Mastering Mindfulness One Breath at a Time
By: Nina Smiley, Ph.D., Director of Mindfulness Programming, Mohonk Mountain House
Updated January 8, 2026
Bring Mindfulness Into Your Daily Routine
There are many benefits to practicing mindfulness. It boosts the immune system, heightens focus, and can reduce anger, insomnia, and depression, yet finding the time to meditate can feel daunting. Instead of trying to find 20 minutes each day, you can make mindfulness feel more manageable by bringing it into your daily routine. Even three minutes of meditation at a time can strengthen the neural paths associated with clarity, insight, and calm, and once the habit becomes ingrained, so do the benefits.
Meditation sessions at Mohonk Mountain House teach individuals how to bring mindfulness to everyday activities. Whether you’re washing your hands, walking up stairs, or eating a meal, life’s simple tasks offer opportunities to slow down, embrace the moment, and live fully in the present. Start by breathing in a slow, relaxed rhythm. Focus on your breath as it enters and leaves the body; notice how your belly moves with each inbreath and outbreath. If worries or thoughts interrupt your concentration, try to acknowledge them without judgment and let them go. Then, return to your breath. Again. And again…
Every Mindful Moment Counts
Guided meditation sessions at our luxury mountain resort show how every mindful moment counts. Just as repetitions of certain exercises build physical muscle, practicing mindfulness builds mental muscle (the ability to stay calm in any situation). When you are standing in a line or stuck in traffic, put this inconvenience to use by meditating. Breathe from the center, be fully present in the moment, and try to accept and let go of those events and forces that are beyond your control. Little by little, your mental muscle will grow.
Putting off mindfulness meditation sessions may be tempting. Excuses often include lack of free time or not having the “right” space, but these are not obstacles to the mini-meditations that fit right into your life. Meditation can be done any time and anywhere, and the physical and mental health benefits are tangible. There’s no better time to start than right now!
Learn more about mindfulness and the award-winning spa at Mohonk Mountain House.
