During the Erasmus project in Alicante, one of the most inspiring sessions took place on the beach, where teachers experienced mindfulness and positive psychology practices firsthand.

We began the session in a circle, guided through exercises that engaged all senses — “Look to see, listen to hear, touch to feel.”

A short “minute to mindfulness” helped us understand how even brief activities can promote calm and focus, particularly useful for students with ADHD. For example, participants were invited to stand, gently sway from side to side, and raise an arm as the sound faded away — an effective grounding exercise.

Other techniques included:

Bird breath and other short mindfulness practices (around 30 seconds).

Listening in three layers: sounds from outside, sounds inside the classroom, and inner sounds within ourselves.

Observing and scanning internal sensations and thoughts.

The session also focused on character strengths, a central concept in positive psychology. We explored:

The difference between strengths (what we are naturally good at) and values (what we care about).

The idea that we often overlook our strengths because they come effortlessly — others may recognize them more easily (e.g., perseverance, creativity, leadership).

How being aware of our strengths can improve relationships and overall satisfaction.

A key takeaway was that happiness comes from contentment and satisfaction, not necessarily excitement.

Biologically, humans are wired to focus on negatives for survival, but today, to flourish, we must consciously cultivate the positive.

Interestingly, research shows that people often feel happiest between ages 46 and 57, when the gap between expectations and reality becomes smaller.

Finally, practicing gratitude for small things daily can significantly increase well-being.

The second part of the training introduced the STPM (Science, Theory, Practice, Mindfulness) methodology, emphasizing practical strategies for classroom well-being.

Key ideas included:

Fidgeting and movement can help calm the mind and improve concentration. Even small repetitive actions (like knitting) can aid listening.

Quoting psychologist Richard Wiseman: “Positive action is better than positive thinking.” His experiments (e.g., observing people ignoring money on the ground) illustrate how often we miss opportunities because we are too focused on routine tasks — much like the famous “gorilla in the basketball game” video.

Nature and movement are essential for learning.

Breathing is the most powerful tool for regulating our nervous system.

The most important person in our lives is ourselves — self-care is fundamental to caring for others. We must learn to recognize and respond to the signals our bodies and minds send us.

A guiding principle of the methodology is: “A little is a lot.”

Short, repeated activities can have a big impact on students’ focus and emotional balance.

We also explored the Science of Well-Being and the PERMA Model (Positive emotions, Engagement, Relationships, Meaning, Achievement).

Healthy habits such as sleep, nutrition, and movement form the foundation of happiness.

Research shows that happy people share a common attitude toward life: they live in the present and practice gratitude daily — for example, writing down three things they are grateful for each day.

Another session focused on Brain Gym, a series of physical exercises designed to improve coordination and concentration.

Through simple hand and body movements, participants experienced how physical activity can enhance mental focus and energy — a practical tool to use with students before or during lessons.

The final part of the training addressed mindfulness, values, and goal-setting.

We reflected on how to create a rich and meaningful life, learning that achieving goals alone does not guarantee happiness — as there will always be another goal to pursue.

Focusing instead on our values provides lasting satisfaction and a stronger sense of self-worth.

An interesting example discussed was that of Olympic athletes who, after achieving their goals, often experience depression because they lack new objectives. When life is guided by values, however, creativity and self-esteem flourish.

Mindfulness helps us silence the internal voices that say “you must” or “you should”, allowing us to focus on what truly matters.

We cannot change the past, but we can choose how to live in the present.

Practical exercise:

Participants identified 5–6 key areas of life (e.g., health, relationships, work) and wrote down the corresponding values for each.

Example: under Health, one might include gratitude, self-awareness, determination, and strength.

This Erasmus experience in Alicante offered a rich opportunity to explore how positive psychology, mindfulness, and practical classroom strategies can enhance both teacher and student well-being.

By focusing on awareness, gratitude, and character strengths, educators can foster a more balanced, compassionate, and effective learning environment — for themselves and their students.

How to create a Rich and meaningful life:

Achieve goals doesn’t make you Happy be cause there will be always another goal to reach. If life is focused on Values we always have satisfaction.

If we focus on values we have more self esteem, more creativity.

We cannot think about the past because we cannot change It.

Values for me are: gratitude, self-awareness, determination, strength.