MINDFULNESS MONDAY
This week our Mindfulness activity is intended to be performed with your kids. You can apply the same activity to yourself, of course, but today we are shifting the focus to help others.
We are looking at showing kids how to build on the attention and love that you already give to them. This is a self-compassion exercise that takes them on a journey to care for themselves. They practice treating everyday experiences in the moment (like body sensations or feelings) with curiosity and friendliness.
This is a step-by-step script that can be modified to suit your child or the situation. Leave short pauses of a few seconds after each bullet.
· Let’s do an exercise together called ‘Be Your Best Buddy’. The first thing to do is get really comfy. You can sit on the floor with your legs crossed, or in a chair or even lie down if you like.
· Close your eyes and take a big breath and let it out. One more time! Feel your body get really heavy on the floor or chair.
· Great! Now picture on your mind someone who is really nice to you, like a parent or a friend. Someone who likes you or loves you, who really ‘gets’ you and understands you. See them and do your best to feel just what it is like to be with them.
· All of that nice attention and love, feels pretty good doesn’t it? Well you know what? You can be like that with yourself. You can be your own best buddy and pay nice attention to yourself and like yourself. Maybe you already do that sometimes and that’s great!
· So let’s practice doing that together. Because being your Best Buddy is something that you CAN practice. You can build up your curious and friendly muscle, so that you can help yourself feel good and cared for any time you want. Like if you are feeling bored, or sad, or even mad and maybe your Mom and Dad are busy. You can try being your own Best Buddy!
· Ok, so pay attention to the fingers on both of your hands. Do they feel warm, or tingly or wiggly? Be curious and notice how they feel right now, like you are listening to them.
· Notice as much as you can about how they feel and be friendly toward them.
· You’re doing great! Let’s try that with your arm. Let your attention fill your arms like the bright warm light of the sun. How do your arms feel inside? You can travel right in there and be curious and friendly.
· Or maybe you are having a feeling too, like maybe you are feeling a bit unsure or restless or happy. You can do the same with feelings. Be curious and friendly like “oh, hi, I see you are restless! What’s that like? It’s ok, I’m here!”
· Whatever you feel, see, hear, taste or smell be your own Best Buddy. Listening and sending friendly feelings to yourself, like having that warm sunshine inside.
· So let’s keep going through your body. What does your chest, stomach and back feel like? Let your friendly attention be curious about this big part of your body. How does it feel? If you can’t quite feel friendly right now, it’s ok. Remember how your parent or friend cares about you. Do your best to feel what that feels like.
· Now feel your legs, all of the way to your toes. Shine your friendly attention right into your legs, feet and toes. You’re right here, right now, in these legs all the way to your toes.
· You’re doing awesome! Now let all of the curiosity and friendliness you have fill your neck, head and face. Your head does a lot of work, like thinking, eating and breathing and all kinds of things. Be your own Best curious and loving Buddy and listen to how this part of you feels inside.
· Now ready? See if you can feel your whole body all at once- from the hair on your head to the tips of your toes and fingers. Be right here, filling your whole body with friendliness and love no matter what you feel, hear, see, smell or anything.
· You can be a Best Buddy to yourself, no matter what. Any time.
· Just like you can exercise your body with swimming or riding a bike, you can exercise your loving muscles like we are doing right now. They will get stronger and stronger, so you can be your own Best Buddy when you are feeling good, or bad or anything in between.
· You can love yourself no matter what.
· Let’s finish now. Let your eyes gently open and give your arms and legs a good stretch. Congratulate yourself for doing this exercise, you did great!
· Get up when you are ready and take this feeling of curiosity and friendliness into whatever you do today.
· It was great to do this with you Best Buddy!
Have a great week!
-from MindfulnessExercises.com
