Case Kenny, Instagram's Man of Mindfulness, on Miami Living

Perhaps you've seen those viral pump-ups floating around social media in the form of inspirational, handwritten notecards taped to telephone poles? They've also taken the form of freeform, red-inked thoughts on whiteboard backgrounds, boasting, "It's your life, feel free to burn bridges if they're leading nowhere," and "Sometimes 'I deserve better' is all the reason you need."

Well, those nuggets of magic are being generated by Miami-based Case Kenny.

A Chicago native, former Virginia resident, and now Miami Beach local, he's been featured on the likes of the Today show and Good Morning America and, earlier this year, released the mindfulness-centric bestseller That's Bold of You. Last month, he launched a 60-day journal, The Bold Journal, to complement the book and help other people become their most "vibrant, weird and bold self."

"I had been coming down to Miami once a year for a while. I've always felt really creative, in the right headspace, and vulnerable in a sense here," he tells New Times. "In 2022, my lease was up in Chicago, so I decided to move down here. I was planning to spend six months here and just signed on for another year's lease. I've found that walking around here, especially jumping around South Beach, is just so conducive to being creative. It's got that vacation energy where you can have that out-of-town confidence. You're always inspired and feel freer."

On a given day on Instagram — where Kenny is quickly closing in on one million followers — you can catch him sharing motivational stories and posts from places like Soho Beach House, early morning jam sessions at Club Space, and from his balcony with the utmost optimistic vibe.

Beyond inspiring folks out there, it's all part of his own mindfulness journey as well. Once engrained in technology sales and advertising, he launched his podcast, New Mindset, Who Dis, in 2018 to share his thoughts on happiness. Now five years in, he has millions of monthly listeners and 500-plus episodes under his belt, in which he covers everything from topics like "Stop being subtle" to a recent meditation with Incubus guitarist Mike Einziger.

"The inclination is that Miami is all glitz and glamour, but I continue to be inspired here and have found amazing wellness activities," he says. "I've jammed with a lot of people on how we feel about life and really sharing our feelings. To get what you're looking for, you really have to put yourself out there, meet new people, and you will be rewarded."

Beyond his recent journal release, Kenny is working on a new book focused on everything he has learned about love, with plans to release the final product in the second half of next year. He's also balancing his podcast being syndicated on SiriusXM, events (like periodic journaling sessions at Soho Beach House, for example), and more music and mindfulness collaborations with the likes of EDM producer Martin Garrix.

As for a nugget of advice for those who could use an extra dose of love?

"The greatest thing you can do for yourself is to find a way to forgive yourself," he says. "We all tend to be holding on to guilt, blame, resentment, and the burden of those things isn't something we deserve to be carrying. If we can find ways to forgive ourselves in little ways, we can really try again, not give up, and have more hope in people, humanity, and ourselves. It can serve us in big ways."