Nearly Mindful

The Safety in Connection

Tue, 03 Feb 2026 16:10:22 -0800

We live in a culture that encourages us to power through, stay in our heads, and keep moving. Grounding can start to sound like a nice idea we’ll get to later, when things slow down. But for many of us, things don’t slow down. Especially if you lead, speak, or regularly walk into rooms that ask a lot of you.

What I see again and again, in my own life and in my work with others, is that confidence and presence don’t come from effort alone. They come from connection. From recognizing what’s happening in the body and responding with care instead of pushing past it.

That’s why I teach and practice simple, practical ways to reconnect with the body. Feeling the feet on the ground. Letting the weight drop. Noticing where the body already feels a bit steadier. These aren’t big practices. They’re small by design. Microdoses of awareness that help the nervous system settle.

When the body feels safer, something shifts. We show up differently. Our voice steadies. Our posture changes. People experience us as more present and more trustworthy, even if they can’t quite say why.

Grounding isn’t about escaping stress or pretending things are easy. It’s about building a relationship with yourself that you can rely on. One that you can return to before a meeting, during a hard conversation, or in the middle of a busy day.

I wrote more about this experience and shared a few gentle micro-practices in my Substack. If you’re curious about how to find your own sense of safety and steadiness and how to carry it with you wherever you go, I think you’ll find it meaningful.

Sometimes the most powerful shift starts with a simple question and the willingness to listen for the answer.

Your Body Knows Before You Do

Sat, 13 Dec 2025 17:18:04 -0800

Emotional intelligence doesn’t start in the head. It starts in the body. Paying attention there is one of the kindest and most practical skills we can build.

Your body is always talking. Not in full sentences. More like hints, nudges, and the occasional loud knock on the door. A tight chest before a hard conversation. A clenched jaw in a meeting that should’ve been an email. That fluttery gut feeling when something’s a yes or a very clear no.

This is interoception. It simply means noticing what’s happening inside you and not brushing it off. Heart rate. Breath. Tension. Ease. All useful information. None of it random.

We love to say follow your heart or trust your gut and then immediately argue with both, don't we?

The body sends the signal first. The mind shows up later with opinions, logic, and a very convincing story about why you should ignore what you felt five seconds ago.

When we start listening to the body earlier, things tend to go better.

We notice stress before it takes over.

We catch irritation before it turns sharp.

We recognize overwhelm before we say yes to something that quietly drains us.

That early awareness gives us options.

This kind of somatic awareness is a big part of wellbeing. When we’re connected to our bodies, we’re better at regulating emotions, making decisions, and responding to life with a bit more steadiness. We’re not constantly playing catch up with our own nervous system.

This isn’t about monitoring every sensation like it’s a science project. It’s about curiosity. What happens in your body when pressure shows up? Where does tension land? What softens when things feel safe?

The more familiar we are with these signals, the more gracefully we respond. We can name what’s happening before it goes a little wonky. And that small pause can change the whole tone of the moment.

Turns out emotional regulation isn’t about fixing...Read More

Curiosity as a Path Back to Ourselves

Tue, 16 Sep 2025 11:08:47 -0700

Have you ever been caught off guard by something small? Anunexpected comment in a meeting, a sideways glance, an unexpected question, and suddenly felt yourself wobble a bit inside? Maybe your stomach tightened, your face flushed, or you wanted to retreat into silence or react in a way that surprised you? It happens to all of us.

Those moments often say more about us than the incident itself. They tugat a thread of old stories, insecurities, or expectations we carry. If we’re not paying attention, we can get pulled completely out of alignment with who we really are.

This is when we need to get curious.
Instead of judging ourselves for how we react, we can pause and check in with
three key elements of our experience: sensation, emotion, and thought.

Sensation: What’s happening in the body right now? Tightness in thechest, shallow breathing, tingling in the hands? These signals are often the first clue that something has touched us deeply.

Emotion: What feelings are showing up alongside those sensations? Maybe it’s embarrassment, anger, or fear. Emotions are the energy behind our reactions.

Thought: What story is running through the mind? Perhaps “They don’trespect me,” or “I should’ve done better.” Thoughts often fuel or magnify the emotion.

Balance and alignment
When all three are in balance, we can see more clearly whether we’re aligned
with our values and truth. But when one element becomes dominant, we lose
perspective:

If sensation is strongest, we may get swept up in physical discomfort and react
before we’ve even named the feeling.

If emotion is strongest, our intensity can drown outreason, leaving us stuck in anger...Read More

The Problem With Joy

Thu, 31 Jul 2025 16:37:51 -0700

Joy. It’s one of those words that feels a little slippery, isn’t it?

We often expect joy to be something enormous. A life-changing event. A peak experience. A burst of celebration that overwhelms the senses and leaves us stunned with happiness. Because of that, sometimes we quietly decide that if it’s not that big, then it must not be joy at all.

So we overlook the little things.

We brush past the warm patch of sun on the floor.
We don’t hear the quiet rustle of leaves outside the window.
We miss the joy in the stretch of waking muscles, the taste of something just right, the laughter of a stranger that bubbles into our day.

Joy, as we’ve been taught to expect it, feels almost unreachable.
And if that’s the standard? No wonder so many of us say we don’t feel joyful.
We don’t think we qualify.

Here’s the truth.
Joy isn’t always loud. It doesn’t have to sweep you off your feet.
Joy can be quiet.
It can be ordinary.
It can sneak in through the smallest cracks of your day.

The problem with joy isn’t that it’s hard to find.
It’s that we don’t recognize it when it’s already right freakin' here.

Joy Can Appear, Even in Grief
Sheryl Sandberg tells a story in her book Option B about the funeral for her husband, Dave Goldberg. In the midst of crushing grief, she laughed. Just for a moment. And she felt a spark of joy, and a wave of guilt for it.

She wrote:

That moment, that realization that even in mourning, joy is still possible was a turning point for her. And it resonates deeply with those of us who have sat in our own shadows and wondered if we’d ever feel light again.

My Story

There have been times in my life that were brutally hard. Depressing. Anxious. Frustrating. Worrying. You name it, I’ve felt it. And I know I’m not alone in this.

At one point, the world felt completely dull....Read More

Small Steps. Big Impact.

Tue, 15 Jul 2025 14:19:34 -0700

After years of coaching, teaching, and practicing mindfulness, I’ve observed one thing consistently: people want to live more mindfully, but they often believe it requires too much time, silence, or a complete lifestyle overhaul. So I created something different.

The Microdosed Mindfulness® card deck is a simple, powerful way to build a habit of mindful living—one small moment at a time.

Each card in the 108-card deck offers a quick reflection or a gentle action you can take in the middle of your real, messy, beautiful life. These aren’t just ideas or mantras. They’re practical, doable, and grounded. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed, joyful, stuck, curious, or hopeful, there’s a card to meet you where you are and offer a way forward.

Why Microdosed Mindfulness?

Because mindfulness doesn’t have to mean 30 minutes on a cushion or a perfect morning routine. It can be a breath, a question, a shift in awareness. And those moments add up. Over time, they ripple outward into how we show up for ourselves and the people around us.

This deck is designed to make mindfulness feel approachable, flexible, and kind. Something you get to do—not one more thing on your to-do list.

The Kickstarter Launch:

Because it's TIME!

We’re launching the deck on

Finding Calm in a Chaotic World:

Mon, 16 Jun 2025 13:37:39 -0700

Let’s be honest—life gets loud. Between the nonstop demands of work, family, and the general hustle, finding even five minutes of peace can feel like an impossible luxury. So when someone suggests mindfulness or meditation, it’s easy to dismiss it as something “nice in theory,” but unrealistic for your life.

That’s where Monday Mindfulness at A Healing Place Wellness Center comes in.

Each Monday evening, we gather in a small, welcoming circle of real people who are looking for real calm, not perfection. You don’t have to wear special clothes or sit cross-legged under a tree. You don’t even have to know what you’re doing. All that’s required is a willingness to show up and see what’s possible when you pause.

These weekly gatherings are a chance to explore mindfulness in small, meaningful ways that actually fit into your life. Every week we cover a different topic, something practical and relatable that you can take with you into your week. No stale lectures here. Just thoughtful conversation, simple practices, and a guided relaxation meditation to help you wind down, reset, and reconnect with yourself.

And yes, it’s totally okay to laugh. We do that, too.

I can’t...Read More

Resilience Skills for Parents

Sat, 10 May 2025 19:27:40 -0700

Parenting is one of the most rewarding and challenging jobs out there. As summer approaches and routines change, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed, especially when everyone is home more often. That’s why I’m excited to invite you to a special in-person workshop on June 21 at 3 PM PST at A Healing Place Wellness Center, where we’ll explore practical ways to build resilience for you and your family.

Why Resilience Matters for Parents and Kids

Resilience isn’t just about bouncing back when life gets tough—it’s about finding calm in the chaos, making thoughtful choices instead of reacting out of frustration, and teaching our kids the skills they need to handle their own ups and downs. It’s about creating a family environment where everyone feels safe, connected, and supported, even when things get messy.

As a resilience facilitator and mindfulness-based emotional intelligence teacher, I’ve spent over a decade helping people find their calm, connect with their values, and strengthen their emotional muscles. I’ve seen firsthand how a few small, practical habits can make a big difference, both for parents and their kids.

What We’ll Cover in This Workshop

In this 45-minute session, you’ll learn simple, real-world strategies to help you:

Pause and take a breath before reacting – a quick way to stay calm in tense moments
Ground yourself in the present – reducing the swirl of worries and “what-ifs”
Shift negative self-talk – breaking the habit of harsh self-criticism
Reconnect with your kids – even on the busiest days
Model resilience and emotional...Read More

The Healing Power of Singing Bowls

Mon, 14 Apr 2025 14:26:11 -0700

More than a decade ago, I heard my first Tibetan singing bowl at a meditation workshop. I still remember the gentle, resonant hum vibrating through the room, and something in me shifted. At the time, I didn’t know much about sound healing. In fact, I’ll admit it felt a little “woo-woo.” But when a beautiful singing bowl was gifted to me, I began to explore.
And then I got another. And another.
Each bowl I’ve collected since has its own unique voice—its own frequency, tone, and intention. Soon, I was playing for family and friends. Eventually, I started offering private sound healing sessions and group sound baths. Now, years later, I’ve witnessed something truly beautiful: these simple metal bowls can offer deep rest, pain relief, and emotional healing in ways that still astonish me.
What Happens When You Experience a Singing Bowl Session?
My clients often tell me they drop into a meditative state within minutes. Their breath slows, muscles relax, and thoughts quiet. One client described it as “being cradled by sound.” Another shared that after just one session, they had the best night’s sleep they’d had in weeks.
Some people feel warmth in their body or a gentle tingling sensation. Others feel emotional release—tears, laughter, or often a sense of being held. Every experience is different, but the one constant is this: the bowls offer people a rare chance to slow down, reconnect, and simply be.
The Science Behind the Sound
If you’ve ever thrown a pebble into still water, you’ve seen how waves ripple outward. Our bodies, made up of roughly 70% water, respond similarly to sound vibration. When a Tibetan bowl is struck or played around the rim, it emits harmonic tones that gently resonate through your entire being.
Science backs this up. A growing body of research shows that the vibrations and frequencies produced by singing bowls may...Read More

Rest: A Path to Resilience, Compassion, and Renewal

Sat, 05 Apr 2025 15:10:17 -0700

In a culture that celebrates busyness, rest can feel like aluxury—something we have to earn but only after every box is checked, every
demand met. If one can find the time.
What if rest isn’t something to be earned at all? What if rest is a formof compassion, a quiet and powerful act of reclaiming our wholeness?
Rest is a return to living fully, not a step away from it.
When we pause—truly pause—we step out of the pressure of busyness and into
presence. A simple moment of quiet, of stillness invites our nervous system to
settle, our thoughts to soften, and our hearts to open.
Rest creates the best conditions for healing, for resilience, and forkindness—both toward ourselves and others.
Rest Builds Resilience
We often think resilience is about pushing through, staying strong, or bouncing
back quickly. True resilience has more to do with restoration than grit. It’s
not about powering through exhaustion—it’s about replenishing the energy, opening our eyes to the clarity we need to meet life’s challenges with readiness.
When we rest, we give our mind and body space to integrate, to recover,and to re-center. Whether that rest looks like a full night of sleep, a couple
of deep breaths between meetings, or simply pausing long enough to feel your
feet on the floor—each moment of rest is a micro-repair. These moments add up.
They strengthen us.
We return from rest better able to respond rather than react, more tunedin to our own needs and those around us. We can begin to notice when we’re
depleted before burnout takes hold. How great is that?
Rest Cultivates...Read More

Mindfulness Meditation Mondays

Tue, 04 Mar 2025 12:24:29 -0800

Imagine setting aside just one hour each week to nourish your mind, connect with others, and discover practical tools for living with greater awareness and ease. Join our weekly mindfulness gatherings every Monday at 6 PM PT, led by Janet Fouts, founder of Nearly Mindful and an experienced meditation coach.
Looking for a way to reduce stress and feel better? Join our weekly mindfulness gatherings every Monday at 6 PM PT, led by Janet Fouts, founder of Nearly Mindful and an experienced meditation coach.
What Happens in Our Sessions?
First, Janet introduces a new mindfulness concept—like self-compassion or working with difficult emotions. These topics are explained in simple terms that everyone can understand.
Next, Janet leads a short meditation that helps you experience the concept directly. These gentle practices help you become more aware of your thoughts and feelings.
Then, the group opens for discussion—a chance to share insights, ask questions, and learn from others. This is often the most valuable part; we see we're not alone in our challenges.
Why Join Us?
Studies show that mindfulness can help reduce stress, improve sleep, sharpen focus, and help manage emotions better. Practicing with others makes these benefits even better because our practice becomes more consistent. We pick up on insights we might miss on our own.
There's something powerful about being with others in a space where you can be yourself without judgment, where struggles are met with...Read More