Thursday 10 June 2021

TOD: Pause, Breathe, Smile...

Today we had a TOD to walk us through the Pause, Breathe, Smile mindfulness program. Here are my takeaways from the day.

Mindfulness - take time to check in with yourself to support your wellbeing. It is a life skill that encourages you to put your head and feet in the same place. An intentional focus on the immediate experience so that you can approach what is happening with curiosity, openness, acceptance and love (COAL). It is... paying immediate attention to what is immediately occurring (happening now) with kindness and interest. 

Attention Regulation - No one tells us how to pay attention which means we can look focused but our minds are elsewhere. Attention regulation is about knowing where the attention is... knowing where it needs to be... and directing it to where it needs to be. The more attention you are paying to the present the happier you'll be.

Gratitude - This is one component of the program I am looking forward to. Taking time to appreciate the ordinary and the things we usually take for granted. Gratitude is contagious and helps us to notice what is going well rather than what isn't. Gratitude helps counteract the negativity bias that our brains are so used to holding onto. 

Emotions - If you can name it you can tame it... if you understand what the emotion is you that you are experiencing  you can calm down from it.

Pause, Breathe, Smile is an 8 week program that focuses on learner wellbeing by teaching our students to notice and describe their feelings, pay attention and be curious, and regulate emotions by asking 'Is this being helpful?'. 

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