Siegel writes, "We have the possibility of creating a world of compassion and well-being and we have the capacity for mindless violence and destruction."  By practicing mindfulness and strengthening our brain's connections through neural integration, we can gain more control over the impact our thoughts have on ourselves and others. We can become more attuned to one another, empathize quicker, create acceptance, and connect with more than just ourselves. In the second half of this episode, we welcome our first guest, Emily, to participate in some mindfulness strategies that we hope will give you insight into how mindfulness works, but also recognize that it isn't always easy... and that's okay. Most findings in this episode come from Dan Siegel’s The Mindful Brain, as he’s spent decades studying this topic and founded the Mindfulness Awareness Research Center at UCLA. Additional resources can be found below. Resources: Dan Siegel, The Mindful Brain Yi-Yuan Tang, The Neuroscience of Mindfulness Meditation P. Zelazo, K. Lyons - “The Potential Benefits of Mindfulness Training in Early Childhood: A Developmental Social Cognitive Neuroscience Perspective“