What is Mindfulness?

So what is mindfulness and why is it so important and easy for kids to learn?

Well, first, let's talk about what mindfulness is not. Mindfulness is not religion. It's not far out woo-woo made up stuff. It is simply science. Mindfulness is a mental state achieved by focusing our awareness on the present moment. Where our attention goes, energy flows, but mindfulness is also about facing our tough thoughts and emotions and choosing not to react to.

Mindfulness gives us space to pause between our emotions and our responses, so we can think before we react. Our emotions are always changing, and when we are young, that can make us feel like we're learning to surf for the very first time in turbulent waters. Mindfulness allows us to find the calm in the storm and ride the waves.

Our ability to focus our attention on something that might not be so interesting to us is a skill that can be learned and requires practice. It's mindfulness. Thousands of studies exist that show how mindfulness practices decrease stress, depression, and anxiety, and increase overall feelings of wellbeing and happiness, allowing for more focus and achievement. In fact, the benefits of mindfulness have been studied for more than three decades.

Mindfulness practices have been adopted by top rated schools like Harvard, like Harvard, MIT, and Oxford. Billionaires and famous people pay hefty sums to further their own practice and experiences with mindfulness. Studies say that the most predicting trait of successful human beings is self-awareness and self-control. Research proves again and again that mindfulness empowers all that practice and has the ability to change the trajectory of someone's life.

So why aren't we teaching it in schools???

Did you know that suicide and firearms are among the two highest causes of death for five to 24 year olds? Why? Because kids today have so many more worries than I ever did as a kid.

Social media is a huge responsibility.

Bullying keeps kids in actual fear of going to school.

Remember school fire drills when you were a kid? Well, now they're shelter in place and active shooter drills.

But even if we hired the world's best teachers and handed out state-of-the-art technology to every single kid in the school, do you think they'd perform better?

Nope, because no one has taught them how to pay attention. No one has taught them that their thoughts are powerful, but they do not make up who they are. No one has taught them how to separate, contemplate and alleviate powerful emotions.

Our world is messy and pain is inevitable, but suffering is a choice. And it's a choice that we can only choose if we understand why it's a choice. Mindfulness teaches us to step back, look at things from a larger perspective and choose wisely.

Here's the simple truth, are you ready?

It doesn't matter how right or justifiable your reactions may be to an experience because you will only be judged on your reactions, not your reasons. I don't know about you, but it took me way too long in my life to figure this out. Wouldn't it be a good idea to give our kids this kind of a head start with mindfulness practices?

It's not about not feeling your emotions, it's about not being overwhelmed by them.

It's not about controlling our thoughts and emotions, it's about not allowing them to control us.

Mindfulness teaches us to be reflective rather than reactive.

So how do you do it? Here's a simple mindfulness technique that you can implement with your kids right now. It's called using your Five Senses, and it's a great way to help us feel more grounded and calm.

Let's start by taking a deep breath in through our nose, filling all the way up, and then letting that breath come back out the same path again in through the nose and back out through the nose. Last time in through the.

Come back out through the nose.

Now bring your attention to the space that physically surrounds you first in your head. Name five things that you can visually see.

Now identify four things that you can feel or touch.

Three things that you can hear.

Two things that you can smell.

And one thing that you can taste.

Now, close your eyes for a few breaths and just allow yourself to be here in the room with your breath.

Gently flutter back. Open the eyes.

Everyone experiences pain, but suffering is always a choice.

We can expel any discomfort around what mindfulness is and what it isn't by talking with and educating others. Together, our efforts will demystify mindfulness and ultimately make the world a better place.

Share this with every human that you love and let's start a mindfulness movement, together!