Building Your Power
Mindfulness is so powerful, it can strengthen your brain.
In fact, brain science has shown that mindfulness affects parts of the brain that help us stay calm and be good problem solvers – attributes that are useful every day as a parent!
Mindfulness means intentionally paying attention to:
- What is happening around us
- What is happening inside us
- What we are doing
- How we are doing and feeling
You can download this resource HERE.
Tune into your body.
Take a few deep breaths into your belly and focus your attention on the feeling of your feet grounded on the floor, or of the chair supporting your body. Notice all the places your body is touching the floor or chair, and how you are being held and supported.
Focus on good feelings.
When you are in a moment of having fun, feeling connected to your kids or partner and at ease, pay close attention to how that feels in your body. Notice where in your body you feel joy, contentment, and love.
Give hugs.
Spend a full minute hugging or cuddling your kids, partner, or someone else close to you and settle into the physical experience of touch and comfort. Research has shown that long hugs are calming and soothing.
Connect with nature.
Take time for a walk or a bike ride outside. Go dig in the garden or lie in the grass. Pay attention to the colors, textures, smells, and sounds, and see if you can find something you have never noticed before, like the smell of the air or the many different shades of colors.
What makes these things mindful parenting? When we do them as part of our daily routine and pay attention to how we are feeling as we are doing them, we are truly present in the moment.
And being truly present really is a superpower.
*Adapted from ZERO TO THREE