Mindfulness for young people

Had a really great week last week attending the .b trainers course to teach mindfulness in schools to 11-18 year olds. 

Staying in London, house sitting for some friends, really stepping out of my usual routines was in itself a brilliant opportunity to be more mindful. Trying new routines is useful like this...as we so quickly slip into autopilot, sitting in the same seats, driving the same route, shopping in the same places, taking so much in our lives for granted. Autopilot is wonderful for getting lots of things done is a short space of time, a great way to short cut, but we tend to rely on it so much that we are rarely present in our day to day lives. As a consequence of this, we miss many things, or see right through them. Or worse still, see only the negative side of them. For instance if a family member has left the lid off the toothpaste, or made the tea not quite how you like it, or left the wet towels on the floor - its so easy to feel irritated isn't it!? Mindfulness can teach us to notice that response and give us space to choose whether that is really how we want to be. 
Try doing a few things differently this week and see if it helps you to feel more present. Look for ways to vary your routine, see who you meet, what new places you pass, take in details and look for things that you have never noticed...it could be the start of all kinds of new adventures! Also notice how you feel by changing your routine. Lots of people don't like change, however there are times in our lives when its inevitable, so if we keep up the skill of dealing with it, we may be better equipped when its thrown upon us. One thing is for sure, nothing stays the same. 

So I'm  very excited to now be able to deliver the .b curriculum in schools, its a 10 lesson programme, researched and written for kids of this age, to give them an introduction into what could be a tool to carry with them for the rest of their lives. The course is active, engaging and fun, with plenty to think about. Its also given me some exercises to be trying on my adult classes.
Come and join us if you fancy trying mindfulness for yourself, theres regular friendly classes, and a lovely half day session this Sunday.