Articles
35 articles on presence, mindfulness and attention.
You are not your thoughts
Your mind produces thoughts non-stop. Most people believe they ARE that stream. They are not.
The space between stimulus and response
Between every stimulus and your response, there is a space. Most of us never notice it.
Why your phone steals your presence
The smartphone is the most sophisticated attention-capture device ever built.
How to reduce screen time without blocking your whole phone
Most screen-time systems fail because they are too rigid. The goal is not to block everything, but to interrupt the automatic loop.
The body as an anchor
The mind can travel to the past or the future in an instant. But the body only ever exists now.
Resistance is the source of suffering
Pain is inevitable. Suffering is optional.
The power of small pauses
Two minutes seems too short to matter. It isn't.
What is presence, really?
Presence is not a mystical state. It's not having no thoughts, feeling bliss or reaching enlightenment.
Meditation is not what you think
Meditation is not about emptying your mind. It's about noticing that you have a mind.
Anxiety and presence: the two don't coexist
Anxiety lives in the future. Presence lives now. You can't be in both at once.
Mindful walking
Every step you take can be a meditation. Here's how to transform your daily commute.
The body scan: coming home
The body scan may be the most effective mindfulness practice for breaking the stress-tension cycle.
Why boredom is precious
We've eliminated boredom from our lives. It's one of the greatest mistakes of our era.
Gratitude as a form of presence
Gratitude is not forced optimism. It's the act of noticing what's already there.
Breathe to reset
Breathing is the only autonomic process in the body you can control consciously. It's a door between the voluntary and the involuntary.
Mindful eating
We often eat in front of a screen, while working or thinking about something else. That's a meal lost, twice.
Impermanence: everything passes, even this
Suffering often comes from wanting what's pleasant to last, and what's difficult to disappear. Impermanence says otherwise.
The paradox of control
The more you try to control your inner experience, the more it slips away. Presence asks the opposite.
Sleep to be present
A sleep-deprived brain is a brain incapable of presence. Not metaphorically: neurologically.
Really listening
Most people don't listen to understand. They listen to reply. That's a form of absence.
Nature as a sensory anchor
Twenty minutes in a green space measurably reduces cortisol. No need to meditate. Just to be there.
Emotions as messengers
Anger, fear, sadness are not enemies to defeat. They are information about your inner state.
Fertile solitude
We flee solitude as if it were dangerous. But it's in solitude that presence becomes possible.
The cold shower and forced presence
Nothing brings you back to the present moment as brutally as a cold shower. It's uncomfortable, and that's exactly the point.
Mindfulness at work
You don't need to meditate at the office. But you can work differently.
How to start a practice - really
Most people try to meditate for a week, give up, and conclude it's not for them. Here's why, and what to do instead.
How to reduce your screen time (without willpower)
You don't reduce screen time by trying harder. You reduce it by changing the loop. Here is the method that works when willpower fails.
What is a healthy screen time? (and why averages lie)
There is no magic number of healthy screen time. The honest answer depends on what the screen replaces, not how long you stare at it.
Phone addiction: signs, causes, and how to break the loop
Phone addiction is not a character flaw. It is a behavioral loop that was engineered to repeat. Here is how to spot it and how to break it.
The best focus apps in 2026 (and what actually works)
A clear, honest comparison of the best focus apps in 2026, by category, plus the one mechanism that beats most of them.
The best focus app for studying (study without distractions)
The best focus app for studying is not the one with the most features. It is the one that stops you reaching for your phone every five minutes.
How to reduce screen time without blocking everything
Reducing screen time is not about deleting every app. It is about adding the right friction before automatic loops take over.
Digital detox: a realistic 7-day plan
A digital detox should not be a dramatic retreat. Use this 7-day plan to reduce reflex phone use without disappearing from work or life.
Dopamine detox: what science actually says
Dopamine detox is a popular phrase, but the science is often misunderstood. Here is the practical version that helps with phone overuse.
App blockers vs phone-lock: which actually changes behavior?
App blockers can stop access, but phone-lock changes the reflex before access. Here is when each approach works.
Diagnostic quiz
Understand the reflex after reading
Answer 8 questions to understand your scrolling reflex and get one concrete action rule.
The beinstant app is coming.
Two minutes a day to come back to the present moment. iOS beta coming soon.