self-care and when one believes self-care to be important. What was an unexpected finding was that when one believes self-care is important, one is more mindful. However, frequent use of self-care practices does not improve mindfulness. These findings suggest that because mindfulness is considered to be a purposeful state, it may be that those who practice it believe in its importance and value being mindful, so that valuing of self-care activities may influence the intentional component of mindfulness. For example, an individual who values engaging in self-care activities, such as going for a nature hike, may also be better able to practice mindfulness. In addition, mindfulness is considered to be a state of being, rather than something individuals do suggesting that belief in the value and importance of self-care may elicit a mindful state. These individuals may believe that selfcare practices are important to enhance their well-being. Those who found value and importance in self-care activities reported feeling more mindful and experienced growth and wellness.
About Dr. Campenni
C. ESTELLE CAMPENNI, Ph.D.
Published mindfulness researcher, educator, and speaker
Dr. C. Estelle Campenni is an Associate Professor of Psychology at Marywood University with over 15 years of experience researching mindfulness. She earned her Ph.D. and M.A. in Experimental Psychology from Adelphi University.
Dr. Campenni has published numerous articles and papers on a variety of topics, including mindfulness, self-awareness, and gender stereotyping. Her work has been featured in journals such as Art Therapy, Sex Roles, and the Journal of Mental Health Counseling. She has also presented her research at several national and international conferences.
In addition to her research and teaching, Dr. Campenni has led numerous workshops on mindfulness and mindful teaching. She has presented at schools, national conferences, yoga studios, and hospitals. Campenni is committed to helping individuals develop the skills to cultivate mindfulness and increase their well-being.
