As we approach the season of spring, we can reflect on our challenges and triumphs over the past few months, and look towards the brighter days and months ahead of us.  At this time of change, it is also a good time to remember the benefits of tuning into the world around us, by taking moments to pause and observe, enjoying the blue skies, the sounds of spring, and life re-emerging around us from the winter. 

Take a moment to be still. Feel connected to, and held by the earth, and breathe into the whole body. Direct the breath to any areas of stress or tension to help release the burdens. Exhale and let it all go. Repeat this exercise as many times as you need, until you feel relaxed. Remember that when you pause in stress, you are better able to respond to what life is giving you.

These mindfulness activities for children and for ourselves invite us to take a moment to pause, and invite comfort, safety and belonging into our hearts and minds. When our minds feel like there is too much going on, we can remember to pause for a few moments and hold this quiet time in your heart.

We have arrived in the year 2023! Let’s welcome it in softly and with kindness. Do you tend to put great expectations on yourself for making New Years resolutions, for starting the year with a bang and a spring in your step? I think we all do. But, this isn’t always the case for many (if not all) of us. And if we overpromise ourselves from the off, it can result with us being less productive or feeling worse that we did before. 

Just as deer feed their bodies for strength and endurance particularly leading up to colder weather, we can also feed our minds! As we immerse ourselves in the winter season, let’s tune in to our breath to help with calm and resilience while we build our brains. All that’s needed are a few moments to reset and refocus, enabling us to continue with a clearer mind and greater sense of inner peace. Let’s be resilient like deer!

The cold winter months and busyness of the holidays can sometimes leave us feeling blue and overloaded. We can turn to nature and to our breath for help! Think of bright yellow and orange Wintergold pines and firs that light up dreary skies and bring warmth to the landscape. We can bring this warmth and light into our lives too, while practicing gratitude for what’s within us and around us.

We hope you enjoy this theme centred around “You Are Enough,” from our session at the ReConnect Parent Town Hall. Remember that “You are a work of greatness” every day. You can read this affirmation with the children you support too! Find more mindfulness activities for children including breathing exercises as a part of this theme.

During every stage in life, we all want to feel a sense of support, comfort and safety. With these creative activities we can help encourage a greater understanding of situations and people that make children feel safe.

These simple activities can be done at home or school, and can help to build a greater understanding of the people that are significant to children, and also ensure that we teach them the importance of showing love and kindness to others.

These activities are great ways to support communication at home or school by sparking conversation about how we care for ourselves, our communities, and our planet!

Learn evidence-based mindfulness activities and exercises that bring calm, connection and healing to you and the little ones you support, as well as tools to help build resilience.

This creation of a safe space can allow an individual to feel supported, able to let go of worries and stresses, and just simply be. We believe that when an individual feels calm and safe in a space, this can help open up communication and develop creativity, allowing them to be seen and heard.

Learn evidence-based mindfulness activities and exercises that bring calm, connection and healing to you and the little ones you support, as well as tools to help build resilience.

As the world begins to regenerate around us, we too can encourage growth and expansion within ourselves. We can choose to support ourselves by bringing light and warmth into our everyday through mindfulness practices. We can use this time of the year to get outside more and notice the beautiful changes in nature, draw in some morning movement perhaps, write in a journal, or begin daily practices to positively bookend morning and night.

Let’s talk about social prescribing, something being trialled by the NHS in the UK to help reduce demands on GP’s and the system overall. This model involves connecting individuals to link workers and prescribing them what they need to bring into their lives to feel more connected to themselves and the community around them. The crux of social prescribing is to work with people to identify how they can support their wellbeing and social relations, and in a move away from medication to meditation, we at HERE are aware of the connective qualities that mindfulness can bring into someones life.

How to create a calming corner: Nourish your senses, body, and mind by creating a cosy, nurturing, mindful nook in your home. Decorate your space with your favourite cushions, pillows, blankets, an eco-friendly yoga mat, and props like a singing bowl, plants, and succulents. Add aromatherapy to your space with scents like peppermint and lavender in oil diffusers, essential oils, and candles. In partnership with Redfin.

Whether it’s feeling your blood pressure rise during a long queue at the store, or experiencing overwhelming feelings of sadness and stress due to family trauma, we can all feel overloaded, particularly during the holidays. We understand, and have created some simple breathing techniques, mantras and yoga poses for those moments you need some inner peace.

With the holiday season upon us, we are embracing the theme of resilience and giving yourself a break. When times get tough, one mindful method you can try to bring yourself some peace, is to give yourself a time-out!