***Reposted with permission by the Dalai Lama Center. Original post can be found here.***
Back to school doesn’t have to mean back to stress! The Dalai Lama Center have teamed up with Breathr, a mindfulness app for youth created by the health professionals at BC Children’s Hospital*, to bring you three youth-approved practices and one unique meditation to support a peaceful transition into the school year.
Starting off on the right foot may look like stepping into new routines infused with mindful moments. Waiting for the bus, taking the dog for a walk, eating a snack, or even tidying up are all opportunities for calm and ease with a mindful mindset – one that is aware, loving, and open to one’s feelings and experiences in the present moment.
Adults can set the tone by modelling a mindful approach to stressful situations and incorporating these practices into everyday routines. Children’s natural curiosity often draws them to observe the adults in their lives and wonder about the significance of their actions. Youth, in particular, are natural skeptics – in order for mindfulness to seem worth their time, the adults around them need to lead by example.
Adults can start by working one (or more) of the following practices into their own daily routine for a week. Then, try talking to your youth about a mindful moment in your day – perhaps share a situation you brought your awareness to and how you felt in the moment. Invite them to join you in these practices if they are interested.
Since both stress and mindfulness are contagious, adults can nurture Secure & Calm in young people by nurturing it in themselves. In this way, everyone benefits from mindfulness, regardless of whether or not young people choose to participate in mindful practices alongside the adults who care for them.