MINDFULNESS

what is it?

Mindfulness is the secret sauce for enjoying life—especially for neurospicy brains

Daily mindfulness is key for regulating your nervous system, developing executive functioning skills, and sustaining emotional well-being.

Jon Kabat-Zinn said, “Mindfulness is awareness that arises through paying attention, on purpose, in the present moment, non-judgementally.”

Mindfulness is basically paying attention to what's happening right now—without judging it.

Here are some ways to practice mindfulness:

mindful breathing
doing a body scan
listening to music intentionally
taking a mindful walk
doing a meditation
having a mindful gratitude moment
practicing yoga
mindfully listening or observing
following a guided visualization
5-4-3-2-1 grounding
mindful doodling or drawing
practicing mindful self-compassion
journaling or stream-of-consciousness writing

Mindfulness Meditation

A transformative practice fostering self-compassion, empathy, and connection, with the goal of cultivating inner peace and spreading loving-kindness (40 min)

A meditation from Headspace to reframe stress by focusing on breath and body sensations, providing a calming practice to let go of distractions and cultivate mindfulness (10 min)

A meditation session from Calm on letting go, emphasizing observing thoughts without clinging, not taking things personally in relationships, and relaxing emotional responses (10 min)

A meditation technique from Headspace to calm a busy mind before sleep, focusing on breath awareness and counting to help relax the body and mind (10 min)

A guided meditation from Headspace encouraging mindfulness, relaxation, and present awareness through breathing techniques and visualization (10 min)

A Daily Calm mindfulness meditation, focusing on relaxation and body awareness to promote present-moment connection and stress relief (10 min)

From True Life Center's Body Healing Specialist, Ciarra Pingarrón, a Winter practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, emphasizing nurturing the water element and kidneys through gentle movements and breathwork for regulating the body (5 min)

From True Life Center's Body Healing Specialist, Ciarra Pingarrón, a Spring practice rooted in traditional Chinese medicine, emphasizing expansion and vision through gentle movements and breathwork for regulating the body (5 min)

A meditation session led by Yoga With Adriene focusing on mindfulness techniques to start the day with intention, deep breathing, and setting positive affirmations (7 min)

A video from GoNoodle that guides children through a meditation practice to help regain balance and focus, emphasizing the importance of centering oneself and breathing for calmness and control (3 min)

A guided meditation by BrightenUp! Kids emphasizing mindfulness, deep breathing, and relaxation techniques within a protective "bubble" visualization (8 min)

A guided meditation session for kids led by mindfulness coach John Davisi, focusing on relaxation techniques, deep breathing, gratitude, and self-care (10 min)

A video by The Mindfulness Teacher focuses on enhancing observation skills and concentration through a visual exercise with bubbles, suitable for children aged 3-11 (4 min)

Breathing

A mindfulness exercise focused on observing your breath to maintain a calm, present state of mind and decrease overwhelm by focusing on just one breath at a time (7 min)

A demonstration of the HeartMath Quick Coherence Technique, focusing on heart-centered breathing and recalling positive emotions to regulate emotions effectively (4 min)

A discussion of how the Quick Coherence Technique calms the mind and body through heart-focused breathing, aligning the brain and heart to reduce stress responses and improve decision-making (3 min)

A visual guide with a gentle chime sound to guide inhaling and exhaling—notice how the exhale is 1.5x longer than the inhale to activate the parasympathetic nervous system

A balancing breathwork session led by Yoga With Adriene, focusing on conscious breathing techniques to promote emotional balance and mental clarity. and emphasizing directional breathing techniques, engaging the belly and practicing Kapalabhati breath for an energizing effect (10 min)

Steps written out for various breathing exercises like Box Breathing, Lion’s Breath, Alternate Nostril Breathing, 4-7-8 Breathing, etc. (PDF)

A video by The Mindfulness Teacher introducing a 30-second breathing exercise aimed at promoting mindfulness, relaxation, and brief mental breaks for all age groups (1 min)

A meditation by GoNoodle that teaches children how to calm swirling thoughts through breathing exercises and visualization techniques (3 min)

A mystical and calming meditation by BrightenUp! Kids that teaches a self-soothing technique called the "Butterfly Hug," utilizing visualization and tapping to help children manage big emotions (6 min)

A video by Pure Star Kids that teaches you how to smell the flower and blow out the candle, which is a helpful visualization for kiddos (3 min)

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

A guided progressive muscle relaxation, a systematic way of tensing and relaxing specific muscle groups throughout your body in order to decrease muscle tension and calm the mind // male voice with ocean waves & upbeat music (10 min)

A guided progressive muscle relaxation, provided by Dartmouth College Health Services to provide stress, intention, reduction, resources that help you become more calm, centered, and relaxed // female voice with subtle ocean waves (30 min)

A ripple body scan allowing you to explore your mind and body, to feel the sensations that let you know you’re alive // female voice with nature sounds (20 min)

Written step-by-step instructions to relax your body through PMR, a technique that alternates tension and relaxation in major muscle groups, backed by research showing immediate relaxation benefits and long-term health advantages (Web page)

A guided melting exercise for kids to destress, promoting the idea of freezing up like an ice statue and then gradually melting away tensions through mindful movements and relaxation techniques (4 min)

A video that teaches children about progressive muscle relaxation focusing on the face, guiding through steps like relaxing the forehead, eyes, nose, and mouth to distinguish tension from relaxation (7 min)

A video tutorial introducing progressive muscle relaxation for kids, guiding them through a step-by-step process of relaxing different parts of the body sequentially, emphasizing the practice of tension and relaxation awareness (7 min)