Write Your Own Story: how mindfulness helps us choose our own path

by Victoria Stacy, Kids' Section Co-Editor

Imagine if life came with a magical pause button—not to stop time, but to give you a moment to breathe when things get tough. When a project goes wrong, someone says something hurtful, or your day suddenly feels upside down, wouldn’t it be nice to step back for just a moment?

The good news is that you already have that button. It’s called mindfulness.

Mindfulness means paying attention to what’s happening right now—inside your mind and body—without pushing anything away or clinging too tightly. Think of it as turning on a tiny flashlight that helps you notice the present moment.

One of the most powerful lessons mindfulness teaches is this: it’s not the events in our lives that cause distress; it’s our reaction to them.

For example, two people can experience the same situation, like losing a soccer game, and feel completely different about it. The event is the same, but their reactions differ. Our thoughts and feelings shape how we experience each moment.

This is where the pause comes in.

By practicing a pause—taking one slow breath before reacting—we create a small space. In that space, we can step back and see the moment with fresh eyes. It’s almost like watching a scene in a movie instead of being trapped inside it. Suddenly, we’re the audience, not the actor who has to react immediately.

And from this calmer, wider perspective, something amazing happens: we can choose our next move.

Maybe we choose patience instead of frustration. Maybe curiosity instead of anger. Maybe just one more breath before saying something we don’t mean. With each choice, we become the authors of our own story.

Mindfulness doesn’t mean everything will go perfectly. Life is full of surprises, challenges, messy moments, and big feelings. But with mindfulness, we don’t let those moments write our whole story. We decide what happens next.

Try the Mindful Pause:

When something stressful or surprising happens, take these steps:

1. Pause. Stop just for a moment.

2. Breathe. Slow in…slow out.

3. Notice. What’s happening? What are you feeling?

4. Choose. What do you want the next part of your story to be?

Every moment is a new page. And with mindfulness, you have the power to write a story that feels calm, thoughtful, and true to who you are.