Best Self Magazine

Finding Greater Meaning in Life Through Mindfulness, Stillness & Single Tasking

Finding Greater Meaning in Life Through Mindfulness, Stillness & Single Tasking by David Richards. Photograph of a lighthouse underneath the stars by Casey Horner
Photograph by Casey Horner

A journey of finding and redefining meaning, harnessing mindfulness, and intentional living, started with a single book

Flying home to North Carolina from Denver in February 2017, I held in my hands a copy of James Allen’s book, As a Man Thinketh. The purpose of my trip had been to pay respects to my uncle who had recently died of pancreatic cancer. In the last few years of his life, my uncle had devoted his energy and resources to creating a beautiful park which is where his service was held. 

I had stayed at his house while in town and had pulled the book from his home library. The book

You’re reading a preview, subscribe to read more.

More from Best Self Magazine

Best Self Magazine4 min read
How Connecting with Ancestors Can Help Heal Intergenerational Trauma
Estimated reading time: 6 minutes — Many people think of trauma solely as an incident that happened to us or someone else that is intense, violent, or life-threatening; however, trauma can also be a suffering from emotional or psychological pain tha
Best Self Magazine3 min read
How I Overcame Test Anxiety and Actionable Strategies High School Students Can Use to Ace Standardized Exams
Estimated reading time: 5 minutes My journey from an average SAT scorer to achieving a perfect score and eventually founding Prep Expert has been both challenging and enlightening. Along this path, one of the most significant hurdles I faced was tes
Best Self Magazine9 min read
Becoming Buddhist: A Calling for Personal Growth
Estimated reading time: 13 minutes — [This essay includes excerpts from This Fresh Existence: Heart Teachings from Bhikkhuni Dhammananda (Windhorse Publications, April, 2024)] I have always been a spiritual seeker. At age four, I asked my brother, w

Related Books & Audiobooks