Forum: Teach teenagers to pause and breathe through mindfulness

For years, I brushed off mindfulness as something for the spiritual or those who already had life figured out. I was wrong.

At 48, I attended my first mindfulness retreat, exhausted from having to juggle work, family and the endless pace of daily life.

In those few quiet days, I realised mindfulness isn’t about escaping reality. It’s about meeting life as it is, with awareness, calm and compassion. It’s not a luxury. It’s a life skill.

Mindfulness, at its core, is paying attention to the present moment, without judgment. It means noticing what’s happening inside and around you, instead of being swept away by past regrets or future worries.

At the retreat, I learnt simple but powerful practices that I now use daily. Mindful breathing helps me anchor when stress rises. Body-scan meditation reminds me to release hidden tension.

Most importantly, I’ve learnt the power of the pause – to notice a trigger, take a breath and respond instead of react. These small shifts have made a big difference. I only wish I had learnt them earlier.

I believe mindfulness should be taught early – especially to teenagers. They face immense pressure from academic demands, social media, peer comparisons and uncertainties about the future. Many don’t seek help until they hit a breaking point. Our youth need better tools to cope.

I’d like to propose making mindfulness education a core life-skill subject, just like PE or Moral Education. Introduce regular lessons from lower secondary which could include a short mindfulness retreat and simple daily practices such as morning breathing, mindful breaks and reflection journals.

If we can give our youth these tools early, they’ll grow into adults who are not only successful, but also grounded, kind and resilient.

Karen Lim