Paul Nelson, M.Ed. Mindfulness Coach
Back when I was a teenager going through some tough times, I found myself wondering about this mysterious thing called the "secret to happiness." That curiosity ended up leading me to Zen Buddhism, where I first learned how powerful it can be to just focus on the present moment instead of getting caught up in the past or future. Before I knew it, I was diving into mindfulness meditation. It’s turned into a practice that’s stuck with me ever since.
Here’s what I realized about the secret to happiness—it’s not about landing a dream job, finding the perfect relationship, or sailing around on a fancy yacht. Peace, joy, love, contentment…these are already inside us. They’re part of who we are. Like old friends, they’re waiting to see us again. Somewhere along the way, stress has complicated our lives and we’ve lost touch with them.
To reconnect, we just need to start paying attention to each moment like it’s a heartwarming gift waiting to be opened. Mindfulness helps bring us back home, where happiness is standing at the door, ready to welcome us in. As the wise Dorothy once said, “If I ever go looking for my heart’s desire again, I won’t look any further than my own backyard. Because if it isn’t there, I never really lost it to begin with.”
Paul Nelson, M.Ed. earned a Master’s Degree in Counseling Psychology at Harvard University. His major focused on Positive Psychology. He has over 20 years of experience serving as a mental health practitioner in community mental health settings. He is a graduate of the Wellcoaches Training Program and served four years as a senior Wellness Coach for HeartCoaches, helping people with cardiovascular disease make critical behavioral changes. Paul has been a lifelong student of mindfulness meditation and other mind/body practices. His studies in Buddhism include Vipassana, Mahamudra, and Zen traditions. He recently completed a two-year intensive study in the Margha Program: Practices of Natural Meditation through the Natural Dharma Fellowship.