Mindfulness

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Digital Art
Photography
Poetry

Digital Art

Digital Art

Gratitude

Dawson, CO

Category Winner - Digital Art: Mindfulness is when I take the time to be grateful, and realize what a blessing it is to be alive. Rather than focusing on anxiety or stress, I choose to focus on the positive, choose to be appreciative of what I have and the beauty of life. Mindfulness is taking the time to pause and have gratitude for even the smallest of things. It is taking an intentional deep breath, and knowing what a blessing it is to have air in my lungs.

Photography

Photography

Reflection

Peter, CO

Honorable Mention - Photography: To me, mindfulness is all about introspection. In order to be mindful of what is happening around me, I first need to be aware of myself. I find it easier to be in touch and mindful of the world around me when I first know how I feel about any given situation or time in my life. I hope my picture portrays this: an inward reflection that casts out into the world for the better.

Photography

Distractions

Morgan, CO

Honorable Mention - Photography: My photograph explores the theme of mindfulness by illustrating the contrast between digital distraction and true awareness. The teenage boy, engrossed in his phone, is surrounded by darkness, symbolizing his feelings of isolation and the illusion of connection that technology creates. The glow of his screen serves as a false light, capturing him while he remains unaware of the real, brighter light behind him—representing the world’s beauty, opportunities, and genuine presence. I made this piece as a reminder to be mindful of where we place our attention, to disconnect from distractions, and to embrace the more meaningful aspects of life

Photography

Rejection

Callie, CO

Category Winner - Photography: This photo represents mindfulness to me through the rejection of the reaching hands and how it represents our interactions with our environment. The photo conveys that the subject is herself being mindful of what is trying to reach her or be given to her and actively tries to push it away. In the modern age of abundance in not only the consumable, but with information, we are often trying to be sold everything. This photograph conveys an act of rejection and mindfulness when trying to be given something.

Poetry

If We Listen

Sophia, OH

A Mindful Meal

Danielle, MD

Through the Dark, Into the Light

Heaven, AZ

Poetry

A gentle breeze

Through quiet trees

I close my eyes

And listen

The world is calm

For just a day

Anxiety and stress

Are far away

I do not worry

About the past

I do not fear

Tomorrow

I am here

And built to last

Through sadness,

Pain, and sorrow

I will not shut

The world out

I live the blessings

Of each day

I hear my thoughts

And let them go

I watch them float away

I stand

Eyes wide open

My feet on the ground

I know who I am

I am here

I am found

If We Listen

Sophia, OH

Honorable Mention - Poetry: This poem reflects how being in nature helps me practice mindfulness when I feel anxious or sad. Consciously choosing my thoughts allows me to see the world from a different perspective and better appreciate the moment I am living in. I cannot enjoy the beautiful things in life if I am worrying about the past or future. The change in tempo at the end of the poem reflects how time spent intentionally can have a radiant effect on my mental state. Being in nature lets me connect to my true self and gain a valuable perspective and passion for life.

Poetry

Itadakimasu: I humbly receive

The meal, carefully accepting the

Warm bowl from my mother’s crinkled hands.

Not tormented by the Past’s whispers

Or the Future’s piercing warnings,

I focus on blowing the steam away.

Breath in. Breath out.

My heartbeat slows into a rhythm,

And my reflection in the Oden is unveiled.

I close my eyes and relish the

Delicious aroma as it gently

Envelopes me in a tender hug.

From the chewy munches of fishcakes to

The gnashing bites of knotted kombu,

I savor each spoonful fully.

Like the clouds that drift by

In the window, I let my thoughts

Roam free without judgement.

Finally, I gulp down the remnants of the

Scorching broth, and end with

Gochisousama Deshita: Thank you for the meal.

A Mindful Meal

Danielle, MD

Honorable Mention - Poetry: Although a daily routine in our lives, mealtimes are often overlooked. Instead of focusing on enjoying the food, people often divert their attention to other tasks during this period. This undermines the purpose of meals: mindfulness. It is an opportunity to focus on one’s sensations and fully process the taste of foods. In this poem, I highlight my experience with mindful eating, which is a deeply rooted practice in Japanese culture. The savoring of the Oden, a traditional Japanese soup, symbolizes how we can transform mundane tasks into opportunities for growth and relaxation through mindfulness.

Poetry

I was Fourteen when the world caved in

When loss became the air I breathed

Grief curled its fingers around my throat

A silent weight I couldn’t leave

They told me time would dull the ache

But time just made me numb instead

I saw her face in every dream

Heard her voice inside my head

A mother lost to poison’s pull

A love consumed by smoke and flame

I held her memory in my hands

But all it did was whisper blame

I raged I wept I turned away

From every hand that reached for me

How could they know How could they fix

A wound that bled invisibly

The nights were long the days were gray

Each moment felt too sharp too real

I drowned in thoughts I couldn’t stop

Suffocating on what I couldn’t feel

Depression crept into my bones

Made a home within my chest

It told me lies it stole my strength

It made my heart forget to rest

But somehow somewhere light broke through

Not all at once but bit by bit

A voice that said You’re still alive

And I decided not to quit

I spoke my pain I let it breathe

And slowly it released its grip

The love she gave the love she left

No longer felt like a sinking ship

I miss her yes I always will

But grief is not a heavy chain

It walks beside me not ahead

A shadow softened by the rain

I am not lost I am not weak

I am not bound to sorrow’s thread

She was my mother flawed but fierce

And love remains where she once bled

So here I stand not whole not new

But stronger than I was before

Through pain through loss through darkest nights

I found a way to be once more

Through the Dark, Into the Light

Heaven, AZ

Category Winner - Poetry: This poem reflects mindfulness as the process of facing my grief and depression with openness rather than avoidance. Mindfulness means allowing myself to feel the weight of my emotions without letting them consume me. It’s about recognizing my pain, sitting with it, and gradually finding peace in the present. Through this journey, I’ve learned that healing doesn’t mean forgetting it means carrying my memories with understanding rather than suffering. Mindfulness has helped me accept my past, embrace my emotions, and move forward with self-compassion, knowing that my struggles do not define me but shape my strength.

Psst…

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