Zelana Montminy is a first-generation author and passionate mental health advocate. She is on a mission to transform the way we help people reclaim their attention in a world full of distractions. In May, she brought her youngest daughter along with her to the Cleobella Mother’s Day Tea Party in Los Angeles. There, she enthusiastically talked about her newest book, “Finding Focus.” The author’s goal is to inspire readers to implement impactful and permanent shifts in their daily lives. It addresses the challenges of today’s technology and social media environment.
Montminy now lives in the exclusive Pacific Palisades suburb of Los Angeles. More recently, she had to contend with the onslaught of California wildfires, which came dangerously close to her doorstep. Against this backdrop, she insists that developing the discipline of focus has turned into “a subversive act of rebellion” on a daily basis. She has implemented various strategies in her life, such as creating “micro-pauses” throughout her day and embracing a phone-free ritual at dinner.
Montminy wakes up at 6:20 AM each day, setting the tone for a mindful morning. One of her more unusual practices is to spend ten minutes while driving in silence. Her interpretation of this experience is to experience it “like a daily meditation.” The songbird’s quiet time is sacred, a chance to cut through the noise and reconnect with herself in a distraction-filled world.
As part of her quest for equilibrium, Montminy spends a lot of time outdoors. She believes that “to be in nature for a certain chunk of time every day” is essential for mental well-being. She encourages people to hire their boredom-proofing. She implores them to accept the pauses of stillness and not worry about filling in every silence with noise.
“I might look up from my desk as a break, and just stare and be present with my thoughts. It’s shocking to me how rare that is.” – Zelana Montminy
Montminy’s first book, 21 Days to Resilience, formed the foundation for her exploration of focus today. She admits that most people equate focus with productivity, but it’s really so much more than that.
“Most people think of focus as something we have to do to get things done,” she noted. “We have to think about it very differently.”
For Montminy, emotional resilience comes hand in hand with the power of focus. She emphasizes the importance of learning how to regain focus and mindfulness in an age that increasingly treats attention like a marketable resource.
“How do we decide what matters and then protect it?” she asks.
To her, focusing is an act of self-determination, self-definition and radical resilience. She expresses that human beings are mourning every day— mourning lost dreams, lost loved ones, and the more peaceful existence they had dreamed of.
“We’re grieving every day as human beings. We grieve ideas of what we thought would happen,” Montminy explained. “We push all that grief down and away. We don’t want to deal with it. And so we distract ourselves. It’s our pacifier.”
Her wisdom aims to inspire readers, of course, but push them to face down their distractions.
“Our most valuable resource isn’t time. It’s attention,” she asserts.
By integrating mindfulness into her daily routines, Montminy exemplifies how individuals can arrive each day with greater clarity and agency. She continues to empower humans to stop suppressing their emotions and start owning their mood. This makes the ILC a bustling hub of activity, creativity, and education.
“If we can sit with those important feelings and work through them, [we can] come out on the other side with growth and learning and strength and resilience,” she said.
As Montminy’s book “Finding Focus” hits shelves, she hopes it serves as a guide for those looking to navigate the complexities of distraction in their lives. By sharing her personal experiences and pragmatic strategies, she invites readers to reflect on their own focus and attention in an increasingly distracting world.