While I wrote this post several years back, it seems the information would be very helpful now as we navigate through the crazy times of 2020.
How often have you heard people telling you to look on the bright side, be happy or don’t let it get to you? We all want to feel good, to be happy. However, there are days that we can’t seem to get out of our emotional rut or out of our own way. We don’t always know how to take ourselves from being angry, sad or frustrated to being happy, optimistic and appreciative. We were not taught how to raise our own awareness, let alone our children’s.
You may wonder, “How do I take myself or my children to happier frame of mind and heart?” You may have tried many different things. Some you discovered on your own, some you learned about through friends or family and some through a seminar, a class or a guest speaker. Did it work? Did it last?
If what you have tried has not worked, then take a slightly different approach.
• Take on a positive attitude. You always have choices in any given situation. You can look at it and find the worst in it or you can find something positive. It is your choice. Choosing a positive outlook will produce a positive outcome. Teaching children to deliberately choose to look at the world with a positive attitude will reduce stress in them and in you.
• Express gratitude. Becoming aware of all you do accomplish and expressing gratitude for what you do have will elevate your mood. Simply finding things to appreciate about your life each day will put a smile on your face. Guiding children to be more aware and grateful for who they are and what they do have, will lead to a more positive environment.
• Own your thoughts. It takes a little practice to be aware of your thoughts and realize how those thoughts affect your feelings. By changing your thoughts, you can change how you feel and when you feel better, the world is a happier place. Taking ownership of your thoughts, deliberately choosing how you think and feel will help you handle difficult situations. Helping children take ownership of their thoughts and feelings will lead to resolved conflicts.
• Play games. Yes, games! When work is fun, doesn’t the time seem to fly by? Games make life exciting, sharpens imagination, broadens awareness, opens up curiosity and are just plain fun to play. Making learning fun through simple positive games will also take the children to a different level. They will become more engaged because learning is now interesting, challenging and more positive. Games open the mind and heart to retain what is taught.
• Laugh. When an experience becomes fun for everyone, the atmosphere becomes lighter, happier and freer. Laughter follows fun. Imagine how much easier it would be to address a problem after having a good laugh. Imagine that perhaps after that good laugh, there is no longer a problem. Children find the humor in the simplest of things. Sometimes they are the ones to that lead us to laughter.
While these steps may seem simple, it does take time and commitment to accomplish a more positive mind and heart. That is why, we created the Raising A Child’s Awareness guide to help you begin. Through this guide, you can select positive games that are quick and fun to play. These games will teach the children how to be aware of their thoughts and feelings. They will then learn to deliberately change their thoughts to make themselves feel better. You will benefit as well. You will be happier, lighter and freer as you are empowered to take positive action.
Want to benefit quickly? Purchase Raising A Child’s Awareness, A Guide to Happier, Empowered Children through Amazon or Barnes & Noble.
Gretchen M. Fox and Gina McCormick, co-authors of Raising A Child’s Awareness.
