The Mindful Word logo
The Mindful Word logo
  • Mind-spirit
    Mind-spirit
    Statue of Mahatma Gandhi from Aga Khan palace in Pune, India - Gandhi’s Radical Insight: How It Can Help Us Today

    THE ENDS NEVER JUSTIFY THE MEANS: Gandhi’s radical lesson for today

    Man wearing t-shirt with "no homophobia, no violence" and other positive phrases - 10 Mindful Living Tips Inspired by the Dalai Lama

    “MY RELIGION IS KINDNESS”: 10 mindful living tips inspired by the Dalai Lama

    Confused man leaning on wooden table - Gaslighting: What It Is and 3 Effective Ways to Push Back

    BEWARE OF BAD ACTORS: 3 steps to take if you suspect someone’s “gaslighting” you

    • Mindfulness
    • Contemplations
    • Personal Growth
    • Spiritual Practices
    • Engaged Spirituality
    • Meditation
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • Conscious Creativity
    Conscious Creativity
    Train travelling through Alaska mountain range - Don’t Doubt Yourself—Spread Your Wings and Soar

    ALASKA WINGS: Soaring across the mountains while releasing fear and doubt

    Red cardinal in a tree with berries on it - INEFFABLE: A visitation from a great spirit I'd never forget

    INEFFABLE: A visitation from a beautiful soul I’d never forget

    Otter swimming on its back - "Metaphorically Speaking" and 3 More Poems That Honour Words

    POEMS BY CAROLYN CHILTON CASAS: Essential Language, Metaphorically Speaking and more

    • Poetry
    • Fiction
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Music Reviews
      • Video Reviews
  • Participatory Culture
    Participatory Culture
    students around a table doing a video call together

    MINDFUL LEADERSHIP IN STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS: Empowering leaders to create positive change

    hanami cherry blossoms closeup

    HANAMI DREAMING: The start of spring in Japan

    Joe Biden with other world leaders - Political Power: 3 Ways Democratic Voters Can Battle Fascism

    REFLECTIONS ON TODAY’S POLITICAL REALITIES: We can prevail over ignorance, lies and Trump

    • Sustainability
    • Alternative Education
    • Communication
    • Community Building
    • Leadership
  • Travel-living
    Travel-living
    Malecon in La Paz, Mexico - Back on American Soil: A Safe Return Home From La Paz

    IMPEDIMENTS FACED: A safe return home from La Paz, Mexico

    la paz mexico sunrise

    TYING UP LOOSE ENDS: One last—and glorious—day in La Paz, Mexico [Part 7]

    Facebook on laptop in La Paz hotel room - NIGHT SEA JOURNEY: Buying back sanity in La Paz, Mexico

    NIGHT SEA JOURNEY: Buying back sanity in La Paz, Mexico [Part 6]

    • Transformative Travel
    • Mindful Tourism
  • Book Shop
  • Community
Avatar photo
Kyla Giffin
JoinedJuly 2, 2015
Articles16
Comments2
Kyla has a passion for writing, a philosophical outlook on life and a desire to help others. She has dreams she is determined to reach, and is on a journey to make a difference in the world. In addition to writing for THE MINDFUL WORD, she also writes for THE CULTURE TRIP. To see her articles from THE CULTURE TRIP, visit http://contributors.theculturetrip.com/contributors/kyla-giffin.
A paper with the words "Take a deep breath." thumbtacked onto a cork board.

WHY IS EVERYTHING SO COMPLICATED?: Remembering simplicity and dealing with stress

Kyla Giffin·September 13, 2015
Do you remember the days when life was simple? In kindergarten, we would sing beloved songs, like “This Land is...
Read More
fork in the road - choices-voice-emotions

NO VOICE OR NO EMOTIONS?: The hardest “Would You Rather?” question

Kyla Giffin·September 6, 2015
Ever heard of those “Would you rather?” questions? Such as, would you rather eat a hair sandwich or earwax? Well,...
Read More
Hungry child

LET’S DO MORE: Ending global poverty with pure human kindness

Kyla Giffin·August 27, 2015
Less than one percent of the U.S. federal budget goes towards foreign aid. That’s about 30 billion dollars, in comparison to...
Read More
Kids excited about school

5 Tips on How to Get Your Child Excited About School

Kyla Giffin·August 24, 2015
Is your child dreading going back to school? Can’t think of a way to get them motivated? As a person...
Read More
St. Petersburg, Russia

Top 5 Inspirational Cities for Writers

Kyla Giffin·August 18, 2015
Do you ever want to sit down and write a masterpiece, but you just can’t? Maybe the house is too...
Read More
Child dreaming and writing

THEIR OWN PATH: Why you should support your child’s dreams

Kyla Giffin·August 15, 2015
How many parents want their children to be doctors, or lawyers, or world-renowned scientists? Probably every parent. They want that...
Read More
plant growing through crack

GROWING HOPE: A tale of hope during the Great Depression

Kyla Giffin·August 14, 2015
“Brigid, sweet, let’s go,” my mother yelled from the front room. “It’s time to visit your maimeó!” “No, Mamaí,” I...
Read More
Boy in tree

DREAMING IN THE OAK TREE: A story about appreciating the little things in life

Kyla Giffin·August 9, 2015
In his mind, Brian O’Shea was not a farmer’s son. In his mind, he didn’t live on the prairie with...
Read More
Boy superhero

Why You Should Encourage Imagination in Children

Kyla Giffin·August 7, 2015
When your little boy runs around in a cape and mask yelling “Superman to the rescue,” or your little girl...
Read More
Couple on tandem bike

LOVE: No conditions, no limits

Kyla Giffin·August 6, 2015
Love. Such a strong word, such a strong feeling. “I love you” can brighten up the whole world for a...
Read More
Salvador Dali

SALVADOR DALÍ: The crazy, the fantastic, the brilliant

Kyla Giffin·August 4, 2015
“Each morning when I awake, I experience a supreme pleasure – that of being Salvador Dalí.” Salvador Dalí, born as...
Read More
Mother reading book to child

PAGES OF OUR CHILDHOOD: What children’s stories can teach us as adults

Kyla Giffin·July 25, 2015
There are so many stories and books in the world today, but which do we pay attention to most? The...
Read More
protest people say what you want

SAY WHAT YOU WANT: The importance of freedom of speech

Kyla Giffin·July 23, 2015
Freedom of speech is more important than we may realize. And we need to make sure that this important right...
Read More
Mother and teenager

3 Things You Never Say to Your Teenagers

Kyla Giffin·July 20, 2015
Some of the common stereotypes of teenagers are that they are kids who just act like adults. Kids with dyed hair, piercings,...
Read More
Birds flying in formation

STEP UP!: What it takes to be a leader

Kyla Giffin·July 7, 2015
When you think leader, what pops into your head? George Washington? Queen Elizabeth I? Why do we always think of...
Read More
American flag

TO BE A PATRIOT: The many ways to show patriotism

Kyla Giffin·July 4, 2015
The dictionary definition of patriotism is absolute love, commitment, faithfulness and sacrifice for one’s nation. But does that mean that...
Read More
The Mindful Word logo
  • About us
  • Book shop
  • Editorial policy
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy policy
  • Submission Guidelines
  • FAQ
  • Register
  • Contact
The Mindful Word logo
  • Mind-spirit
    • Mindfulness
    • Contemplations
    • Personal Growth
    • Spiritual Practices
    • Engaged Spirituality
    • Meditation
    • Philosophy
    • Psychology
  • Conscious Creativity
    • Poetry
    • Fiction
    • Performing Arts
    • Visual Arts
    • Reviews
      • Book Reviews
      • Music Reviews
      • Video Reviews
  • Participatory Culture
    • Sustainability
    • Alternative Education
    • Communication
    • Community Building
    • Leadership
  • Travel-living
    • Transformative Travel
    • Mindful Tourism
  • Book Shop
  • Community
Press ESC to close

Subscribe to Our Newsletter

Sign up to get our top articles, exclusive subscriber content and special offers
Painting by Max Reif