On today's episode of the "Helping Families Be Happy" podcast, host Christopher Robbins, co-founder of Familius Publishing, husband, father of nine, author, fisherman, backpacker, and aspirational musician based in the Central Valley of California, talks to Rachel Grahan about mindfulness for the new Year. Rachel is an author and personal growth facilitator and through her brand, Rachel provides unique self-discovery tools, offering guided journals, meditations, online courses, and in-person workshops. Her approach helps individuals find clarity and inner answers. Rachel is also the author of "Nine Months of Wonder," a guide for expectant mothers.   Episode Highlights: 02:00 Rachel simplifies mindfulness as an "observant pause", emphasizing waking up to the present moment to fully appreciate it. She talks about her brand, tools for self-awareness, and mentions her free email course called "attuned". 03:03 Rachel dives deeper into self-awareness, discussing the significance of recognizing feelings, judgments, and emotions. She highlights the importance of understanding the underlying message of every emotion. 04:33 Mindfulness is about pausing to reflect on experiences and emotions to derive learnings from them, says Christopher. He emphasizes that it's about understanding what can be learned from current experiences. 05:09 Rachel introduces her four guiding words: Pause, Listen, Act, Become and describes how pausing allows for listening and understanding, leading to informed actions and eventually becoming a truer version of oneself. 06:23 Rachel asks reflective questions about addressing feelings of resentment and disappointment, urging one to understand their roots and find ways to feel better. She also talks about different emotions like frustration, annoyance, happiness, and excitement as pieces of information that guide our actions. 08:00 Christopher reflects on the broader context on a conflict in the car where his one daughter reacts strongly, and he reprimands her and asks Rachel for advice on how he could have better connected and responded in the situation. 09:35 Rachel touches on the influence of our upbringing and the need to reassess whether certain beliefs still hold true in the present day. 10:50 Christopher discusses the connection between mindfulness and gratitude, asking Rachel for her perspective on how the two concepts relate to each other. 11:28 Rachel reflects on her early 20s when she was more focused on the negatives and the things she didn't have and talks about the framework she created to identify which parts of her life needed improvement for her to be happier. 12:54 Rachel emphasizes the importance of being mindful of the present and finding gratitude in current moments. She shares personal examples of things she's grateful for, from pomegranate season to a new shampoo she loves. 14:19 Rachel describes the guided questions in her journal that help identify what her soul is craving and elaborates on how the journal informs her of areas in her life that need attention. 15:45 In the current societal context, with prevailing negativity, Christopher emphasizes the importance of practicing gratitude daily. He believes that gratitude can make a positive impact not only on an individual but also on the family, society, and the world. 16:13 Rachel introduces the tagline of "vessel," emphasizing the concept of a gratitude journal to "fill your own cup." She also stresses the importance of individuals recognizing and appreciating the abundance in their lives without waiting for external events or circumstances. 17:16 Rachel discusses her books: "Beauty Collected" which offers a means to connect with children through mindfulness, and "Nine Months of Wonder" centred around mindfulness during pregnancy. 18:05 Rachel suggests that even a single moment of pause and deep breath during the day can lead to a significant increase in awareness.   Key Points: Rachel promotes mindfulness as an "observant paus