By Bella Brinkerhoff “Breath is the bridge which connects life to consciousness, which unites your body to your thoughts. Whenever your mind becomes scattered, use your breath as the means to take hold of your mind again.” — Nhat Hanh Life can be tough, and at times, it can feel like too much to handle without healthy coping strategies. One of my personal go-to methods is simply pausing to take a breath. A deep, slow inhale and a long, heavy exhale always helps me take a step back and reconnect with my body. Breathing is invaluable for improving our well-being, especially when combined with pr ..read more

By Mikaela Ahlstrom “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship” — Thomas Aquinas  On a busy Friday morning at the L'Enfant Plaza in Washinton D.C., a young man dressed in a T-shirt and jeans took out a violin and began to play. For the next 45 minutes, the sounds of Bach, Schubert, Ponce, and Massenet could be heard echoing between the halls of the building. Out of the more than one thousand people who passed by, twenty-seven dropped a few dollars into his violin case, and only seven paused to listen to the music.   Unbeknownst to the crowd, that man ..read more

By Bella Smith “Yoga is not just repetation of few postures - it is more about the exploration and discovery of the subtle energies of life.” — Amit Ray  Recently in my yoga class, I've noticed numerous conceptual similarities between the practice of yoga and mindfulness meditation. As the teacher guides us through the session, it resembles the structured mindfulness meditations that I’ve grown to love. At the start of each class, she prompts us to introspect and decide on a focus for the day. Throughout the session, she directs our attention to our breath, synchronizing our inhales and e ..read more

By Will MacDonald “Tough times never last, but tough people do” — Robert H. Schuller As with most college students, I have kept myself very busy throughout my whole college career. After all four years… I. AM. TIRED! It is harder than before to focus on my future goals, much less school work. I find myself overly stressed and easily tired out after finishing just a couple of assignments. It is difficult to relax with all the work on my mind and yet I can’t stop procrastinating. I get so easily sucked into my phone and other distractions that it’s a struggle to even start my work. Some may call ..read more

By Claire Sullivan  “The purpose of life is a life of purpose.” — Robert Byrne Few things exist that everyone in this world appreciates; however, a good story is one of those few things. There is something so satisfying about reading a great novel, watching a clever movie, or listening to your friend’s juicy story that has you hanging on by the edge of your seat. A good story is captivating, moving, and inspiring. Now think of your life. Is your life a great story? Are you captivated, moved, or inspired by the life you live? If you answered no to these questions or want to make your life ..read more

By Kathleen Ririe  “The greatest act of kindness is being there for someone when they need you the most.” — Unknown There is no way to see a 6-year-old body in a casket and not feel something heavy inside. This past week, I was reminded again of the fragility of life and the deep ocean that grief can be as I attended the funeral of my friend’s 6-year-old son who passed unexpectedly and tragically. Coincidentally, my husband was simultaneously out of town attending his uncle’s funeral and our family was also commemorating the anniversary of the death by suicide of a close family member. Th ..read more

By Marinne Hammond  “When we learn how to become resilient, we learn how to embrace the beautifully broad spectrum of the human experience.” — Jaeda Dewalt Resilience is a characteristic that most people probably strive to master—in life, there are countless opportunities and rewards we may long for, but they aren’t guaranteed. It requires work to obtain these rewards. And, even after putting in the work, our efforts may not yield a desirable outcome. This is where resilience comes in—being able to move forward without giving up.   I wanted to learn more about resilience from a ..read more

By Ashlynn Larsen “Knowing love or the hope of knowing love is the anchor that keeps us from falling into that sea of despair.” — Bell Hooks Approaching Valentine’s Day this year, I was prompted with a task from one of my professors who asked the class to take time this week to realize the truth that love is all around us. Originally not too interested in the seemingly cheesy task, I went about my busy week. It wasn’t until reflecting on the week on Friday night that his words came back to mind. I realized the overwhelming truth and importance of his statement: love really is all around us. In ..read more

By Tommy Rowan  “I always like to look on the optimistic side of life, but I am realistic enough to know that life is a complex matter” — Walt Disney How often do you hear phrases like “it could be worse” or “look on the bright side,” and yet somehow you feel worse? Although well-intentioned, phrases like these and many others can do more harm than good. Toxic positivity is the belief that no matter the circumstances, difficult or dire, all people should maintain a positive outlook and mindset. This mindset rejects all hard emotions to ensure a cheerful day and often a false facade. This ..read more

By Claire Sullivan  “A moment of self-compassion can change your entire day. A string of such moments can change the course of your life.” — Christopher Germer I’m currently staring at my computer screen writing this blog post and still am struggling to fully forgive myself after the dreaded day when my life turned upside down. Ironically, I’m about to write about self-compassion, and yet, somehow can barely muster up enough compassion for myself. However, I’m hopeful that what I unfold will not only help me gain more self-compassion, but help others gain a new perspective on how to have ..read more