83 Famous Mindfulness Quotes to Help You Stay Present

At ZenGuided, I believe that mindfulness is an essential practice that can help you live a more meaningful life. Whether you’re feeling overwhelmed by stress or simply want to find inner peace, practicing mindfulness can help you find balance and live in the present moment.

To help you on your mindfulness journey, we’ve curated a collection of 83 inspiring mindfulness quotes that will motivate you to live a more conscious, intentional life.

Why practice mindfulness?

Before we dive into the mindfulness quotes, let’s explore why mindfulness is such a valuable practice. Mindfulness is the act of being present and fully engaged in the current moment, without judgment or distraction. By practicing mindfulness, you can reduce stress and anxiety, improve your mental clarity and focus, and even boost your physical health. By bringing more awareness and intention to your life, you can live more fully and with greater purpose.

83 famous mindfulness quotes

Now, without further ado, let’s dive into our collection of 73 mindfulness quotes. These quotes have been carefully selected to inspire and motivate you on your mindfulness journey. Each quote comes from a variety of sources, including mindfulness teachers, spiritual leaders, and inspirational figures. We’ve included some of our favorites below:

1. “Be happy in the moment, that’s enough. Each moment is all we need, not more.” – Mother Teresa
   
2. “Mindfulness is simply being aware of what is happening right now without wishing it were different; enjoying the pleasant without holding on when it changes (which it will); being with the unpleasant without fearing it will always be this way (which it won’t).” – James Baraz
   
3. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray
   
4. “Yesterday is gone. Tomorrow has not yet come. We have only today. Let us begin.” – Mother Teresa
   
5. “Everything that has a beginning has an ending. Make your peace with that and all will be well.” – Jack Kornfield
   
6. “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way; On purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
   
7. “You are the sky. Everything else – it’s just the weather.” – Pema Chodron
   
8. “As soon as we wish to be happier, we are no longer happy.” – Walter Landor
   
9. “Feelings come and go like clouds in a windy sky. Conscious breathing is my anchor.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
   
10. “Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.” – Sylvia Boorstein
    
11. “In the end, just three things matter: How well we have lived, how well we have loved, and how well we have learned to let go.” – Jack Kornfield
    
12. “The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
13. “Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
14. “To be mindful is to be more aware of what is happening in the present moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
15. “The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
16. “The mind is like water. When it’s turbulent, it’s difficult to see. When it’s calm, everything becomes clear.” – Prasad Mahes
    
17. “The more you live in the present moment, the more the fear of death disappears.” – Eckhart Tolle
    
18. “The little things? The little moments? They aren’t little.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
19. “The only true security in life comes from knowing that every single day you are improving yourself in some way.” – Anthony Robbins
    
20. “What you are looking for is already within you, in the present moment.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
21. “The secret of health for both mind and body is not to mourn for the past, worry about the future, or anticipate troubles, but to live in the present moment wisely and earnestly.” – Buddha
    
22. “Life is a dance. Mindfulness is witnessing that dance.” – Amit Ray
    
23. “Do not dwell in the past, do not dream of the future, concentrate the mind on the present moment.” – Buddha
    
24. “The present moment is the only moment available to us, and it is the door to all moments.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
25. “The mind in its natural state can be compared to the sky, covered by layers of cloud which hide its true nature.” – Kalu Rinpoche
    
26. “To be present in the moment is to experience the miracle of life.” – Lailah Gifty Akita
    
27. “In today’s rush, we all think too much — seek too much — want too much — and forget about the joy of just being.” – Eckhart Tolle
    
28. “Do not lose yourself in the past. Do not lose yourself in the future. Do not get caught in your anger, worries, or fears. Come back to the present moment, and touch life deeply. This is mindfulness.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
29. “You can’t stop the waves, but you can learn to surf.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
30. “We must be willing to let go of the life we’ve planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.” – Joseph Campbell
    
31. “The present moment is a powerful goddess.” – Goethe
    
32. “The past has no power over the present moment.” – Eckhart Tolle
    
33. “To be fully alive, fully human, and completely awake is to be continually thrown out of the nest.” – Pema Chödrön
    
34. “The mind is everything. What you think, you become.” – Buddha
    
35. “The quality of our life depends on the quality of our mind.” – Sri Sri Ravi Shankar
36. “If we learn to open our hearts, anyone, including the people who drive us crazy, can be our teacher.” – Pema Chödrön
    
37. “Be where you are, otherwise you will miss your life.” – Buddha
    
38. “Meditation is not a way of making your mind quiet. It is a way of entering into the quiet that is already there – buried under the 50,000 thoughts the average person thinks every day.” – Deepak Chopra
    
39. “We do not learn from experience…we learn from reflecting on experience.” – John Dewey
    
40. “Mindfulness helps you go home to the present. And every time you go there and recognize a condition of happiness that you have, happiness comes.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
41. “Mindfulness is the path to the deathless (nibbana). The heedful do not die.” – Buddha
    
42. “The only way to deal with fear is to face it head on.” – Yvonne A. Warren
    
43. “Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg
    
44. “Letting go is the hardest asana.” – Anonymous
    
45. “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.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
46. “The true miracle lies in our eagerness to allow, appreciate, and honor the uniqueness, and freedom of each sentient being to sing the song of their heart.” – Amit Ray
    
47. “Be present in all things and thankful for all things.” – Maya Angelou
    
48. “The only true limitation is the one you set up in your mind.” – Napoleon Hill
    
49. “The practice of mindfulness begins in the small, remote cave of your unconscious mind and blossoms with the sunlight of your conscious life, reaching far beyond the people and places you can see.” – Earon Davis
    
50. “The way to live in the present is to remember that ‘This too shall pass.’ When you experience joy, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ helps you savor the here and now. When you experience pain and sorrow, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ reminds you that grief, like joy, is only temporary.” – Joey Green
    
51. “We can only be said to be alive in those moments when our hearts are conscious of our treasures.” – Thornton Wilder
    
52. “You are the sky. Everything else is just the weather.” – Pema Chödrön
    
53. “The goal of mindfulness is to become aware of your thoughts and feelings and become more present in the moment.” – Alison Potts
    
54. “The present moment is filled with joy and happiness. If you are attentive, you will see it.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
55. “The mind can go in a thousand directions, but on this beautiful path, I walk in peace. With each step, the wind blows. With each step, a flower blooms.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
56. “The key to happiness is mindfulness. You have to live in the moment, let go of the past, and not obsess about the future.” – Jennifer Aniston
    
57. “Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in eternal awareness or pure consciousness without objectification, knowing without thinking, merging finitude in infinity.” – Voltaire
    
58. “The past is already gone, the future is not yet here. There’s only one moment for you to live, and that is the present moment.” – Buddha
    
59. “Your visions will become clear only when you can look into your own heart. Who looks outside, dreams; who looks inside, awakes.” – Carl Jung
    
60. “Mindfulness is about love and loving life. When you cultivate this love, it gives you clarity and compassion for life, and your actions happen in accordance with that.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
61. “The thing about meditation is: You become more and more you.” – David Lynch
62. “With mindfulness, you can establish yourself in the present in order to touch the wonders of life that are available in that moment.” – Nhat Hanh
    
63. “You can’t calm the storm, so stop trying. What you can do is calm yourself. The storm will pass.” – Timber Hawkeye
    
64. “We are shaped by our thoughts; we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” – Buddha
    
65. “Live the actual moment. Only this moment is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
66. “Mindfulness isn’t difficult, we just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg
    
67. “Mindfulness means paying attention in a particular way, on purpose, in the present moment, and nonjudgmentally.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
68. “The best way to capture moments is to pay attention. This is how we cultivate mindfulness.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
69. “The present moment is all you ever have.” – Eckhart Tolle
    
70. “When you realize nothing is lacking, the whole world belongs to you.” – Lao Tzu
71. “If you want to conquer the anxiety of life, live in the moment, live in the breath.” – Amit Ray
    
72. “The only way to live is by accepting each minute as an unrepeatable miracle.” – Tara Brach
    
73. “The way to live in the present is to remember that ‘This too shall pass.’ When you experience joy, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ helps you savor the moment with gratitude. When you experience pain and sorrow, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ reminds you that grief, like joy, is only temporary.” – Joey Green
    
74. “If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious, you are living in the future. If you are at peace, you are living in the present.” – Lao Tzu
75. “Mindfulness is a way of befriending ourselves and our experience.” – Jon Kabat-Zinn
    
76. “The only thing we have is the present moment. The past is gone, the future is not yet here, and if we do not go back to ourselves in the present moment, we cannot be in touch with life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
77. “Mindfulness is the aware, balanced acceptance of the present experience. It isn’t more complicated than that. It is opening to or receiving the present moment, pleasant or unpleasant, just as it is, without either clinging to it or rejecting it.” – Sylvia Boorstein
    
78. “Mindfulness is a way of paying attention that originated in Eastern meditation practices. It has been described as ‘bringing one’s complete attention to the present experience on a moment-to-moment basis’.” – Marsha M. Linehan
    
79. “Mindfulness isn’t difficult. We just need to remember to do it.” – Sharon Salzberg
    
80. “The present moment is the only time over which we have dominion.” – Thich Nhat Hanh
    
81. “In today’s rush, we all think too much – seek too much – want too much – and forget about the joy of just being.” – Eckhart Tolle
    
82. “The way to live in the present is to remember that ‘This too shall pass’. When you experience joy, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ helps you savor the moment with gratitude. When you experience pain and sorrow, remembering that ‘This too shall pass’ reminds you that grief, like joy, is only temporary.” – Joey Green
    
83. “Live the actual moment. Only this actual moment is life.” – Thich Nhat Hanh

How to Use these famous mindfulness quotes

These mindfulness quotes are a powerful tool to help you stay motivated and inspired on your mindfulness journey. You can use them in a variety of ways, such as:

• Write them down and post them in a place where you’ll see them often, like your desk or refrigerator.
• Use them as a daily affirmation, repeating them to yourself each morning to set the tone for the day.
• Share them with others to inspire them on their own mindfulness journey.

By using these mindfulness quotes regularly, you can cultivate a greater sense of awareness and intention in your life.

The takeaway

In conclusion, practicing mindfulness is a valuable way to live a more fulfilling and intentional life.

By using these inspiring mindfulness quotes, you can stay motivated and inspired on your mindfulness journey.

Remember to be present and fully engaged in the current moment, without judgment or distraction. With regular practice, mindfulness can become a powerful tool to help you find inner peace and live with greater purpose.