When I eat my lunch, I take a moment to savor my food, ignite my taste buds, chewing slowly, thoughtfully, silently. Listen to understand and try to see the situation from your child’s perspective. Don’t give advice, correct or judge when you are actively listening. That little tiny sliver of space begins to open up for you, in which you can choose how to respond rather than simply react to it. What sensations are there, right now? If you notice any tension or resistance towards painful or unpleasant sensations, gently turn towards them. Accept this as best you can. If you begin to tense around the breath, then let go a little bit with each out-breath. Soften into gravity. Notice any thoughts as they arise and pass away in the mind. See if you can let them come and go without becoming too identified with their content. Look at your thoughts, not from them. Observe them as if they were clouds in the sky. Relate to them as a flow of mental events. Remember: thoughts are not facts. One way, I’m subconsciously creating stress; the other way I am experiencing happiness and aliveness, and reducing my stress through present-moment awareness.

Ever since I can remember, anxiety has been a part of who I am. It has challenged me most during times of change and when I’ve felt out of control. I discovered the power of mindfulness in my early twenties following an extreme period of anxiety. The simplicity of learning how to focus my attention on the present moment rather than catastrophizing the future became a powerful tool for helping me look after my overall mental wellbeing.Nonverbal cues include noticing your child’s tone of voice, body language, breathing and facial expressions. You can help your child increase their emotional intelligence by letting them express and discuss their emotions. Included are exercises both for you to do alone and with your children of all ages, giving them their own tools to help remain happy and peaceful too.

Then practice putting extra attention on this intention for the entire day. Watch your thoughts and behaviors. Daily gratitudes So what are some easy little ways you can be more mindful in your day-to-day routine? Trying new things, such as sitting in a different seat in meetings or going somewhere new for lunch, can also help you notice the world in a new way. Watch your thoughts Note: We have some great ideas on reconnecting to your loving self, mind, body and soul in our article on self-love for moms. What you do and say is critical; let your child catch you in the act of showing self-compassion. If you have had a bad day, allow them to see you shrug it off and apologise. “Mummy is having a bad day, sorry”.Mindfulness also allows us to become more aware of the stream of thoughts and feelings that we experience, and to see how we can become entangled in that stream in ways that are not helpful. su_note note_color=”#f6ff66″ radius=”0″]Today I will slow down and connect with the moment.[/su_note] Today we share an article from one of our mindfulness and wellbeing practitioners Clare Hales (MSc). Mindfulness for mums has become increasingly popular especially during the covid19 pandemic where many parents have admitted that their mental health has been a struggle.

As mums, we can find it difficult to be present, life is busier than ever and the challenges can at times feel overwhelming. We constantly ask ourselves if we’re doing a good enough job and our mind is spinning with the mental load. Mum guilt hangs over us and the daily noise of demands and expectations often means that our own wellbeing is overlooked. Mindfulness allows me to stop the deep thinking and hone into the moment right in front of me. After learning more about mindfulness and its benefits, I have been challenging myself to practice mindfulness more intentionally several times during the day. One of these times is baby’s bath time. Mindfulness is a great way to take the million-and-one thoughts that are buzzing around your brain and help you in turning down the volume on them. It will help you to become more present in your surroundings and help you to breathe. Choose an activity every day that you can practice mindfully. You can choose your walk, a cup of tea, a household chore or eating. Whatever activity you choose, pay attention and use all senses.The way we respond and express emotion influences the way our children handle emotions. Being a strong role model is one of the qualities of a good motherand can significantly impact your child’s life. Mindfulness can change all that, as it helps a person tune into their senses and get the most out of the everyday rituals – and in fact every moment – of life. It doesn’t take any extra time to be mindful, it simply takes a bit of effort. There is no doubt that being present for life as it happens is great for our own mental health as well as our relationships with others. To me, mindfulness is paying attention to the here and now, and not getting distracted thinking about what has already happened or worrying about the future. As a mother with three young kids, however, this is so much easier said than done. Becoming more aware of the present moment can help us enjoy the world around us more and understand ourselves better. In addition to this easy five-minute pause in the morning, I absolutely recommend the 14-day online course Make Over Your Mornings. Firstly, let’s chat about your fantastic new book! Can you tell us a bit about Mindfulness for Mums ?

Since becoming a mother four years ago, most days I’m whipped in so many directions I’m not even sure if it’s day or night. Studieshave shown that mindfulness can positively impact children’smental health, wellbeing, mood, self‐esteem, self‐regulation, positive behaviour, and academic learning. You can guide your children to be more mindful by asking them questions and asking them to focus on their senses. If you are like me and always planning to start a meditation and mindfulness practice, here is your chance. Mindfulness is like fitness for your brain to keep it healthy, relaxed and stress-free. Mindfulness can help us deal with issues more productively. We can ask: "Is trying to solve this by brooding about it helpful, or am I just getting caught up in my thoughts?"How we breathe tells our body and brain how we feel. Taking a few minutes each day to do some focused breathing is one of the most helpful things you can fit into your day. Firstly, notice how you breathe during the day and try and get into the habit of breathing in through your nose rather than in through your mouth. Then choose a time in the day to do some belly breathing: take a big deep breath in through the nose and feel your belly rise, then out through the mouth and feel your belly fall. A Sensory Activity