Get Your Hopes Up and Keep Them There
Yael Shy is an award-winning writer, meditation teacher, and faculty at New York University Wagner School of Public Service
Yael brings warmth, humor, and clarity to speaking engagements, offering practical, transformative tools for audiences ranging from corporate executives to parents, students, and educators.
Topics include:
Overcoming Anxiety by Claiming The Deeper Desire Underneath
Why Putting Yourself First Is the Most Generous Thing You Can Do.
Longing as a Compass: Follow Desire Without Getting Attached
The Key to Deep Satisfaction — Even If You Don’t Get What You Want
Reigniting Your Inner Spark
Speaking & Media
About Yael Shy
Yael Shy discovered meditation at 19 years old when she was struggling with severe anxiety and panic attacks. Through mindfulness, meditation, and therapy, she found a path to healing and transformation.
For over 20 years, Yael has supported others in uncovering their inherent worth and capacity for deep joy through mindfulness. She is the author of the award-winning book What Now? Meditation for Your Twenties and Beyond (Parallax, 2017), the CEO and Founder of Sefira Wellness and Faculty at NYU’s Wagner School of Public Service.
Yael founded Mindful NYU, the largest campus-based meditation program in the country, and has served as the Chief Mindfulness Consultant for Procter and Gamble. Her work has been featured on platforms such as Good Morning America, CBS News, and Fox 5 News, as well as in Time Magazine, Real Simple, and the Harvard Business Review. She is a regular contributor to the Happier and Roundglass apps.
Reimagining Desire Through Mindfulness
-
![Shadow of a person taking a photo in a desert landscape with mountains in the background.]()
Embracing Ambition
Delving into the tension between ambition and mindfulness, Yael Shy advocates for a balanced approach where one pursues goals with passion while releasing attachment to outcomes.
-
![A person’s hand reaching out over a body of water during sunset, with a bright sun on the horizon and a clear sky.]()
Get Your Hopes Up
In this piece, Shy challenges the common advice of "not getting your hopes up," encouraging readers to embrace desire as a source of energy and motivation.
-
![Two people lying in bed with their legs intertwined under white sheets.]()
How to Have Mindful Sex
Shy explores the intersection of mindfulness and sexuality, proposing that being present during intimate moments can deepen connection and satisfaction.
-
![Smartphone lying among green pine branches displaying a notification with a heart icon on the screen.]()
Right Swiping
In this article, Shy provides insights into the challenges of online dating, offering Buddhist perspectives on navigating the complexities of digital relationships.
-
![Two women sitting at a wooden table, one showing the other a photo of a man on a smartphone. The table has a decorative wire basket and a wooden base. The scene is indoors.]()
The Dharma of Online Dating
Shy examines the spiritual aspects of online dating, suggesting that mindfulness practices can transform the experience from superficial interactions to meaningful connections.
-
![Person sitting on rocky cliff overlooking the ocean during sunset with a colorful sky.]()
A Guided Meditation that Revisits Embracing Longing in Loneliness
In this meditation, Yael Shy explores how to cope with loneliness through mindfulness and the power of self-compassion.
-
![A couple sitting on a wooden bench by the water, with their heads leaning against each other, overlooking a river with a bridge and green trees in the background.]()
Loving-Kindness Practice for Online Dating
When looking at someone’s online dating profile, it’s easy to make snap judgments. Here, Yael Shy offers a number of phrases for matches.
