🌟 Terrific Testimonial Tuesday… 🌟 Haven’t shared any of these in a while as I’ve been busy running my Refuel and Reboot courses with new customers. 🌟 I love that I get to work with such a variety of clients… ✨ One frazzled mummy looking for support with sleep and anxiety. ✨ One university student looking for support with functional breathing having suffered from Pneumonia. ✨ One Yeqr 9 student looking to reconnect with joy and calm. 🌟 I create bespoke sessions for each individual based on their needs, and the results always speak for themselves. 🌟 This Mental Health Awareness week, I want you to know that I’m here to help you to feel more resourced, calm and in control. 🌟 Please like, share & get in touch if you’d like to know more. Xx #mentalheslthfoundation #mentalhealthawarenessweek #testimonialtuesday #helpingpeople #frazzledmummy #unistudent #year9student #reconnectwithjoyandcalm #makingadifference #bespokesessions #functionalbreathing #bellybreathing #bekindtoyourmind #mindkindness #relaxkids #smallbusinessinuttlesford #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas #inpersonandonline
💌 Have you ever tried sending a kind, positive message to someone you’re thinking about through ‘thought’ post!? 📮 In Relax Kids we call it Magic Mind Mail. It’s a brilliant way to help little ones with separation anxiety to feel connected to their loved ones. 🪄 It’s also a brilliant way to help us parents of older kids going through exams. I’m sending plenty of magic mind mail to my daughter who has just started her GCSEs today 😳. 💜 Sending kind, loving and positive thoughts to someone is part of a compassionate mindful practise. Give it a go and see how it feels? Maybe it’ll boost the feeling of connection between you and the recipient of your special message!? 🌟 And my main message for my eldest daughter today is that we are proud… so proud of her efforts… whatever the outcome 💪🎨🖼️💫 On the topic of exams, please do get in touch if you’re an exam student or parent in need of a 1 hour REFUEL session to calm the nervous system and ease the stress 🧘♀️ #mindfulcompassionpractise #thoughtpost #magicmindmail #separationanxiety #boostconnection #gcsesupport #proudparent #praiseeffortnotresults #refuelforcalm #sessionsforexamstudentsandparents #breathe #mindkindness #relaxkidscoach #relaxkids #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas #onlinesessionsavailable
🌟 A simple hack for your teens… and for you! 🌟 Swap ‘but’ for ‘and’ when talking about your anxiety. 🌟 Notice your anxious feelings, tune in to them, acknowledge them and make room for them 💬 “I want to go to the party BUT I feel so anxious” gives the impression that going to the party will be a problem. 💬 “I want to go to the party AND I feel so anxious” acknowledges that both things are important and CAN be done together. 🌟 Give this simple hack a go and notice the difference 😘 🌟 I will spend the summer term working with anxious students and their families. 🤯 If you’re struggling with an anxious teen at home… I CAN HELP! 🌟 Please do share & get in touch for more info 🙏 #anxiousteens #gcsestudents #examanxiety #feelthefear #makeroomfor anxiety #andnotbut #helpingyoufeelbetter #waystocope #anxiousstudents #ACT #mindfulacceptance #mindkindness #uttlesfordbusiness #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas
⛽️ Introducing REFUEL… ❓Do you sometimes feel like you’re running on empty? ⛽️ Refuel yourself by tuning in to your needs and experiencing the benefits of… * simple mindfulness techniques * relaxation exercises * conscious breathing * gratitude and positive thinking ⛽️ REFUEL is a 1 hour tailor made session to calm the nervous system. ⛽️ REFUEL forms part of my resilience boosting menu (consisting of REGULATE, REFUEL & REBOOT)* 🌟 REFUEL sessions can be adapted to suit… ✨Children ✨Young People ✨Adults 🌟 And run as a 1:1, a small group session or as a workshop for larger groups. ⛽️ You can choose to REFUEL with Relax Kids or through the Power of the Breath. 🌟 If you’d like to know more about REFUEL sessions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. * more on REBOOT next time. #refuel #resilienceboosters #experience #learntocalm #balancethenervoussystem #humanstressresponse #children #youngpeople #students #adults #relaxkids #functionalbreathcoaching #regulate #reboot #mindkindness #simplethings #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas #relaxkidscoach #functionalbreathcoach #onlinesessionsavailabletoo
Introducing REGULATE… 🌟 With my shiny new website well on its way thanks to @studio_mindset , the time has come to introduce my new offering… starting with REGULATE… ⚖️ REGULATE forms part of my resilience boosting menu (consisting of REGULATE, REFUEL & REBOOT)* ⚖️ REGULATE is a 90 minute educational and experiential session to teach the basics of self regulation. 🌟 In a REGULATE Session you will learn: * the science behind the human stress response * The importance of balancing the nervous system * Mindfulness, Relaxation and breathing exercises for self regulation * Ideas to help yourself and your family 🌟 It can be adapted to suit ✨Children ✨Young People ✨Adults 🌟 And run as a 1:1, a small group session or as a workshop for larger groups. 🌟 You can choose to REGULATE with Relax Kids or through the Power of the Breath. 🌟 Once you have attended a REGULATE session you will have the foundations for future REFUEL AND REBOOT sessions. 🌟 If you’d like to know more about REGULATE sessions, please don’t hesitate to get in touch. * more on REFUEL and REBOOT to follow. #regulate #resilienceboosters #educate #experience #learntocalm #balancethenervoussystem #humanstressresponse #children #youngpeople #students #adults #relaxkids #functionalbreathcoaching #refuel #reboot #mindkindness #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas #onlinesessionsavailabletoo
😊 In my Chill Skills class today with the Y7 boys, we’ll be exploring the meaning of true happiness with an extra focus on the things that we love to do that make us feel good. 💬 It’s @place2be Children’s Mental Health Week this week & the theme is #myvoicematters - giving children and young people the tools they need to express themselves. 💪 🌟 I’m so proud to be empowering children and young people to become more emotionally literate so that they are able to voice what’s going on in their lives. 🌟 I’m so proud to be helping them to find the tools that they need to express themselves, helping them to build their self confidence and self esteem. 🏠 See @place2be website for some brilliant resources to support your children… I particularly loved this tip… 🌈 “Be your own best friend because at the end of the day, you’re stuck with you – so look after yourself!” 🌟 See also in the photos above some tips for simple conversation starters for parents. 💥 Give them a go! #childrensmentalhealthweek #place2be #myvoicematters #truehappiness #expressyourself #focusonthepositive #beyourownbestfriend #buildyourtoolkit #buildconfidence #buildselfesteem #whatwelovetodo #empower #childrenandyoungpeople #relaxkids #chillskills #mindkindness #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas
🌈 Big skies and Rainbows 🌈 Thank you Cornwall for the awe and wonder this week. Never before have we seen so many rainbows in one week… so bright and beautiful & full of hope & joy! 🌥️ And the big skies, it seems ‘Skycology’ really is a thing!! Have you ever heard of it? ☁️ Just stepping outside and looking up can be an instant mood booster. Appreciating that we are a part of something much bigger can help us to feel calmer & more connected. Mindfulness in its simplest form. 🌊 Same can be said for the sea. So mesmerising and recharging in its ebb & flow. 🌤️ But the sky is always there, wherever we are, whatever the weather… so give ‘Skychology’ a go… start with 60 seconds if you can and see what you notice. ✨ Developing the ability the see the extraordinary in the ordinary may even extend from your skychology practice into other areas of life! It’s definitely worth a try. #skychology #vitaminsea #recharge #refresh #simplemindfulness #moodboost #interconnectedness #bigskies #rainbows #brightandbeautiful #fullofjoy #cornishlife #breathcoach #relaxkidscoach #mindkindness #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas
🌟Look what was waiting for me… … in this brilliant phone box library in the middle of magical Arkesden… 📚 I had visited with my littlest, looking for a new reading book for her to take to school. No joy sadly for my daughter but as I looked up, there it was waiting for me at eye level on the end of the shelf. 😮💨‘Breathe’ by James Nestor @mrjamesnestor 🛒 The book that I’d added to my online basket but had not yet bought. ✨ I’m taking it as a sign that I’m on the right path! A little message from the universe. ✨ The science behind the human breath is so incredible, so powerful and yet so overlooked. ✨ We often lose the perfect breath that we’re born with as we grow older and this can lead to all sorts of health and mental well-being problems. ✨ There is so much that we can do improve our breath and I can’t wait to get stuck in to this book to learn more. 🌟 For starters maybe you could tune in to whether you’re breathing through your nose 👃or your mouth 👄 while you’re reading this… or are you possibly even holding your breath as you concentrate? More about that soon 😘 #arkesdenvillage #phoneboxlibrary #preloved #universe #meanttobe #breath #nosebreather #mouthbreather #breathholder #mindkindness #functionalbreathing #breachcoachcourse #thewholehealthproject #relaxkidscoach #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas Write a caption...
🌟 Feeling grateful… For the opportunity to chat openly with friends at my ‘Tea and Talk’ for World Mental Health day yesterday. It was an opportunity to be real and to talk about our difficult feelings and emotions alongside a good old matter and catch up ☕️ ✨ I love this list of ‘How we would like to feel’ and am inspired by it as I draw together an offering for busy mums linked to my Breath Coach training. 👩🏫🧑🏫 Then today, I did my first ‘Well-being Wednesday’ Zoom session for Early Career Teachers. All part of an initiative to support Teachers in their first few years with their mental well-being. I’ll be doing these half termly and hope that the support provided will also improve wellbeing for the students too. 🐹 To top it off, I’ve had some lovely feedback from one of my breath coaching Guinea pigs . I hope you can see why I wanted to share it! ✨ What are you grateful for today? 🙏 #worldmentalhealthday #mentalhealthfoundation #teaandtalk #howdoyoufeel #howdoyouwanttofeel #wellbeingwednesday #teacherwellbeing #lookaftertheteachers #ECTsupport #rippleeffect #studentwellbeing #breathcoachung #learntobreatheagain #functionalbreathing #wholehealthproject #mindkindness #relaxkidscoach #saffronwaldenandsurroundingareas
🌟It’s #youthmentalhealthday and this year’s theme is #bebrave. 💫 We often use the affirmation ‘I am brave’ in my 1:1 and class sessions as a way of pushing through personal boundaries and fears. 💫 This affirmation helps to set the tone mentally for what’s ahead and is much more helpful than the thought that ‘I’m too scared/worried/afraid to do this’. 🌟 You can imagine my pride when my youngest daughter told me that she’d used her positive affirmations to help her to get down the big slide at the Aqua-park this weekend. 💦 💪 The theme #bebrave is encouraging young people to build up the courage and confidence they need to achieve their goals and ambitions, and to be the best version of themselves. 💪 This applies to grown ups too. Let me know if you have had to #bebrave today? 🌟 Youth Mental Health Day is organised by @stem4org. It is aimed at getting young people, and those who support them, talking about #mentalhealth.
👂How can we help ourselves and our kids to be more focused & better at listening? 👂I’m not sure if it’s just me but I’ve noticed that my own kids and the students that I’m working with in schools are finding it harder than ever to listen and focus. Even as adults, we are more distracted and our ability to focus on one thing is becoming harder. 🌟 In our busy world with our busy minds, it is important to remember that there is something we can do to help. 🏋️♂️ We can learn to train our attention and focus within our busy, frenetic lifestyles. 🧠 Attention training rewires the brain for better focus. It’s a simple practice and we can all do it. The more you practise, the better you’ll get at it. 🧠 Attention training = Mindfulness. 😮💨 If you want to start to improve your attention, you can begin by guiding your attention to the breath. 🫁 Start with some simple breath awareness, notice sensations as you breathe, where you feel it ie. lungs/ throat/ nose/ belly, how it feels ie. temperature, pressure, force etc. Do this for at least a minute if you can. 🚸 Encourage your children to do it too. 🌟 This is a way in to building your attention and your self awareness. This forms the basis of a lot of my work and is an introduction to using the breath as an anchor when we want to improve our ability to focus and listen. 🌟 Picture 2 is a brilliant noise-o-metre made by my brilliant biggest daughter to help with classroom noise levels when I’m in school as a supply teacher. I’m hoping it’s going to help to focus the class & enable better listening!? We’ll see!! 🤣
All for a brilliant cause - raising much needed money to benefit non profit charities in our village. 🌟 This session can be done online or in person and will last roughly 1.5 hrs. Take some time to boost emotional literacy and improve mental resilience within your family. ✨ “Our son attended Sarah’s Relax Kids Club at school and we were so impressed by what we were hearing from him that we contacted Sarah directly and asked if she would come an do a family session at our home. Sarah was brilliant, she pitched the session perfectly to keep us all engaged and it was really helpful for us to all hear the same things, so we were all working to support our son in the right way. Her session was fun, informative and again gave us all some ideas and approaches to practice to improve our sons sleep routine and wellbeing. I would throughly recommend Sarah and wouldn't have any hesitation in contacting her again if we every find ourselves in need of some top tips on mental wellness and relaxation.” ✨ 🌟 Alternatively, I am also able to offer this session as an adult introduction to mindfulness and/or functional breathing if preferred. 🌟 Please do click on the link below to support this fabulous cause… http://auction of promises.com/theclaveringball2023
Magic nature wands 🌿 Today i’m preparing to make nature wands with my Relax Kids Nature Club students for our last session this term. 🌳 This half term we have loved getting outside more. We have walked barefoot, made nature bracelets & calming affirmation pebbles, played mindful ‘I spy’ & practised sun salutations… plus much much more. ✨ The children have shown me how much calm & joy they get from nature. We’ve talked about the importance of connecting with nature as a way to help us care more about our planet, and as a way to help us to feel more calm and regulated. 🌟 I feel so lucky to do what I do! 🙏 Thank you to Minimadthings for the inspiration & image xx
🤔 Reflecting and taking stock of change and progress… 👿 My inner critic has recently been having a go about the apparent lack of ‘progress’ (and posting on socials 🙈. Sorry!) so far this year. ✍🏼 So I wrote EVERYTHING down… the stuff I’m going to take forward into the Autumn term & the stuff that can sit on the back burner just for now. Putting things down on paper always helps to provide clarity for me. ✨ I realise that my ‘progress’ so far this year has come in the form of building my self awareness in terms of my onward direction. ✨ Having self awareness is so key to becoming more emotionally literate and mentally resilient and it’s this that I want to share with the world. 🌟 Next term, I plan to do more work with parents. I’ve loved the work that I’ve done with parents so far this year & can really see the benefits for the kids… 🌟 Better resourced parents = calmer kids 👩🏫 I also have some well-being work for teachers in the pipeline too so exciting times ahead. 🌱 Photos above are of the track at the back of our house in February & now… I love noticing the changes as the year progresses. ✨ What does change/ progress look like for you this year?
📴 Phone freedom! 📴 My soon to be 13 year old son is on a school trip all week with NO PHONE!! 💬 Phones are banned for the week. This is an intentional move so that the kids can communicate effectively face to face, build connections and fully immerse themselves in the experience without distraction. 🎁 Although the kids don’t see it as a gift, I really believe that this week will leave them with treasured memories of real experiences that they have had to work through without the temptation to pick up a screen. ☺️ I feel so fortunate to have grown up without this constant temptation. 📱 We all have it there, winking at us, ready to distract us when boredom and/or difficulty set in. I wonder whether any of us are allowing for enough time to process thoughts, feelings and emotions away from the pull of a screen? 😳 When I look at how many times I’ve picked my phone up today, I feel embarrassed! 📱 You can check this ‘pick up’ number in your screen time settings. Have you ever checked it? You might be surprised! Now to try and get that number down 🥴🙈
🌟 Step 5 - Self Care 🌟 Self Care is about finding YOUR thing that makes you feel good or better. It’s about something that you can do to look after YOUR mental health and well-being. 🌟 If you are able to tune in to your thoughts/ feelings/emotions, to notice patterns and to understand what they are telling you (Steps 1-3), you will be more able to implement some strategies to help you to respond in a compassionate way… boosting your mental well-being at the same time (Steps 4 & 5). 🌟 @youngminds has a great page on self-care… 🌟 ‘It’s about trying to listen to how we are feeling and understanding what we need, even if it’s difficult, so we can care for ourselves. 🌟 This could mean taking a timeout when we're feeling overwhelmed; it could mean making time to do an activity that we know makes us feel good; or it could be as simple as making sure to do the basics like eating and sleeping well when we're struggling. 🌟 The important thing with self-care is not what it looks like, but what it does for you and how it makes you feel. When it comes to self-care it's not one thing, it's your thing.’ 🌟 I do believe that the 5 steps that I’ve shared this week form the foundations for dealing with difficult thoughts, feelings and sensations, including anxiety. 🌟 My sessions cover this approach in much more detail with more emphasis on the science and education behind it. 🌟 Please do get in touch if I can help in any way & pass on my details to anyone who might be interested. Thank you 🙏 xx
🛠️ Step 4 - tool kit 🌟 If you have followed Steps 1-3, you are now much more able to notice and name your thoughts, feelings and sensations. 🌟 Now to learn your tool kit in helping to tame your anxiety. 🌟 My two main approaches involve relaxation and/or mindfulness. 🌈 Here is a shout out for Relax Kids and the ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’. We work through these steps in a Relax Kids class but they are also a fabulous guide to keeping a healthy mind… 🌈 MOVE - are you moving your body enough? 🌈 PLAY - is there enough fun and social connection in your life? 🌈 STRETCH - do you release the tension in your muscles enough? 🌈 FEEL - do you appreciate the power of positive touch? A massage or even just a hug can really help with relaxation. 🌈 BREATHE - slow, deep belly breaths are the number 1 way to calm the nervous system. How often do you practise? 🌈 BELIEVE - notice your internal self talk. Are you being kind to yourself? Do you believe in yourself? 🌈 RELAX - are you taking adequate time to recharge? Visualisations and mindful meditation are both great ways to relax the mind. 🌟 You can use these 7 Steps as a guide alongside ensuring that your life style habits are in check ie. adequate restorative sleep, nutritious food, access to nature, social connection etc. See my website (link in Bio) or DM me for me info re. Relax kids and the ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’ xx
❓What is anxiety❓ 🌟 Anxiety can be seen as a buzz word & is frequently misunderstood. 🌟 Thanks again to the @mentalhealthfoundation who have produced these slides to help define what anxiety actually is. 🌟 It is important to know that anxiety is a normal human survival mechanism. It can be helpful in motivating us or keeping us safe from harm. 🌟 It is often the fear around anxiety that can make things worse. 🌟 The better we are able to understand it, the better we will be able to manage it. 🌟 I hope that by following my steps 1-3 you will become better able to identify with your anxiety. 🌟 Steps 4 and 5 to follow over the next few days. Xx
🌟 So here are the first 3 steps of my 5 step approach to helping with anxiety. I hope you find these steps useful. They apply to both kids and adults alike and are worth taking the time to practise. 🌟 Step 1 is to remember to take a PAUSE, Switch off autopilot, Take a breath, Tune in, and to simply acknowledge any thoughts, feelings and sensations that you feel in that moment . 🌟 Start to practise this through the day, whenever you think of it. Tune in and zoom in! Perhaps you could tie this practise to a part of your daily routine as a way of forming a new positive habit? 🌟 Step 2 is to use words to name any thoughts, feelings, sensations. By doing this, you boost your emotional literacy & by using names (eg. Oh hi anxiety!) you are also acknowledging them, not pushing them away. 🌟 Step 3 is to notice patterns in these thoughts, feelings and sensations. What are they here to tell you? When are they manifesting? By getting to know them and not turning away from them, you are starting to tame them. 🌟 Often, our first instinct is to turn away from anxiety. If we can turn towards it and make attempts to understand it, we are then better equipped to start to manage it. 🌟 I hope you find this useful. Do let me know your thoughts.
🌟The Focus for this week’s Mental Health Awareness Week is Anxiety. 🌟 So much of my work is based around helping people with anxiety and it is a feeling that I too know only too well. 🌟 This week I will be sharing my 5 Step technique for helping with feelings of anxiety using the approach of noticing, naming and taming our emotions. More on that tomorrow. 🌟 Today, I wanted to share the work of the Mental Health Foundation through these slides which sum up the feeling of anxiety in a simple and easy to understand way. ✨ Anxiety is a common feeling that sometimes gets out of control. ✨ Many people say they feel anxious some or all of the time. ✨There’s lots you can do to help with feelings of Anxiety. 🌟 Check out @mentalhealthfoundation this week for some excellent tips to help with Anxiety. Link is in their Bio.
🔵 Your mind is like the sky… 📘 I’m looking forward to sharing this book with my KS2 after-school club this afternoon as a simple introduction to Mindfulness. ⚡️ We’ll talk about ‘raincloud thoughts’ ⛈️ and ‘nice, white, fluffy cloud thoughts’ ⛅️ and we’ll notice how they can come and go (just like the weather). We’ll talk about how these thoughts might make us feel and how we can learn to choose which thoughts to focus on. 🔵 The trick is to see the whole sky and to know that all clouds pass. 🌤️🌤️🌤️
👩💻 Today I emailed another school. 🧐 This is something I do regularly… and often hear nothing back… which can be soul destroying. 💪 BUT I know how needed my teaching is right now and I will not give up in taking my work in the right direction. 😩 I know that schools, teachers and pupils are overwhelmed and under-funded, but this has to change and I believe that I can help. ↗️ Taking committed action towards a personal goal that fits with your values is a great way to start the day. ↗️ In Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) we use a tool called ‘The Choice Point’ to help us to stay on the right path, in the right direction. ↗️ These moves are called ‘towards’ moves. Have you made a ‘towards’ move today? PS. Today, I got a reply 👍🥳
🩲Wonder Woman pants 🩲 I think we all need a pair! 🩲 Dug these out of the drawer this morning in honour of all the brilliant women out there. All super heroes in your own right 🦹 🙏 And huge respect and thanks to Instagram for the opportunity to connect with other amazing women. A place for us all to be visible, to share our knowledge and to celebrate our achievements. A space for us all to connect. ⚡️ Also giving thanks today for the benefits of the ‘Power Pose’. Here I am modelling ‘The Victory’. ⚡️ Raising your arms and fists intentionally above your head in imagined celebration can lead to the same feelings of confidence and power as you would experience if you had actually won a race. ⚡️ It’s a hack to really help you to believe in yourself and to feel good. It’s a great tool for the kids too. Give it a go! 🙌
🌟 ”The journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step.” — Lao Tzu 🌟 I love listening to ‘Life’s little wins’ with Claudia Winkleman on Radio 2. When times are tough, life’s little wins are the little things that keep us going. A lovely way to keep your focus on the ‘good stuff’. 🌟 My little win today is that I bought the ingredients to attempt a healthy breakfast… I haven’t made it yet but am acknowledging that just going to the shop and buying the ingredients is a win in itself! 🌟 Can you find a little win in your day? 🌟 Try asking your children too. This can be done as an addition to gratitude practice or as a stand-alone fun conversation starter! 🌟 Give it a go xx
🧡 Share the love today 🧡 💛 My littlest is sharing the love with her gingerbread hearts today. 💛 How will you share the love?
🌟 So here is some feedback from some of the children I’ve taught this week… 🌟 Think these words say it all. A moment of calm in a busy day, in a busy world. 🌟 Relaxation, resilience and mindfulness are skills for life and we need to be talking about them, teaching them, prioritising them as early as possible with our children. 🌟 “I feel smoothing” - a new word to add to my descriptive vocabulary! Don’t you just love it!
The spark of connection ⚡️ ⚡️ This is what I’ll be talking about with the children I teach today. ⚡️ Felt through the magic of a smile, hearing a favourite voice, feeling soft and gentle touch, a conversation, the list goes on. ⚡️ Merely the meeting of eyes can create it. ⚡️ Where your attention goes, your energy flows. How far can you spread that energy and create those connections? ⚡️ Connection can also be focused inward (to your thoughts, feelings and bodily sensations). This type of connection is often forgotten about, but equally important. ⚡️ In what ways will you create that spark of connection today?
Why I ❤️ Relax Kids… And why I think that The Relax Kids ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’ should be taught in schools… 🌟Boosts focus & attention - Through mindfully tuning in to the body & mind 🌟Promotes positivity & self esteem - Through positive affirmations & magical meditations 🌟Improves emotional literacy - By noticing and talking about our feelings 🌟Encourages connection - Within the world around us/ with nature/ with one another/ with our inner selves 🌟Teaches bottom-up regulation - Using the body, breath and senses to calm the mind The list goes on but you get the idea. How lucky am I to be able to teach this stuff! ☺️ Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to hear more about what I do & thanks again for following!
👋 This is me! 👋 🙏 Thank you for following me/ liking my posts. As a result of having to start up a new Insta account (all my old posts can still be found @sarah_mindkindness… I just can’t access it anymore 🤦♀️) I wanted to show my face and share my passion behind Mindkindness. Inspired by Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme of ‘Connection’ I want to build my connection with my lovely followers and add some new connections too! ✨ So what is Mindkindness? Mindkindness is a company that I set up to enable me to teach the skills of Relaxation, Resilience and Mindfulness. ✨ Why? Because quite simply I have personally experienced the power that big thoughts, feelings and emotions can have and I have seen the impact that these can have on my own children and children I have taught over the years. On my journey, I have learnt simple tools and techniques that I’d like to share. ✨ What does Mindkindness stand for? Prioritising emotional intelligence as a key to a life well lived using a simple, practical, pro-active approach. ✨ I am a Relax Kids Coach (more about that in a future post) and I am also currently developing a Mindfulness Course based on techniques learned through Acceptance and Commitment Therapy… more to follow on that too! Please bear with me as my website needs an update re. courses offered. I can be contacted on here or mail me at [email protected] with any questions/comments. Nice to meet you/see you again. Bye for now! X
🤝Let’s connect! 🤝 ‘Let’s connect’ is the theme for Children’s Mental Health week 2023… starting on Monday 6th Feb. 🤝 Social wellbeing is one of the 4 pillars of good overall well-being (the others being physical, mental and financial wellbeing). ⚡️This is a reminder to cherish the positive relationships in your own & your children’s life. Talk about them, celebrate them and look for new ways to make meaningful human connections with others. Social connection is a fundamental basic human need. We are wired to connect. ⚡️ 💥Remember that eye contact and a smile can sometimes be enough for that connection spark to fly.💥 💛 I have been fortunate enough to connect with several inspiring people through social media recently. @youngandcooper with their amazing Insta strategy boot camp (I hope to be implementing some of your top tips next week). @thisisbecreative with her brilliant brand coaching questions and @stella_collective for an in person well-being event with fabulous local business women. Thank you @zoekirbynutrition and @lucymiltonphotography for organising. ⚡️How can you spark some more connection in your life this weekend? ⚡️
✨One week to go… 👋 Next week is Children’s Mental Health Week and the theme is ‘Let’s Connect’. 🌈 Working through the Relax Kids ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’ in a group setting allows for connection through enjoyment, through trying something new, through learning new skills and through finding a moment of calm in our busy world. 🌈 If you know of a school in the Saffron Walden area who might like a free Relax Kids session next week, then please do pass on my details or email me at [email protected] Thanks so much 🙏
🤗 Free hug anyone? A simple free hug can sometimes be just the best medicine. This afternoon we will be talking about using acts of kindness as an antidote to a sadness. The children will take home a free hug coupon to give to a parent or sibling to be traded in for a bear hug when most needed. 🐻 ✨ Kindness breeds kindness so what could possibly go wrong!? ✨ A good old fashioned hug triggers the release of the hormone Oxytocin, helping you to feel loved and relaxed. The longer the hug, the better! No one nearby to hug… try hugging yourself! Sounds ridiculous but it has a similar effect. Give it a go! 😘
🐶 Talk to yourself as you would your dog*! 🐕 A little tip to help you to show a little self compassion. A fun one to talk to kids/teens about too. 🦮 Are you more kind to your pet than you are to yourself? Does your tone change when you speak to your pet? Listen to the words that you use… are they positive & loving? 🐩 Although this might not always be the case, I challenge anyone to not slightly melt at the mere sight of the photo above. 🐕🦺 So when you next hear your critical inner voice, maybe just try and change the tone & level of kindness? 🐾 Also, what would your dog say to you if it could talk? Would there be a mention of unconditional love? I think there might be! Soak it up! 🦴 Please do share any kind/funny doggie* comments below. Happy Friday! *can be replaced with any other pet!
✨ We have the power to choose our response… ✨ I love this quote from Viktor Frankl. It fits beautifully with a course that I’m planning. ✨ We can’t control our thoughts and feelings but we do have some control over our response. ✨ Mindfulness is a key tool in helping us to understand ourselves, our thoughts, our feelings and what is important to us. ✨ Through this enhanced self awareness, we are better able to respond rather than react when things go wrong. ✨ Wouldn’t this one thing alone make the world a better, kinder place? I think so!
🧠 Brain detectives - when we can see what is going on in the brain, we can start to notice patterns & even start to train it! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ 🌈 It was so fabulous to run this ‘Brilliant Brain’ Assembly in the flesh for Mental Health Awareness week @theperseschoolcambridge 🌈 I was fortunate enough to be invited back to help the students (& teachers) to understand the Triune brain using my owl 🦉, meerkat and elephant 🐘 puppets. 🌈 I then went on to work with different year groups using the ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’, practising strategies to better enable the 3 parts of the brain to work together in harmony. 🌈 Not only was this a highly educational day for the students, but the teachers were also able to observe their pupils in a different setting, noting the differing responses to this new kind of learning. 🌈 ‘This new kind of learning’ in my opinion is a valuable life skill for all. 🌈 Please do spread the word if you know of a school who might benefit from a ‘Brilliant Brain’ Assembly.
🥳 Happy New Year! 🥳 ✨Seeing as it’s a time for fresh starts, I thought I’d better introduce my new Instagram page @sarah.mindkindness 🤯 Sadly due to a change of phone and some tricky authentication business, I can no longer access my old account 😢. 🙏 please do follow my new page if you can… and have a look on my stories today. I just love @donnaashworthwords and her poems about the New Year. ✨ Keep it real this year - accept what is, be kind to yourself and enjoy the rollercoaster ride! 🎢 ⚠️ NOTE OF CAUTION - there is NO way of contacting insta if things go wrong. Make sure you check your security settings so that you’re up to speed with how your account is protected! ⚠️
🌟 Always lovely to get feedback like this! ✨ Sharing on here as a reminder that I’m still working away behind the scenes despite not being very present ‘on the grid’ at the moment. ✨ Life feels busy doesn’t it or is it just me? ✨ Don’t forget the power of a pause… even 3 slow deep breaths can act as a little reset. I’m trying to teach this to my students too. ✨ Give it a go if you don’t make time for it already… see if you notice a shift from auto-pilot into the present moment? Xx
Hut 11, Bletchley Park - ‘The Hell Hole’ as nicknamed by the Wrens. This is where my Grandmother worked in 8 hour on/ 8 hour off shifts from August 1942 to December 1943 at the age of 17 as a Bombe operator. I have come away in awe of the grit, resilience and sheer dedication of these women in playing their part to win the War. The Bombe machines were housed in Hut 11. They were operated 24hrs a day by the Women’s Royal Naval Service in noisy, smelly, airless & dimly lit conditions. The work was relentless. ✨ There was no choice in the matter and the job just had to get done. It has been great for my kids to begin to understand what their great grandmother went through as a teenager. So difficult for them to comprehend in this world full of choice and freedom but so important in helping them to realise just how fortunate they are. ✨ To help develop grit & resilience in your kids, talk to them about doing ‘hard things’ & using the skills of perseverance and patience to rise up to challenges. They will learn this through your modelling too. 💪
🥀 Lest we forget. 🥀 The two minutes of silent, still reflection on Armistice Day is a wonderful way to remember the service and sacrifice of people who have served in wars & conflicts then & now. They will not be forgotten. 🥀 It’s a really accessible & important way for children & adults to stop, and think. Moments of silent, still reflection are actually a really necessary part of the development of a healthy body & mind. Our caveman ancestors were able to access this time frequently but it seems hard to squeeze it in to our busy lives these days doesn’t it, and it’s almost impossible to convince youngsters to make time for it! So here’s a reminder that regular silent reflection and stillness can relax busy minds and bodies, develop inner calm, improve emotions, behaviour and mental & physical health. What’s not to love! 🥀 This Remembrance Sunday we will have the opportunity to take some time to reflect as we’re off to visit Bletchley Park, where my Grandmother was a code breaker in WW2. 🔐 ✨ I hope you find some time for some quiet reflection this weekend too. Have a good one xx
🤫 My friends from school would tell you that I was the girl who ‘wouldn’t say boo to a goose’. If I could blend in and not be noticed, I would! 🤐 The discomfort I felt if asked a question in class meant that I never put my hand up. 🤐 Even as a Teacher I never volunteered to take Assembly and would actively avoid any public speaking… the thought was just too terrifying! You get the picture? So, how do I manage it now?? 💪 Well the feelings of anxiety & overwhelm are still there. They haven’t gone anywhere… but I am better equipped in knowing how to handle them. 💪 Through practising what I preach, I am growing & changing. My outlook & mindset is different. I am learning to believe in myself. 💪 This is Growth mindset in action & I just wanted to share it with you. 🌟 Even if it only motivates one person to try something new, then I’m happy! 😊
🧠 Brain detectives - when we can see what is going on in the brain, we can start to notice patterns & even start to train it! ⚡️⚡️⚡️ 🌈 It was so fabulous to run this ‘Brilliant Brain’ Assembly in the flesh for Mental Health Awareness week @theperseschoolcambridge 🌈 I was fortunate enough to be invited back to help the students (& teachers) to understand the Triune brain using my owl 🦉, meerkat and elephant 🐘 puppets. 🌈 I then went on to work with different year groups using the ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’, practising strategies to better enable the 3 parts of the brain to work together in harmony. 🌈 Not only was this a highly educational day for the students, but the teachers were also able to observe their pupils in a different setting, noting the differing responses to this new kind of learning. 🌈 ‘This new kind of learning’ in my opinion is a valuable life skill for all. 🌈 Please do spread the word if you know of a school who might benefit from a ‘Brilliant Brain’ Assembly.
🍁 An idea for the weekend… It’s the perfect time of year for nature mandalas. 🍁🌿🍂🍃🍁🌿🍂🍃 A lovely grounding activity for kids and adults. If you make one, I’d love to see a pic! Have a great weekend xx
💛 Out of the mouths of babes… 💛 This was what my littlest daughter said to me at bedtime last night. 💛 She comes to my Relax Kids school club with me & she just totally ‘gets it’. 💛 Empowering children to cope with their big feelings is my passion & it’s just wonderful to see kids picking up & using the tools & techniques that they learn with me. 💛 I feel very privileged to do what I do.
🌬.Breathe - Mindfulness especially tailored for the Transition Year Groups… 🧘♀️In Lockdown I trained with @mindfulnessinschools to teach this brilliant introductory mindfulness programme aimed at the ‘Transition Years’ - ages 9-14 (my age groups of preference!) 😍 I love working with students in this age bracket as they become more aware of the challenges that they face & are more able to relate to them & to discuss them. 🌬 For your info, here’s a bit more about the 4 week .breathe course… ✨It encourages students to explore how they can work with a wandering mind… improving concentration & focus. ✨It covers ‘Why humans worry’ and teaches ways to support ourselves when we do. ✨It emphasises the importance of good sleep & how we can help ourselves to sleep better. ✨It explores ‘being with others’ and the opportunities & challenges that arise with friendships & other relationships (both online & in person). 🙏I hope you can come along to the Mental Health and Wellbeing Event this Thursday at Joyce Frankland Academy to find out more about the courses that I offer, alongside a wealth of other local speakers & knowledge. Please see flyer above for info xx
There is a Mental Health and Wellbeing Event happening NEXT THURSDAY 24th MARCH… ✨I will be running several brief ‘Just Relax’ workshops for parents & Carers, introducing the ‘7 Steps of Relaxation’ as a framework for prioritising our own self care. ✨My focus will be on supporting parents/carers to cope with the demands of parenthood. We instinctively put the needs of our children first, often forgetting our own needs in the process. ✨I will also have plenty of other info and resources available to view at my stand. ✨Please do come & see me (& other fabulous speakers & specialists) and please spread the word to anyone that you think might be interested. Venue: Joyce Frankland Academy, Newport, CB11 3TR Registration starts at 4.30pm. Myself & others will be running workshops between 5-7pm. Main Stage Speakers from 7.30-9.30pm.
👋 This is me! 👋 Thank you for following me/ liking my posts. As a result of a little push on promoting myself recently for work in schools, I’ve gained some lovely new followers. I’m not really one to share photos of myself but I wanted to take this opportunity to show the face & passion behind Mindkindness. I want to keep it short & sweet so I thought I’d list some of the reasons why I ❤️ Relax Kids & why I think that the Relax Kids ‘7 steps of relaxation’ should be taught in schools… 🌟Boosts focus & attention - Through mindfully tuning in to the body & mind 🌟Promotes positivity & self esteem - Through positive affirmations & magical meditations 🌟Improves emotional literacy - By noticing and talking about our feelings 🌟Encourages connection - Within the world around us/ with nature/ with one another/ with our inner selves 🌟Teaches bottom-up regulation - Using the body, breath and senses to calm the mind The list goes on but you get the idea. How lucky am I to be able to teach this stuff! ☺️ Please don’t hesitate to get in touch if you’d like to hear more about what I do & thanks again for following!
✨Growing together is the theme for #ChildrensMentalHealthWeek @_place2be (starting on 7th Feb). ✨My focus will be on Growth Mindset. ✨Noticing how challenges and setbacks can help us to grow and adapt. ✨Noticing that by trying new things, we can start to move beyond our comfort zone and into a new realm of possibility and potential. ✨The brain can be compared to a muscle in the sense of it’s potential to be trained & maintained. There is always the possibility to create new neural pathways & growth but this takes time & practise. ✨I love the ‘grass is greener where you water it’ quote. It’s a lovely reminder that with a little attention in the right places we can all continue to grow & develop, no matter what age. ✨For more tips on Growth mindset check out @biglifejournal for some fantastic free resources.
🎺 Blowing my own trumpet for a moment 🎺 🌟 It’s not often that I get feedback from the school staff… it’s usually the kids/parents so I was extremely touched to get such brilliant words back from some of the staff at the Perse Prep. 🌟 I am now booking schools and clubs in for Spring and Summer terms, my first focus being the @_place2be #childrensmentalhealthweek on 7th-13th February. 🌟 Please spread the word, particularly if you are a parent/carer/teacher with children at a local school or if you know of a school that might benefit 🙏 . 🌟 Sessions can be run as part of a school focus week/ as an assembly/ as a nurture group/ club/ for times of transition or on a 1:1 or family group basis. 🌟 Funding tor the sessions can come in the form of pupil premium, sports funding or PTA expenditure. 🌟 For more info don’t hesitate to DM me on here or drop me an email [email protected]