CounselorsAtLaurin - Mindfulness 2021-2022 School Year

June 6th, 2022 - End of the Year Wrap-up

What a great year this year has been and what a pleasure it's been to have worked with my favorite Columbus Cougars! I have learned so much from each of you - how to be a better friend, how to be kinder, more loving, more grateful, more mindful.

As we approach the end of the school year, think about what your favorite thing about this past year was. Maybe you liked your field trip to the Air Museum? Or maybe it was your trip to the zoo? Perhaps it was a great science experiment? Or a game in P.E. that you really like? There is always something positive that we can reflect on.

Now think of something you can improve upon next school year. If you had a hard time with writing, maybe you can think to yourself, "I'll try harder at writing!" If you had a big fight with one of your friends, perhaps you can try to mend that friendship next school year. We can improve ourselves by setting goals along our weak areas.

In the meantime, enjoy your last full week of school! These school years will fly by and will be a valuable memory in years to come.

May 23rd, 2022 - Mental Health Awareness Month

May is Mental Health Awareness Month! But what does "mental health" mean? Mental health is all about how you think, feel, and behave. If you are mentally healthy, it means you are thinking positive thoughts, feeling good feelings, and behaving your best. It can also mean you are trying to think, feel, and behave better every day.

Mental Health is something you work for. It's means working to think, feel, and behave well. If you have a day or a time in your life where you struggle to do these things, there are people who can help you! A school counselor (aka Ms. Whittle) is there to help you on those days, or times in your life; times when you struggle to have good mental health; and everyone has times where they struggle to have good mental health. Even adults!

Your mental health matters to me (Ms. Whittle) not only because I'm the school counselor and that's my job, but because I care about you! My door is always open.

May 9th, 2022 - A Quick Boost

May 2nd, 2022 - Laugh a Little

Laughter is the best medicine. And it's a great form of mindfulness.

Did you know laughing has short and long term effects like organ stimulation, immunity boosts, and stress and pain reliever. (see also Mayo Mindfulness).

Before we dive into our activity, pay attention to how you're feeling right now. Maybe you're feeling sleepy, stressed, hungry, energized, alert, enthusiastic, or contented. All feelings are valid! Now, take a minute (or three) and watch this 'Try Not to Laugh'.

After the video, notice how your mood may have changed. Did it improve? Stay the same? Or worsen? Why do you think that is?

If you have a spare minute, tell Ms. Whittle what you observed for a chance to pick a prize from her treasure box!

April 25th, 2022 - Sleep Sweet

"1 in 3 people do not get enough sleep. Rejuvenate this Monday with fresh techniques and strategies to put some z’s on your pillow.

Start your week refreshed by having a healthy plan to wind down and get a good night’s sleep. Sleep is the most powerful way we have to recharge and replenish. Waking up from a night of deep sleep can boost your energy, put you in a good mood, and make you feel optimistic. If you’re tossing and turning, it’s time for some sleep solutions.

Did you know one night without good sleep can make you tired, forgetful, and [cranky], but many nights can affect your heart, concentration, and may raise your blood pressure? If you’re getting inadequate or poor sleep, it can even increase the stress you feel."

Try some of the sleep techniques offered in the GIF to the right. These can help you fall asleep faster and get you the rest you need so you can feel awake, alive, alert, and enthusiastic; ready for the day at hand.

Source: https://www.mondaycampaigns.org/destress-monday/this-monday-rejuvenate-with-better-sleep

April 18th, 2022 - New Mindfulness Techniques

April 11th, 2022 - Olympig & Sportsmanship

This past week, I got to go to Ms. Harrison's class to teach about being a good sport and a team player. It reminded me of my favorite pig, Boomer - the Olympig.

When you have a moment, watch the story of Olympig. What makes him a good sport? Are you a good sport at school, at recess, at home, when you play with your friends?

The students in Ms. Harrison's class believes it's important to be a good sport because that means you're kind and help others, even when we may feel frustrated and angry.

My invitation to you is to try to be a good sport. Encourage your friends and your team to try their best and then do your best in return.

April 4th, 2022 - Let's Share Some PositiviTea

March 28th, 2022 - Uncommon Ways to Improve Your Mood

"Feeling moody this Monday? Sometimes moods are hard to shake. They can linger like fog and make it hard to see your way. Use this Monday to pivot towards the positive. Here are four unique ways to let the sun shine through.

Music: Do you like reggae, rock n’ roll, classical, jazz? Listening to music can reduce your stress and anxiety, help inspire you to get moving, and start you on the right foot with a good mood for the rest of the day. So, imagine your living room is a concert stage, put on your favorite song, and play some air guitar to feel good this Monday.

Reading: Have you ever lost track of time reading a great story or book? Becoming completely absorbed? …Reading and writing can lower your blood pressure, heart rate, and stress levels. If you’re feeling moody this Monday, pick up a noteworthy [novel] l and step into someone else’s shoes for a little while to get in the flow.

Gratitude: Saying “Thank you!” can turn a frown upside down! Harvard Health says studies show, “Expressing thanks may be one of the simplest ways to feel better,” Being grateful can instantly make you feel optimistic, less self-absorbed, and more relaxed. Here are a few ways to put you in a good mood this Monday: Write a thank you note, thank someone mentally, write a gratitude list, and count your blessings. Thank you.

Laughter: This week make laughter a part of your Monday refresh! Laughter is the universal language of joy. It’s contagious and makes you, and those around you, feel good...Here are some ways to get laughing this Monday: Find some silly YouTube pet videos, watch a comedy or romantic comedy movie or funny [show] on TV, read a funny book, or share funny stories with your family and friends. Start Monday with a laugh!"

From: Monday Campaigns

March 14th, 2022 - Stress-free Spring Break

Next week is Spring Break - a time where we can rest and relax in preparation for the last couple months of school. But how do you rest and relax? How can you manage the stressors of school? Well, the answer is different for everyone, but here are a few ideas to think about:

Exercise. This means activities like walking, bike-riding, outdoor play, and individual and group sports. Play outside this Spring Break!
Write or draw. It may be helpful to write or draw about the things that are bothering you. It's a great relaxing technique, too!
Let feelings out. Look for a safe adult or a good friend to just chat.
Do something fun. A hobby can help you relax. Volunteer work or work that helps others can be a great stress reliever, too.
Learn new ways to relax. This can include breathing exercises (like the ones we learned earlier this year), muscle relaxation exercises (i.e. body scans), meditating, praying, or yoga.
Laugh. Laughter really can be the best medicine. You can be a good role model for everyone in this area by looking for the humor in life. It's a great natural stress reliever and is an awesome way to unwind.

What are you planning on doing this Spring Break? Anything you can add to this list?

Be safe during our week off and get the rest and relaxation you need to push your way to the finish line! We can do this!

March 7th, 2022 - The Resilient Little Engine

When I think of the word resilient, I think of my favorite story The Little Engine that Could. Take a moment to read the book on the link to the left and ponder the word resilience.

. . . . . . . . .

Now that you're familiar with The Little Engine that Could, predict what you think the word resilient means.

The Little Engine that Could was resilient.

The word resilient means to keep going, even when things feel too hard.

At this point in our school year, you may be feeling like that little engine; like you're going uphill and fighting to get to the top. Maybe class is getting harder, maybe you are feeling bored, perhaps you are feeling tired, or frustrated. It is in moments like these that we must be resilient - we must all keep going! Even when it feels like you almost can't.

But you certainly can! You've made it so far. And you'll make it to the point where you'll look back on kindergarten, first, second, third, fourth, or fifth grade and finally say, 'I knew I could!!

February 28th, 2022 - Mindfully Breathing + Body Scan...

Today, we're going to try a mixture of two skills we've learned about - Mindfully Breathing (or breathing on purpose), and a Body Scan (or relaxing different parts of our body, one at a time). We will be using these skills to reflecting on our day, and positive emotions.

When you are ready, have your teacher or parent read aloud the following ten steps...

Ready?

"[Sit or] lie down somewhere comfortable. Let your arms and legs fall to the ground. Close your eyes gently.
Start to notice how your body changes with each breath you take. Each time you breathe, your belly moves up, and your belly moves down. If it is easier, put a hand on your belly. Or if you want, put a stuffed animal there.
Each time you breathe, your belly moves. Your hand, or your toy, rises, and then falls. See if you can count ten breaths that way. Breathing in, one, breathing out, one.
When you lose count, don’t worry about it. That’s normal, and happens to everyone. Come back to whatever number you last remember.
Now, shift your attention to your day. Breathing in, focus on your breath as your belly goes up. Breathing out, focus on something that went well today.
With each breath: breathing in, noticing your belly move, and with each breath out, noticing something that went well today.
Now, picture something about yourself that makes you proud. Breathing in, focus on your belly moving. Breathing out, picture something that makes you proud of yourself. If nothing comes to mind, that sometimes happens. If that’s how you feel, picture what you’d wish for yourself instead.
Finally, bring someone to mind who makes you happy. Before we end, try one more practice. Breathing in, notice your belly move. And now, breathing out, picture someone who makes you happy.
As you come to the end of this practice, take a few deep breaths, and start to wiggle your arms and legs. Pause and decide what you’d like to do next.
It’s normal to have thoughts that make us feel scared or bad. We should never ignore anything important, but it’s useful to focus on the rest of our lives too. Take a few minutes every day to notice what has gone well, and see what happens next."

(Today's Mindful Walkthrough is brought to us by - https://www.mindful.org/mindfulness-for-kids/)

Take note of how you're feeling. Better than you were before we practiced this mindfully breathing/body scan? Take note! It'll be helpful for when we practice more in the future.

February 14th, 2022 - Stand Tall!

Take a moment and listen to the Read Aloud of one of my favorite books Stand Tall, Molly Lou Melon.

After you are finished reading/listening to the book, take a moment to reflect; was Molly Lou Melon perfect? No. Molly Lou Melon is her own person - a small, bull-frogged voice little girl in a new school. But she didn't let her differences slow her down! In fact, she was taught to embrace her differences from her grandmother who would often remind her to stand tall!

What does 'stand tall' mean? Who have you seen stand tall? How can you stand tall when you face a trial? How can you stand tall in your daily life?

Reflect on what it means to stand tall and practice standing tall one day at a time.

February 7th, 2022 - Hobbies!

What kind of hobbies do you have?

(Hobbies are what you do in your spare time or what you like to do for fun).

Did you know pursuing your hobbies is a form of mindfulness? Hobbies allow us to unwind from a long day and relax.

Some hobbies include fishing, bicycling, singing, dancing, playing the piano, painting, gardening, cooking, baking, photography, horse-back riding, soccer, spelunking, snorkeling, gymnastics, cheerleading, tuba playing, reading, camping, origami, astronomy, astrology, juggling, knitting, bowling, frisbee, yoga, and pottery. There are thousands of hobbies we can start and pursue to become more mindful. I

When we participate regularly in a hobby or two, "feel-good" chemicals release in our brain. These chemicals even help motivate us to want to keep doing the hobby and make the hobby fun. If you're having a good time connecting with yourself, then you're on the right track to being mindful!

If you have time this week, try a new hobby - see if you like it! You could be unlocking a new interest that will help you be more mindful.

January 31, 2022 - Body Scan: Take II

Let's keep practicing our body scans and meditation.

Before you being, ask yourself - "how do I feel? Where in my body do I feel this?"

Then, walk through the example found on the YouTube video to the left.

After it's done, ask yourself the same questions - "how do I feel? Where in my body do I feel this? Did I feel better before the body scan or after?"

Continue to practice the body scans and you'll just keep getting better at this mindfulness skill.

Scan the QR Code above...

click on this link.

January 24th, 2022 - Body Scan with Ammi

Did you know that you can carry stress in your body and not even know? Sometimes your shoulders will tighten. Maybe your neck feels tense. You may also notice your hands clenching into a fist. These are just a few examples of how your body copes (or deals with) tricky, tense, or stressful situations.

Take time each day for one of my favorite skills called A Body Scan! A Body Scan is a verbal walk-through (from the top of your head to the tip of your toes) to see how each limb is feeling. Then, if you have a tense or tightened muscle caused by stress, you can draw all your attention to that muscle, do some mindfulness breathing, and relax.

Body Scans are a great way to relax your entire body. They are commonly done as a way to "cool off" from exercising. They are also a great technique to unwind as you're laying in bed, trying to fall asleep.

Let's give one a try!

Scan the QR code to the left, scroll about one-third of the way down the page, and click on the play button of the sound clip entitled

Ammi's Adventures: A Guided Cloud Meditation for Kids

How do you feel after your Body Scan? Pretty amazing, isn't it? We'll continue to practice these scans and you'll continue to get better with time.

January 10th, 2022 - The Rainbow Walk

At the beginning of the school year, we talked a lot about mindfulness and meditation. We defined mindfull and mindful, breathing on purpose, breathing strategies (like the five finger breathing), putting things into perspective, being optimistic, service, and individual growth. All these skills help us develop our character - or our personality. Which skill was your favorite to work on so far?

Today, we are going to add another mindful strategy to your toolbox to use in times of stress and worry.

In my experience, coming back to school after a long vacation (like our Holiday break) can be difficult. Mornings are tough, getting back into the daily routine is tricky, and sometimes we feel stressed and nervous about these readjustments.

If this has ever happened to you, try a strategy called the Rainbow Walk. Ask your teacher if you can use the restroom or take a quick break. On your way, try to find the colors of the rainbow throughout the school. Like this:

*leaves to go to the restroom - the teacher told me it was okay*

“Red: Hmm…okay. What’s red around me? Oh! Pete’s shirt is red!

Orange: That pencil on the teacher’s desk is orange.

Yellow: I can see out the windows to recess and notice the adults are all wearing yellow vests.

Green: Hey! This is the green wing!

Blue: Look at that beautiful, blue sky outside.

Purple: The sign to the restroom has purple on it!”

And just like that, your brain has reset, you have become more mindful, and maybe you even feel less stressed and nervous.

Remember, the key to mindfulness is practice. Keep practicing and you’ll get better and better at it.

See you next week!

January 3rd, 2022 - Ruby Finds a Worry

Start by watching the book in the YouTube link the the left. The book is entitled Ruby Finds a Worry by Tom Percival.

Raise your hand if you’ve ever had a worry. On a piece of paper, write down what the worry was. What did you do with that worry?

Who can you turn to if you have a worry take over at school?

December 13th - No Two Are Alike

There’s nothing like the first snow of winter; a silence falls and frozen white freckles fall from the sky. A single flurry falls on your face, your eyelashes, your hair.

These snowflakes may look alike as they sink from the sky, but take a closer look! You’ll notice that one frozen fleck is unique from the other. Each frozen path and preserved pattern of ice differs from the surrounding snow.

No two snowflakes are alike.

Just like each flake of snow, we are all individual. Our paths, our characters, and our futures are all different. And just like the first snow of winter, that makes us magical; no two people are alike.

December 6th, 2021 - Service Toward Others

This time of year, there is a lot of need in our community. Some families go hungry, others are cold. There are friends without homes, and most, if not all, need a little extra love. Oftentimes, when we really take a look around, we can point out these needs in our neighbors, friends, and families.

However, it takes a special someone to take the extra minute or two, stop what they’re doing, and help. Service - or the act of helping others - takes time and effort. And it is sometimes not something that we want to do. But we will always feel better for having served another.

Suppose you are at home, playing a video game on your tablet. You see your grandpa just got home from a long, hard day at work. He’s noticeably tired and grumpy, and starts preparing dinner; mumbling under his breath while he begins to cut onions.

You take note that he’s in a bad mood and want to help him somehow. You place your tablet on the couch, and walk toward the kitchen. You approach your grandpa, give him a huge hug, tell him you love him, and ask him how you can help with dinner.

Immediately, his grumpy face softens and a smile crosses his face. He hands you a mixing bowl, asks you to mix brownies for dessert, and together, the two of you chat about your day and finish preparing the meal at hand.

This small act of giving up your time on your tablet to help your grandpa was a huge act of service. It helped on many levels; you helped with dinner, it helped your grandpa feel better, and I’m certain it improved your mood, too! The best thing about this is that this is just one example of how you can help! There are hundreds of opportunities to serve one another every day - both inside our home and out in the world.

Service always makes us feel better and happier! Knowing that we made a difference helping someone pushes us to be better and help another friend in need.

Invitation: This winter season, I invite you to look for one service opportunity (in your home or community). Then report back! I want to know what you did and how it made you feel!

Poem by Emily Dickinson

If I can stop one heart from breaking,

I shall not live in vain;

If I can ease one life the aching,

Or cool one pain,

Or help one fainting robin

Unto his nest again,

I shall not live in vain.

November 15th, 2021 - An Attitude of Gratitude

Thanksgiving is coming up in a week and a half and with that comes family traditions. One of my favorite family traditions is going around the Thanksgiving table and saying what each person is grateful for; I’m certain many of you have a similar, if not the same, family tradition.

Gratitude is the ability to recognize that which you are thankful for and return it with kindness. During the past couple of months, I’ve seen some very grateful students. Here are some of the acts and behaviors of gratitude that I’ve observed:

A simple “please” and “thank you” said to both the adults and kids throughout the school
Students that are openly grateful for in-person learning
Students that complete their work; it shows their teachers that they are grateful for the chance to grow!
Those that have helped their friends feel better when times are tough; this shows me that they are thankful for friends
Kids and adults that volunteer their time to make Columbus a better place.

This Kid President video talks about gratitude and offers 25 reasons to be thankful. Do you agree with his list? What else are you grateful for?

Bonus Question: What Thanksgiving traditions do you have with your family?

Fun Fact: Did you know that Gratitude is the attribute for Student of the Month? Keep being grateful and maybe you'll win!

November 8th, 2021 - The Trust Meter

In my humble opinion, trust is the central most important characteristic anyone could ever have. I mean, think about it! Can you have a strong relationship with someone you don’t trust? You probably can - but that friendship is likely strained! Everything that friend would share, you would struggle to believe. And to me, that’s not true friendship.

So what exactly is trust? Trust is the ability to be honest! When you trust someone, you know that they will tell you the truth and be honest with you. Not a half-truth. The full truth and nothing but the truth.

Think of it this way: everyone you could ever meet has an imaginary meter (think of a gas meter in a car). When you first meet that friend, their trust meter is full. Their honesty keeps moving that meter toward “full”. But, the moment anyone is dishonest with you, the meter moves to “empty”. Zero. Zilch. No more trust.

Everyone you meet has their own imaginary trust meter. Even you have an imaginary trust meter!

So what if you have a friend that tells you a little white lie and you know they're being untruthful? Their trust meter will automatically move to “empty”. Slowly, that trust can be built back up to “full” on the meter, but it’s not easy. The friend that lied will have to show you they’re trustworthy.

Here are six ways that someone (including you!) can build trust:

Be honest from here on out (tell the whole truth all the time!)
Be helpful
Admit when you’re wrong
Show others that you care
Stand up for what’s right
Time

Think about this: Where is your trust meter with your parents? Your teacher? Your friends? Your brothers and sisters? How are you going to build your trust meter with these people?

Did you know a half truth is a lie? A “half truth” is when you keep some information to yourself. Maybe it’s to make you or someone else look better. If you tell a half truth to someone, your trust meter may slide down to “empty”.

Grumpy Ms. Whittle

November 1st, 2021 - “If you look for the good, you will find it.”

“If you look for the good, you will find it.”

That’s a quote from our 16th president, Abraham Lincoln and it’s a quote I now live by.

Many years ago when I was your age, I (Ms. Whittle) was a grumpy kid. I would constantly complain and argue to anyone who would listen. Often, I would say things like - “Yuck! I hate this!” or “I think that’s dumb so I’m not going to even try!” I would stick out my tongue, scream, fight, and complain. Eventually, I became a sour little girl.

One day, my dad - I like to call him Pappa Whittle - approached me; his face showed a look of concern and love. “Why do you say these mean and negative things?”

I looked at him and quickly took note of the kind and concerned tone he had in his voice. A quick jolt of guilt ran through my heart. Any feeling of remorse was stomped out as I folded my arms, lifted my nose to the air, and turned my back to him.

He sighed and lightly put his hand on my shoulder. My head lowered and I turned my ear to listen.

“I would like you to become a more positive person. From here on out, I challenge you to say five positive things for every one negative thing you say.” Pappa Whittle nudged me to respond.

“Fiiiiiiiinnnnnneeee!” I said, annoyed that he found any flaw in me to begin with.

That night at the dinner table, I pushed my food around with my fork. “I hate meatloaf and peas! And there’s no dessert?! What kind of household is this? Do you want me to starve?” I questioned.

Mamma Whittle rested her head in her hand, closed her eyes, and shook her head. Pappa Whittle noticed this, looked over to me and said, “Remember your challenge? For every one negative thing you say, you have to say five positive things. You complained about your food - now tell me five things you like about the food.”

“Fiiiiiiiinnnnnneeee!” I said. And I began to list off five positive things.

“Number one, the bread is really good. Number two, I like that we’re eating together as a family. Number three, I set the table so I don’t have to do the dishes. Number four…”

I was stumped! I looked to my siblings for help.

My older brother piped in, “...number four, you haven’t spilled anything. That’s a first for you in a long time!”

I glared at him, but agreed and repeated. “*sigh* Number four, I haven’t spilled anything. And number five, I probably won’t starve just because I don’t like meatloaf and peas.”

Our family dinner continued and I noticed something. I felt...happier. Could it be that saying five positive things (even with the help of my family) could help me feel better?

I began to apply this challenge every day of my life. I asked my friends at school to hold me accountable and eventually, we made it a game, reminding each other during a point of negativity, to look for the positive.

Slowly, day after day, I felt myself evolve. I changed from someone who felt angry and mean all the time, to someone who ‘[looked] for the good’ in every situation, and felt better and became happier for doing so.

So maybe you will find yourself feeling grumpy from time to time. Try the “Five Things” approach - an approach I (Ms. Whittle) lives by. Your life will be better because of it.

October 25, 2021 - The Disaster Meter - Putting your Problem in Perspective

Let’s pretend you’ve just experienced something tough. Maybe your only pencil broke, perhaps your friend didn’t want to play with you during recess, it’s possible that your favorite goldfish died, or possibly you just got in a bad argument with a parent. No matter the experience, it may feel like your world is ending!

In moments of distress and sadness like these, take a moment to pause.

Imagine a meter - not unlike the meter shown to the right. Let’s call this meter out disaster meter. Pretend that the “green” side of the meter represents feelings of calmness and happiness. A moment where you feel relaxed and nothing is wrong - think: a quiet, summer’s day. Then, let’s say the “red” side of the meter represents feelings of chaos, disaster, and tension - think: the world is ending and everyone is panicking!

Think where your problem lies on the disaster meter. Put your problem in perspective.

So your pencil just broke and you feel frustrated. Pause. Think of the disaster meter and where a broken pencil may lie. If red represents a disaster like the ‘end of the world’, then maybe a broken pencil would be in the green zone.

What if you just had a bad argument with a parent? Pause. Think of the disaster meter and where a bad argument may lie. If red represents a disaster like the ‘end of the world’, then maybe a bad argument with a parent will lie in the yellow, or red zone. *Everyone’s disaster meter reads differently.*

Keeping this perspective in mind, helps us to “not sweat the small stuff” - an expression that means to not get too upset about small, bad experiences. In fact, it helps us become more optimistic and helps us feel happier in our day to day lives.

“A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” -Winston Churchill

October 18th, 2021 - Make Lemonade!

Let’s pretend you are making fresh lemonade. The recipe first calls for a handful of lemons. You take the lemon, cut it in half, and sqeeeeeeeeeze the lemon over a bowl or pitcher until all the juice comes out. You want to keep squeezing until you have 1 and ½ cups lemon juice and/or all the lemons are squeezed dry.

What happens when you take a drink of just that lemon juice? How does it taste? Probably pretty sour. What does it need to be sweeter to make the juice drinkable? You guessed it! Sugar! And lots of it!

The recipe calls for 1 ½ cup of sugar! Add water, and it creates a refreshing beverage that you can share with friends and family.

Now, have you ever heard the expression or idiom, ‘When life gives you lemons, make lemonade’? This is an expression that reminds everyone to be positive and optimistic! When you’re given a handful of lemons in life, (or rather, a sour or bad situation), make it into something delicious! Add the sweetener and water; or turn that bad experience into something better!

You can control how you respond to situations! So, turn that frown upside down, and make some lemonade!

October 11th, 2021 - Optimistic October

We’ve talked a lot about mindfully breathing and by now, you should be feeling pretty good at how and when to do it. Doesn’t it feel great to have more control over your emotions and breathing? Keep practicing and you’ll get better and better at it. I promise!

In our mindfulness minute, we are going to talk about our Theme of the Month. Optimism is the ability to stay motivated, even when things don’t go well for you. Optimism is thinking about how you can make things better when things don’t go well. Optimism is believing you can improve on something you’re not great at.

Did you know that optimism is a characteristic we can all acquire? Have you ever tried something and each time you attempted to do it, you messed up? That can be so frustrating. You may think to yourself, “I can’t do it!” and want to give up. When your thoughts start with “I can’t…” stop yourself. Take a deep breath in and out (*this sounds a lot like mindfully breathing*). Then change your thoughts from “I can’t do it” to “I can’t do it, yet.” Then, keep going. That is how optimism is obtained.

So, suppose you’re in math and the class has finished an assigned worksheet. You’re still working on question #3 and beginning to feel frustrated! Stop. Take a deep breath in, breathe out, and think to yourself “I can’t do this as well as everyone else...yet.”

This is the key to optimism. When you practice optimism often - then you’ll be on the road for a better, happier life.

October 3rd, 2021 - Five Finger Breathing

You’ve learned how to mindfully breathe (drawing all your attention on slowly breathing in and slowly breathing out), and how to hold our breath while we mindfully breathe (*breathe in*, hold, one, two, three, *breathe out*, hold, one, two, three). Now, let’s try one of my favorite methods of keeping track of our breaths. It’s called Five Finger Breathing. Here’s how it works:

Stretch out one hand so you have space between your fingers - palm up or down; it doesn’t matter.
Hold up your pointer finger from your other hand (the hand that isn’t being stretched out)
Place your pointer finger on the outside of your thumb and very slowly trace the outline of the outside of your thumb.
As you go up your finger, take a slow and deep breath in; remaining focused on your breath. Putting all thoughts, emotions, and feelings to the side (for now).
When you get to the top of the thumb, hold your breath for three seconds.
Then go down your thumb with your pointer finger (again, slowly) and exhale all the breath that you’ve been holding in.
Once you’ve reached the halfway point between your thumb and your pointer finger, hold your breath for three seconds then travel up to your next finger while breathing in.
Repeat this process for all your other fingers; from your thumb to your pinky finger.
If you want, go the other way (from your pinky finger to your thumb).

Note: Do this slowly and remember: you’re just thinking about breathing right during the five finger breathing exercise - nothing else.

Keep practicing! It gets easier and easier!

What does mindfully breathing help you control? Next time you see Ms. Whittle, tell her and she’ll give you a sticker for the correct answer!

September 27th, 2021 - Hold *one, two, three*

We’ve learned the basics of how to mindfully breathe. If you remember from last week, it’s simply placing all your attention on breathing in and breathing out - putting aside any thought, emotion, or sensation aside.

Today, let’s add something new to our mindful breathing - you’re going to be following the same pattern as before - doing your best to put all your focus on your breathing. But this time, in between your exhales and inhales, you will hold your breath for three seconds.

For example, deep breath in, hold *one, two, three*, deep breath out, hold *one, two, three*, deep breath in, hold *one, two, three*, deep breath out, hold *one, two, three*.”

Did you get it? Were you able to breathe this way? Great!

September 20th, 2021 - Breathing on purpose

In last week’s post, we talked about ‘mindfulness’ or the ability to calm a messy mind. It’s a skill that grows when it’s practiced. But did you know that at the very core of mindfulness is breathing?

Breathing! It’s something we do every day; sometimes we realize we’re doing it and sometimes we don’t. Take a second and pay attention to your breathing. Breathe on purpose!

Try to make breathing the only thing going on in your mind. You can talk to yourself in your brain like this: “deep breath in, deep breath out. Deep breath in, deep breath out.”

You can even try changing how you breathe - in through your nose, out through your mouth; in through your mouth, out through your nose; breathing only with your mouth; breathing only with your nose. Whatever is most comfortable for you is what you should stick to.

Again, focus on your breathing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Breathe in. Breathe out. Did your mind wander away from breathing? That’s okay. Bring it back to breathing - putting aside any thought, emotion, or sensation aside for now. Simply breathe.

Try doing this for thirty seconds. Then, the next time you practice, try 35 seconds. Then 40...45...50...100..1,000 seconds.

(1,000 seconds is 16 minutes and 40 seconds, by the way).

When you feel more confident in your ability to have your mind clear while you’re breathing on purpose, try breathing to the GIFs below; pick a shape, breathe in when the shape gets bigger, breathe out when the shape gets smaller. Be sure to set your timer so you can continue to add time the more you practice.

HINT: If your mind wanders, that’s okay! Bring it back to your breathing with all your attention.

CONGRATULATIONS! You mindfully breathed! Keep practicing and it’ll get easier and easier!

September 13th, 2021 - From Mind full to Mindful

It’s easy to get caught up in the things you need to do. First you have to wake up, then you have to make your bed, shower, get dressed, comb your hair, brush your teeth, put your underwear on before your pants and not the other way around....

Suddenly, you remember that time at lunch when you spilled milk on your pants. You felt so embarrassed! Everyone laughed at you...

Milk! You crave milk for breakfast! Specifically, chocolate milk. Mmm mmm mmmm!

On and on and on your thoughts may go. It’s a lot to keep track of and it can feel overwhelming; your brain may circulate between the things you have to do, a strong emotion you may have felt, or an unmet craving or desire. This can make your brain feel messy. But did you know that during times like these, you can train your brain to settle down?

It’s true! When you have a busy brain try practicing mindfulness. This will transform your thoughts from mind-FULLness (having a busy brain) to MINDfulness (calmer, more purposeful thoughts). Cassie and Bot will share more information about this process in their video entitled What is Mindfulness and How To Practice It.

Here’s a hint: it involves deep breathing and a lot of practice.

When you feel like you’ve gotten better at mindfulness, keep practicing! Visit Ms. Whittle and show her your new skill! She wants to see your incredible ability to be more MINDful!

9/7/2021 : Congratulations! You survived your first day of school! That took a lot of effort! What is effort, you may ask? It means that you achieved something with a lot of power and energy.

(The actual word effort stems from Latin; ex- = out & -fortis = strength)

Some synonyms (or words that mean the same thing) of effort are attempt, exert, try, and accomplish.

It can be difficult to maintain your effort; doing your best with all your effort is exhausting. But our friend and Greek playwright Sophocles once said, “success is dependent on effort.”

So if you want to be the best student, teacher, friend, brother, sister, son, daughter, scholar, football player, YouTuber, future President of the United States, (whatever it is that you want to be the best of) you have to put forth your best effort. If you want to be successful, you have to attempt, exert, try, and accomplish. You have to put ‘out’ ‘strength’. You have to remember that “success is dependent on effort”.

August 2021 - A new school year approaches. Parents, teachers, and students alike are anticipating a lot of change. Perhaps it's a change in policy, a change in friends, a new house or location, or a new grade. Change can be tough but the stress you feel with change can be managed! In fact, many emotions can be managed as we first learn to recognize what they are, and appropriately use the tools taught to us and stored within a special compartment in our brain that I like to call - our "Regulation Toolbox".

Join me in this year full of changes! Check back weekly for updates, skills, and tools you can keep in your imaginary "regulation toolbox". And please, contact me - Ms. Emily Whittle - if you have any questions or concerns. I will be more than happy to help you in any way that I can.

"the heart of mindfulness is taking yourself a little less seriously."

- Mindful Moments

please reach out to Ms. Whittle with questions or concerns at:

ewhittle@msd.k12.or.us

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