5 Mindfulness Tools for Back to School

We’re wired to worry about the well-being of our kids, but is it helpful? Not really. Kids learn anxiety from those in their environment so managing your own stress is the best way to keep your child from picking up on your anxiety. And from creating their own.

Here are some ways to do that:

1. Name it to tame it. Notice discomfort and where you feel it in your body. Physiological signs include heart beating faster, a stomach ache and shortness of breath. Acknowledge what you feel and where you feel it - out loud. Then, challenge yourself to name the feeling underneath it like: I’m scared because…

2. Feel it to free it. Move through the feelings instead of trying to suppress or ignore them. This is critical to letting energy pass because nothing lasts forever. Go to the bottom of the feeling. Play the “what if” game for multiple possibilities. Fact check your feelings. How likely are my worries to actually happen?

3. See it to be it. What is the best thing that can happen? Shift the mindset to the best possible outcomes. Experience it as if it’s already happening. Visualize it. Have a mantra like: “I do hard things” or “I ask for help when I need it” Focus on what you want and the courage to get it.

Mindfulness shifts attention to the present moment. So try this!

4. Belly breathing: Put one hand on your belly and one hand on your heart. Slowly breathe in from your belly (expanding it like a balloon) then slowly breathe out (deflate it).

5. Muscle squeezing: Starting at your toes, pick one muscle and squeeze it tightly. Count to five, release, and notice how your body changes. Repeat the exercise moving up your body.

With these skills back to school jitters will flutter away. Come to class or get trained for more healthy tips!