Being mindful means paying close attention to or being especially conscious of something. If you are aware of the fact that your friend is upset, you’re mindful of her feelings.
Sometimes mindful has the sense of “careful,” as when a farmer is mindful of the amount of water she uses during a drought, or when you’re mindful of the fact that your little sister easily gets her feelings hurt. In Old English, myndfulmeant “of good memory,” or “having a good mind,” while the related word myndig had a meaning similar to today’s mindful.
