Browse
Top articles
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Try free for 7 days.
How to Meditate: Meditation 101 for Beginners
10 Science-Backed Benefits of Meditation
What is Meditation?
Benefits of Mindfulness: Mindful Living Can Change Your Life
Mindfulness 101: A Beginner's Guide
00:00
00:00
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, I'm going to talk about the concept of essentialism. So Ian Thomas once said, "Every day the world will drag you by the hand, yelling this is what's important, and this is important, and this is important and you need to worry about this and this and this and this. And each day, it's up to you to yank back your hand, put it on your heart and say, no, this is what's important." This quote sums up for me. What the essence of essentialism is all about.
Author Greg McKeown defines essentialism as being able to deliberately distinguish the vital few important things in life from the trivial many, then eliminating the non-essentials so that the things that really matter have a clear, smooth passage in life. He notes also, and I totally believe in this, if you don't prioritize your life, somebody else probably will. So in daily life, we really tend to fill our moments up, don't we? With commitments and meetings and messages and scrolling and website and phone calls. And all of this busy-ness can turn into a bit of an addiction, a bit of an autopilot way of living, where we just keep going through the motions, one day after another. And the faster we go, the more we do, the less we tend to pause and reconnect with what really matters deep down in our hearts.
And then it's just all too easy to lose our way. So there really is an enormous amount of value in giving ourselves a few moments each day to become still inside and listen to that deeper place within us that lays beneath the stress, beneath the worries, the cravings, the distractions, and the busy-ness, that place that holds wisdom. Well, it might take a little bit of effort at first to make time to pause, but when we do, we reconnect to our heart, to our wisdom, to who we truly are. And then we can check in with ourselves and ask questions like, am I living in alignment with my values? Am I making time for the things that really matter? Am I being the person that I want to be? So when the world feels like it's dragging you by the hand and you're getting pulled around by all the distraction, pulled away from what really matters, just remembering to keep catching yourself, coming home to that quiet place inside that knows what matters most. And see what happens when you let that wisdom guide your actions, prioritizing and making time for what matters most.
And giving yourself permission to say no, to let go, to relinquish some of the stuff that isn't essential. And then notice what changes and if your life starts to fill with more meaning, ease and fulfillment. So that's the invitation for today and for this week, to see what it's like to practice this kind of essentialism. As always thank you for your practice. And now let's settle in for today's meditation.
Becoming an Essentialist
Personalized support for learning how to integrate mindfulness into your life. Delivered fresh everyday by our world renowned experts. Choose meditation duration:
Duration
Your default time is based on your progress and is changed automatically as you practice.
Hi, and welcome to your Daily Mindfulness. Today, I'm going to talk about the concept of essentialism. So Ian Thomas once said, "Every day the world will drag you by the hand, yelling this is what's important, and this is important, and this is important and you need to worry about this and this and this and this. And each day, it's up to you to yank back your hand, put it on your heart and say, no, this is what's important." This quote sums up for me. What the essence of essentialism is all about.
Author Greg McKeown defines essentialism as being able to deliberately distinguish the vital few important things in life from the trivial many, then eliminating the non-essentials so that the things that really matter have a clear, smooth passage in life. He notes also, and I totally believe in this, if you don't prioritize your life, somebody else probably will. So in daily life, we really tend to fill our moments up, don't we? With commitments and meetings and messages and scrolling and website and phone calls. And all of this busy-ness can turn into a bit of an addiction, a bit of an autopilot way of living, where we just keep going through the motions, one day after another. And the faster we go, the more we do, the less we tend to pause and reconnect with what really matters deep down in our hearts.
And then it's just all too easy to lose our way. So there really is an enormous amount of value in giving ourselves a few moments each day to become still inside and listen to that deeper place within us that lays beneath the stress, beneath the worries, the cravings, the distractions, and the busy-ness, that place that holds wisdom. Well, it might take a little bit of effort at first to make time to pause, but when we do, we reconnect to our heart, to our wisdom, to who we truly are. And then we can check in with ourselves and ask questions like, am I living in alignment with my values? Am I making time for the things that really matter? Am I being the person that I want to be? So when the world feels like it's dragging you by the hand and you're getting pulled around by all the distraction, pulled away from what really matters, just remembering to keep catching yourself, coming home to that quiet place inside that knows what matters most. And see what happens when you let that wisdom guide your actions, prioritizing and making time for what matters most.
And giving yourself permission to say no, to let go, to relinquish some of the stuff that isn't essential. And then notice what changes and if your life starts to fill with more meaning, ease and fulfillment. So that's the invitation for today and for this week, to see what it's like to practice this kind of essentialism. As always thank you for your practice. And now let's settle in for today's meditation.
Duration
Play in-app
Scan the following QR code with your camera app to open it on our mobile app
Get Unlimited Access
A Mindfulness Plus+ subscription gives you unlimited access to a world of premium mindfulness content.
Email Missing
We couldn’t detect your email with the SSO provider you have selected.We are here to make a positive impact on the world. We never want to sell you something that hasn’t helped you live a better life. That’s why if you’re unhappy with any purchase from us, you have 30 days to get a full refund and your money back.
If you subscribed to Mindfulness Plus+ and are unhappy with your purchase, please get in contact with us within the 30-day period and we’ll refund your purchase.
Learn more about our Mindfulness Guarantee.
Mindfulness
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Private Browsing
We believe in a world where everybody has access to the life-changing skills of mindfulness.
Annual membership
$0
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
This is the app I turn to when I want to feel calm and loved.
- Abby
Melli has a beautiful way of guiding and reminding us of the stillness within.
- Adrienne James
I have been on a journey of healing and learning self-love. Amidst the work, I have been using the mindfulness app for the gentle reminders, guides to the moment (especially the difficult ones).
Kelly Boys offers a fresh and illuminating take on how to step out of lifelong patterns that keep snagging us.
- Tara Brach, PhD
Truly life changing. This isn't solely meditation and mindfulness...this is about striving to be the best the versions of ourselves.
- Marisa, Plus+ Member
Relaxing and assuring beyond description... thank you, Cory.
- Babs312
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Shamash's guidance is a gift of wisdom to help us in our busy and stressful lives.
- Paul Gilbert, PhD, FBPsS, OBE, Centre for Compassion Research and Training, University of Derby, United Kingdom
Excellent! Cory gently guides you into internal peace.
- Steve Ericson
A necessary tool for those who feel lost.
- Piper
Just want to say a big thankyou to all involved as this has had a positive impact in my daily life 🙏 Valuable teachings that have allowed me to have a better relationship not only with those around me, but with myself. Heal ourselves and we heal the world 💫✨🌍
- Marty
I start every day with Cory or Melli for my daily practice. Including this app into my practice helps me continue to build more mental focus and understanding of my thought processes. What a welcome and powerful gift.
- Oku
Thank you for joining us
Dive into the full library and enjoy all it has to offer!
Claim your free access
Create a mindfulness account and we’ll unlock this premium session in your account forever.
7-Days free trial, cancel anytime.
Complete a few quick questions to make your own personalized mindfulness plan.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Sign up or login to your mindfulness account to proceed.
Mindfulness
One membership to gain access to a world of premium mindfulness content created to help you live happier and stress less.