This month’s theme: MINDFULNESS
Articles of the Month
Mindful Awareness Practices – Emerging research shows that the practice of mindfulness can help both children and adults manage and prevent prolonged stress, respond to anxiety, and respond to an array of emotions to make constructive choices about personal behavior and evaluate the benefits and consequences of various actions for personal, social, and collective well-being.
Does Mindfulness Meditation Really Make You Kinder? – As mindfulness continues being promoted as a way to boost our personal well-being, it’s refreshing to know that it may just be helping us create a more compassionate society, too.
How to Teach Empathy to High School Students by Erica Sunarjo – People usually underestimate the importance of empathy for happy living. With empathy and emotional intelligence, you will manage to perceive people better and make them happy this way. Their happiness will reflect on your mood as well.
According to American Psychological Association, the rise of narcissism and the decline of empathy are visible among young adults. In this case, we do not have the right to mind our own business all the time. Young adults need someone who will guide them and explain why empathy is an essential soft skill and how it will influence their lives. Read More >>
“Do every act of your life as though it were the very last act of your life.”
Marcus Aurelius
“This is the real secret of life — to be completely engaged with what you are doing in the here and now. And instead of calling it work, realize it is play.”
Alan Watts
“The most precious gift we can offer others is our presence. When mindfulness embraces those we love, they will bloom like flowers.”
Thich Nhat Hanh
Act of Kindness
Live in the moment. Try to intentionally bring an open, accepting and discerning attention to everything you do. Find joy in simple pleasures.
Question of the Month
How can mindfulness help us practice kindness? Share here or in the comments below.
Kindness Media
Photo of the Month
What does this picture make you feel and why? Share your thoughts.
Songs of the Month
In this song Jason Mraz reminds us to live in the moments that make life worth living. Sometimes we need to get out of our own way so that we can enjoy life.
Videos of the Month
How do we change? In this pioneering talk, Dr. Shauna Shapiro draws on modern neuroscience and ancient wisdom to demonstrate how mindfulness can help us make positive changes in our brains and our lives.
This video explains what everyday mindfulness is, and how being aware of what is going on around you and inside of you can help make life more enjoyable and less stressful.
Podcast of the Month
The only way you are going to be able to make it through is to really know your why and to recognize that if other people are out there discouraging you, it does not mean that they don’t believe in you it just means they don’t believe enough in themselves. If they don’t believe in themselves, how can they possibly believe in you? So that’s a key.
Books of the Month
Make Peace with Your Mind: How Mindfulness and Compassion Can Free You from Your Inner Critic – Mark Coleman – Everyone has an inner critic in their mind that reminds them that they are never quite “good enough.” Because of these thoughts, people often second-guess their actions and doubt their value as people. This voice inside everyone's head feels overpowering, but people can learn to manage it.
The Now Effect: How a Mindful Moment Can Change the Rest of Your Life – Elisha Goldstein Ph.D. – The advice in this book is to make deep, permanent life changes that allow the reader to be present in their lives and connect with the positive things that matter. This book essentially teaches how the present moment can change the rest of one's life.
Wherever You Go, There You Are – Jon Kabat-Zinn – Mindfulness is all about waking up to the world around you and living in peace and harmony with oneself. In this book, Jon Kabat-Zinn provides chapter-by-chapter glimpses into the many different facets of mindfulness. It’s a practice about letting go, being non-judgmental, kind, and embracing the present moment.
What Does It Mean to Be Present? – Rana DiOrio – This refreshing, vibrant picture book engages all of the senses to demonstrate the myriad of ways a child can seize the moment. The story sparks meaningful discussions about the important gift of appreciation, giving children and adults alike the opportunity to live more fully and richly.
The Three Questions – Jon J. Muth – A beautifully written and illustrated picture book that emphasizes that the best time to do things is now, the most important one is the one you’re with, and the right thing to do is to do good for the one you’re with. It’s a simple but powerful message that teaches readers that the most precious gift we can offer someone is our undivided attention.
Happy: A Children's Book of Mindfulness – Nicola Edwards – The perfect soothing read for quiet time, Happy gently encourages young readers to explore their emotions and the beautiful world around them. This poetic journey to a place of happiness and calm will inspire and empower your child to enjoy the practice of mindfulness.