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At a recent Early Childhood Educators conference I was asked to prepare a keynote on the following theme:
How to use mindfulness, play and movement to enable resilience and improve wellbeing in children.
Please enjoy the framework of this presentation.
Context:
1. Accredited Exercise Physiologist & Scientist providing clinical exercise and behaviour change interventions for children with chronic health conditions
2. Teacher and sports coach for children
3. Positive Education & Wellbeing program provider for children & school communities
Intention: Today I want to discuss and demonstrate three skills children and adults can learn, practice and master to enhance levels of wellbeing and resilience.
These skills are:
1. Mindfulness
2. Play
3. Movement
Examples from the following sources will be used to illustrate the teaching of Mindfulness, Play and Movement skills.
The Optimistic Child Prof Martin Seligman
Smiling Mind,
Meditation Capsules, by Janet Etty-Leal,
Mindfulness by Mark Williams and Danny Penman
The Yes Brain Child by Dr Daniel J Siegal and Dr Tina Payne Bryson
GRIT Angela Duckworth
Rock and Water Freerk Ykema, Montesorri, Reggio Emilia, Dr Stuart Shanker
Question: What is it you want most for your children and the children in your care?
Question: Why do you want this?
Question: How do you provide these goals, opportunities or experience in your unique educational settings or family?
Final thought:
Teachers are leaders and to become a leader, one must teach…
Here is an example of a collaborative approach to a Positive Education & Wellbeing program creating positive change in the local community.
Tackling Mental Health with Salt Water Therapy, Surfing & Fluro
Locals go Fluro on Friday! One Wave Tribe Leaders James Cummins and Keiran O’Doherty are pumped to be facilitating the first ever Fluro Friday at Avoca Beach.
So what is Fluro Friday and why dress up?
Local surfer and Coastal Surf Magazine publisher, Kieran O’Doherty is collaborating with James Cummins (Accredited Exercise Physiologist) of The Positivity Project to be the One Wave Tribe Leaders of the Central Coast.
Fluro Friday will launch on at Avoca Beach 6:30 am and everyone is welcome.
Non-Profit Surf community OneWave is launching Fluro Friday events at Avoca Beach to raise awareness and start much needed conversations around mental health.
OneWave is a non-profit surf community tackling mental health issues with a simple recipe…saltwater therapy, surfing and Fluro.
OneWave’s vision is to give people hope they can beat mental health issues by creating a supportive community connected by the ocean. It doesn’t matter if you’re riding wave for the first or the hundredth time…you never forget that feeling of being on a wave and letting everything go. OneWave is all it takes.
OneWave is well known for their Fluro Fridays, a creative initiative that has spread world-wide, raising awareness for mental health by surfing in Fluro to draw attention and getting people talking about mental health, a topic which is normally avoided.
New Zealand born OneWave founder Grant Trebilco said
“When I was diagnosed with bipolar 5 years ago, it was surfing with my family and my mates that helped me the most. Sometimes one wave really is all it takes. I want anyone experiencing mental health issues to have the opportunity to experience how good feels to get in the ocean and catch a wave”
OneWave holds weekly Fluro Friday sunrise sessions to raise awareness for mental health. We dress up in the brightest outfits possible and surf/swim/do yoga. Fluro makes people smile and it gets people asking important questions, which are normally avoided about mental health. Everyone is welcome and it’s a free event.
In four years OneWave, has gone Global, raising awareness and reducing social stigmas around mental health issues through their Fluro Friday sunrise sessions. It started at Bondi Beach, Australia, it has since gone viral with Fluro Friday sessions held at more than 100 beaches globally, as far as California, Hawaii, Mexico, New Zealand, Bali, India, Samoa and Fiji.
It is estimated that approximately 450 million people worldwide have a mental health problem. (World Health Organisation, 2001)
OneWave is normalising mental health issues by helping people understand they are not alone and that it’s ok not to be ok. After all, mental health is real, so let’s talk about it.
For Images, interviews or further information please contact James Cummins on 0413 107 434
email james@positivityproject.com.au
Instagram: @onewaveisallittakesFacebook:
facebook.com/onewaveisallittakes
Question: Why would we want to practice mindfulness?
Answer: To reduce the impact of stress.
As humans we are experiencing alarming rates of stress. The speed of life, instant messaging, the trend of instant gratification, an ever increasing ability “to see more, do more and be more” is having a noticeable impact.
Poor health levels continue to rise.
Like the rising seas of climate change? Are our levels of stress, depression and anxiety heating the planet?
Possessing the ability to mindful is an “enabler”.
Practicing the skill of mindfulness can enable us to buffer and build our capacities to tolerate stress and exhibit the signs of living a thriving and flourishing life. A life where we can contribute to our lives and the lives of others in a meaningful, creative and helpful way.
Developing an improved state of consciousness can enable us to make better decisions about our health and the practices and habits enhancing our wellbeing.
Overwhelmed by mindfulness?
Take a breath. And another and one more. Did you feel that? Can you notice a slowing down of your breathing rate? Can you notice a sense of calmness?
I want you to engage in the mindfulness of breathing. Keep it simple, keep it slow and steady. Start with an inhale and process by letting it all out with an exhale. And repeat.
As The Positivity Project embarks on new and exciting school and parent based projects for Term Three, we are reminded of the fundamental skill of mindfulness as an ‘enabler’ to thriving and flourishing wellbeing. As we embark upon our quest, we commence with a purposeful breath.
Mindful of breathing.
Positive regards,
Jimmy C purveyor of The Positivity Project
www.positivityproject.com.au