Welcome back to Movement and Mindfulness with Jen Champion. We hope you enjoy the practice.
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How To Become a Better Listener In 3 Easy Steps
Conversations are a two-way street.
Mastering the art of listening can be a little tricky at first, but it is very learnable. Here’s how you can become a better listener in 3 easy steps.Â
Validate in a Few Simple Words
Whether we are excited, happy, scared or nervous about something, sometimes all we want is to be listened to and supported.
Here’s an example.
Have you ever called a friend just to vent?Â
You knew there was absolutely nothing they could do to change the situation, but you just wanted to let them in. All you wanted was a listening ear.
The next time a friend or family member calls you to vent, you don’t have to give them your two cents (unless they ask, of course.)
Simply using phrases like “I understand how you feel” or “Of course, that makes sense.” can help them feel at ease and listened to.
Listen With Your BodyÂ
Communication comes in many forms. As much as it’s important to say comforting words, it’s also as important to listen with your entire body.
Let’s say a friend is telling you a long story about something that happened to them. You don’t want to interrupt them, but you want them to see you are listening.Â
This is where facial expression and/or posture come into play.
You can smile, nod your head, sit up straight etc.
Sometimes body language can be stronger than words.
Hear What’s Underneath The Words
It isn’t always about what you say – it’s about how you say it.Â
Almost all of us have claimed to feel fine when in reality, we were not.Â
Saying everything is fine when it’s not can become a habit, and something we do without even noticing.Â
Of course, you know your friends and family well. If they seem a little stressed or overwhelmed, don’t be afraid to check-in and ask if there’s anything you can do to help.Â
As we discussed earlier, even if there is nothing you can physically do to change the situation, you can still listen.Â
“The most important thing in communication is hearing what isn’t said” – Peter Drucker
Listen to Your Breath: K-5 Movement and Mindfulness With Jen Champion
Welcome back to movement and mindfulness with Jen Champion! Today we will be learning how to simply sit comfortably and hear and feel our breathing.
Teaching Children How to Manage and Understand Anger
Anger is a normal, healthy emotion that children, teens and adults experience.Â
Here’s the deal though, children know when they are angry. They feel it just like an adult or teen would.
But they can have difficulty understanding and expressing it, which can be frustrating.Â
The good news is, healthy coping skills can be learned! Â
Here are three ways you can help your child better understand and manage their anger.Â
Lead by Example
You are your child’s biggest role model. How you respond to frustrating situations can impact them in more ways than you’d think.
Here’s an example. Let’s say you accidentally drop your coffee one morning, and your entire kitchen floor is covered in coffee.Â
We know that is far from fun, but those moments are the perfect opportunity to practice remaining calm even when it’s hard.Â
If your child notices you remaining calm, chances are they will mimic those actions in the future.Â
Time Outs
Time outs are a great calm down tool for kids.
When you’re angry or overwhelmed, sometimes the best thing you can do is take yourself out of the situation.Â
The same tool works for kids. Now, you may prefer going on a walk or reading, while they may prefer drawing or playing with one of their toys.
After a few minutes of quiet time, they may even forget why they were angry in the first place.Â
Remain Calm
We get it. When your child is angry and having a tantrum, it’s easy to lose your cool and raise your voice.Â
Even though it may be tough, the best thing you can do is remain calm and talk it out with them.Â
Sit down and ask them to explain exactly what they’re feeling and what brought it on.
Once you know what happened, the two of you can figure out a solution together.Â
The simple act of getting their feelings off their chest can help dial down some of the intensity.Â
Boost of Confidence: 6-12 Movement and Mindfulness With Jen Champion
We hope you enjoy this movement and mindfulness practice with Jen Champion for grades 6 – 12.
Feeling Irritable For No Reason?
Let us know if this sounds familiar…
You wake one morning feeling a little irritable, and your family catches on and asks why you’re grumpy…
Instead of letting them in, you respond, saying you’re fine and they are exaggerating.Â
Denying how you’re feeling won’t help matters. In fact, it can even make you feel worse. Now, you don’t have to tell everyone you know how you’re feeling 24/7. However, you’d be surprised how therapeutic venting can be.
Even if there is nothing your friend or family member can do, talking does help.Â
Think About The Reason Behind Your IrritabilityÂ
Sometimes an event can make us irritable, such as accidentally burning your meal or breaking something. But that’s not always the case.
Sometimes we can feel frustrated or upset and not even know why.Â
It’s possible something or someone in your life is causing you stress, but it hasn’t fully sunk in yet. If you’re not sure and would like to find out, try looking for patterns. Is there a certain time or day of the week you catch yourself feeling irritable?
If so, take some time to reflect.Â
Here’s an example. If you catch yourself feeling irritable late at night or early in the morning, that may be a sign you aren’t getting enough sleep.Â
Take a Break
Almost everything takes longer and feels much harder when you’re frustrated. When you’re not feeling your best, generally the best thing you can do is call it a day.Â
Now, calling it a day is not the same thing as quitting. It’s simply a matter of listening to your body and understanding its limits.
Change Your Thoughts
When something isn’t going your way, it’s so easy to let negative thoughts take over.
Here’s something for you to think about…
Which of the following thoughts do you think would help you feel better faster?
“I can’t believe I slept through this meeting. My team must be so disappointed in me. What if I get fired?”
Or,
“So, I slept in this morning and missed my meeting. I am going to call my boss and apologize. I think I will go to sleep early tonight so I can get up early tomorrow.”
In both scenarios, the person slept in and missed their meeting, which can be frustrating… that is, if you let it be.Â
Looking at the facts and challenging negative thoughts may not be able to eliminate irritability completely. But it can certainly take the edge off.
Embodying Respect: Calming Yoga With Amalia Trieger
Welcome back to Calming Yoga with Amalia Trieger. We hope you enjoy the practice.
How to Get Yourself Out of a Rut and Motivated Once Again
Let us know if any of these feelings sound familiar…
1) Every day is starting to feel the same.
2) You can’t find the energy or motivation to start or finish projects.
3) You feel like you’re stuck jogging in place.
If you can relate to any of those prompts, you may be stuck in a rut.
Yes, being in a rut can be frustrating, but it does not have to last forever.
These tips and tricks can help you get unstuck and motivated once again!
Take Care of Yourself
When you have so much going on, sometimes self-care can get moved to the bottom of your priority list, when in fact, it should be moved to the top.
Everything from the food we eat to the amount of sleep we get has a huge impact on our overall wellness.
Every single day you should be doing at least one activity that is for you and only you.
Taking care of your mind and body every day will give you the energy needed to take on tomorrow
Change Up Your Routine
“Never be afraid to try something new because life gets boring when you stay within the limits of what you already know.” – Anonymous
People are creatures of habit, which has its own set of benefits, but sometimes it can make us feel stuck or bored.
The next time you find yourself feeling a little stuck, try doing something you’ve done before.
Now, these activities do not have to be complicated. Sometimes less is more.Â
You can start watching a new TV show, take a new route to the grocery store, or read a book on a topic you’re unfamiliar with.Â
Say yes to new things. Try the unexpected. See what happens!
Say Goodbye to Perfectionism
Trying new things can be a little scary, especially if you thrive on routine and consistency.Â
Let yourself try new things. Let yourself make mistakes along the way. All you can do is take it one day at a time.Â
The Next Time You’re Feeling Anxious Try These 4 Things
These 4 steps can help you better understand your anxiety, relax your mind and control negative thoughts.
Acknowledge Your Anxiety
We can’t control everything that happens to us in life, and that’s okay.
When we’re worried about something, it’s not uncommon to immediately jump to unrealistic worst-case scenarios. Again, none of us can see the future, but there are a few prompts that can help us figure out how realistic our thoughts/worries are.
1) Is there any solid evidence that my fear will happen?
2) What are the chances that the thing I’m afraid of will actually happen?
3) Can I handle the worst possible outcome?
Schedule a Worry Break
Sometimes when we start worrying about something, it can be very difficult to stop. Now, you may be thinking to yourself, “Okay, that makes sense. I just won’t let myself worry.”
Although that may sound great in theory, it’s not always ideal. The more you try not thinking about something, the more you tend to think about it.
Try not to think about pink elephants. See – not so easy.
No need to worry. There is a happy medium. Simply schedule short worry 10 – 15 minute worry breaks once a day.
During that time, you can reflect upon all the things on your mind and express them in a healthy way. You can either express your thoughts to a friend or jot them down in a journal.Â
Healthy Distractions
Doing at least one activity a day that brings you joy can help you deal with existing worries and prevent new ones. Our minds can’t focus on so many things at once. It’s just the way our brain works.
The truth is, anxiety can be exhausting. Setting aside some time to participate in activities you love can act as a healthy distraction and even increase energy levels.
Listen to Your Anxiety
Anxiety is not this terrible thing that should constantly be avoided at all costs. Sometimes our fears and anxieties can help guide us in the right direction.
Your anxiety could be trying to tell you that you’re taking on too much or warn you if something isn’t a good idea.
6 Hacks to Transform Your Work From Home Routine
When you work from home, there will always be little distractions that pop up.Â
Everything from kids to pets to dirty dishes can be very distracting and take up a lot of time and energy.
Oh, and let’s not forget about social media and the TV! If you’re ready to say goodbye to those distractions, you are in the right place.Â
Set Fixed Hours
Working from home does give us a lot more flexibility hours wise, which can be both a good and bad thing.
Have you ever had one of those days where you were in the zone and the day just flew by? As much as we love those days, they can also throw us a little off course.
There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to go above and beyond.
But at the same time, life is all about balance.
Working unrealistic hours is not healthy, and can lead to frustration and burnout.
Study Your Creativity
We all have our own focus styles. Some of us are more creative in the afternoon, while others are more creative in the mornings. As we stated earlier, working from home does give us a lot of flexibility.
If you prefer doing difficult tasks that require a lot of creativity in the morning, then plan your day around those tasks. That way, you can spend your afternoons doing more mundane tasks such as catching up on emails.Â
Let Your Family Know When You’re in Meetings
Almost all of us have had our children interrupt a very important meeting at least once.
The only thing is, that sometimes it can be tricky to get back into the zone after being interrupted. The next time you have an important meeting or strict deadline, don’t be afraid to give your family a heads up first.Â
Spend Time Outside
Getting out of the house at least once a day is so important for our overall creativity and energy levels. You can take a walk around the block or read a book on your porch.Â
Get Organized
“For every minute spent in organizing, an hour is earned.” – Benjamin Franklin
When we have so much going on, it can be tough to know where to even begin. Writing out all of your to-do’s in order of importance can help prevent a lot of guesswork and decision making during the day.
Take Plenty of Email Breaks
Don’t get us wrong – email is an incredible thing.
However, you don’t want to become glued to your inbox. Replying to emails can be incredibly time consuming and exhausting.
Yes, some emails are urgent – but not all of them!Â
Before answering an email, ask yourself if the email can wait a few hours, or if it needs to be taken care of right away. Prioritizing your email correspondents can potentially save you hours, if not more every month.
How to Beat Negativity According to Science
The truth is, we all have negative thoughts sometimes, and that is completely normal.
However, too much of anything is not healthy.
When we do the same thing for so long, it can become a habit.
Some habits can be tough to break – but if you put the work in, anything is possible.
Deconstruct Your Negativity
Our thoughts truly are so powerful.
The stories we tell ourselves can significantly impact how we think, act and feel.
If we go into a situation assuming something bad will happen, chances are it will.
“Every day may not be good… but there’s something good in every day” ― Alice Morse Earle
The next time you catch yourself stuck in a negative mindset hit the pause button and question your thoughts.
Here are a couple of prompts that can help get you started.
1) What can this situation teach me?
2) How can I transform this negative feeling into a positive one?
Find Healthy Distractions
Have you ever had one of those days where your mind just couldn’t stop racing?
It’s happened to almost all of us, especially after a stressful day.
The longer we think about negative emotions, the more intense they tend to become.
Now, you shouldn’t ignore your feelings and hold them in. That can actually make things worse. However, you can take that energy and put it towards something that’s good for your well-being. You can dance, go for a run or take a walk.
Practice Gratitude​
Practicing gratitude can help remind us just how lucky we are.
Not every negative event is actually as bad as it feels at the moment. You just have to keep reminding yourself that. Feelings are not facts, and just because you feel something doesn’t make it true.
If you’re having a tough time getting started, here are a few prompts that can help.Â
1) What went well today?
2) What did you learn today?
3) What everyday item makes your life easier?
You can either write your thoughts down or think about them in your mind. There are no right or wrong answers.
Relax
“Sometimes the most productive thing you can do is relax.” – Mark Black
When in doubt – just relax! When we’re overtired or stressed, things tend to feel way worse than they actually are.Â
Going to bed earlier than usual or getting lost in a good show can instantly transform your mood.Â
The Power of Courage
Courage and fearlessness are not the same thing!
Courage is all about understanding your fears and taking action despite them.
Have a Healthy Perspective
Courage truly is like a muscle. You more you use it, the stronger it gets.
None of us are born courageous, and we all have the ability to learn it.
“You can choose courage, or you can choose comfort, but you cannot choose both.” – BrenĂ© Brown
Fear Is Not a Bad Thing
Fear shouldn’t be this bad thing we constantly try to avoid at all costs. In fact, a little bit of fear is healthy and can teach us a lot about ourselves.
The next time you’re afraid to do something, take some time to think about what you’re actually afraid of.
The answer may surprise you.
Sometimes our fears can feel more intense than they actually are.
Taking some time to think about realistic worse case scenarios can help you look at scary situations in a new way.
Embrace Stepping Outside Your Comfort Zone
Have you ever said no to something you really wanted to do because you were afraid you’d fail?
If so, you’re not the only one.
Change and uncertainty can be scary at times.
But think about it this way. If we keep doing the same things, we will keep getting the same results.
The best way to become more courageous is by practicing and taking action.
Every single step is one step in the right direction.
Say Hello to Failure
Failure isn’t dangerous and is nothing to be afraid of.
It is a life experience that should be embraced.
“Everything you want is on the other side of fear.” – Jack Canfield
Nothing in life is guaranteed, and we never know what we are capable of unless we try.