family Archives - The Conscious Professional

Mindful Activities for You and Your Kids

neil — Fri, 12 Jun 2020 14:00:11 +0000

“Be mindful, be grateful, be positive, be true, be kind.” – Roy T. Bennett, ‘The Light in the Heart’

There is no time more important than the present to be mindful. We are in a time of unprecedented change, our lives are restricted and no longer look like the lives we led mere months ago. Mindfulness offers us a way to be grateful, enjoy some calm and peace, and a way to lift our spirits on a daily basis.

These mindfulness activities can be done from your own home, and are great whether you are in lockdown alone or with your whole extended family. These are particularly great as they are activities that anyone can do, no matter how young or old. A great way to keep you and your loved ones calm and grounded…

1. Mindful Dance

Feeling down, bored or stressed in lockdown. Have a dance! This is a wonderful and joyful way to shake off whatever is bothering you. Whether you choose a bop or something a bit more relaxed, be aware of your body as you do this, making sure that you extend your energy through every limb and extremity.

To entertain your kids with this for longer than a few minutes, why not challenge them to go away and create a dance routine together?

2. Mindful Nap Time

A meditative power nap is a great way to rejuvenate yourself during the day. This can be done alone, or it can be done as a family. Put on some calming, music, get comfortable and close your eyes for 30 minutes. Whether you sleep, stretch or let your mind be quiet during this time, it is wonderful way to bring your conscience back to the self.

See HERE for some wonderful meditative music.

3. Mindful Bath/Shower

As most of us have got the time at the moment, why not make bath time or shower hour a bit more special, as opposed to a more everyday functional experience. Put some music on, light a candle, put on a face mask beforehand, and take your time. Really appreciate the soothing nature of the hot water, and take your time to wash with care as opposed to, what might usually be, a quick scrub!

4. Mindful Snacking

One of the hallmarks of being mindful is to focus on the moment, and the sensations you are experiencing within that moment. Any time at which you are consuming food is a great way to practice this; a great opportunity to fully experience and appreciate the food. For example:

“I once had a group and someone shared this story with me: During the war, her parents could only afford one bar of chocolate a week. So, every Friday evening, the whole family sat together by the fireplace and broke up the bar of chocolate. Two pieces for mum. Two pieces of dad. And one piece for each of the three children. When they received that piece of chocolate, they slowing put the piece of chocolate in their mouth and tried to make the chocolate last for as long as possible.

She told me it was the most delicious experience of chocolate she ever had. And I’m almost certain it’s not because of the make of chocolate. It’s the way they ate it – savouring every moment.” – Shamash Alidina

Whatever you and your kids are snacking on, make it an experience; make it conscious as opposed to passive. Encourage them to savour the tastes, textures and smells of what they are snaking on.

5. Mindful Cooking

Food, as we might be reminded from the point above, is a multi-sensory experience. Why not invite your children to cook with you? Encourage them to get involved; to smell and feel the ingredients, to see and learn about what happens to food when you cook it, to listen to the sound of something boiling or frying in a pan. To notice these things is to be mindful of the process.

Great things for kids to get involved in the preparation of include; dough kneading, batter mixing, salad tossing or pasta rolling.

6. Mindful Letter Writing

One of my friends, during lockdown, has been writing a letter a day to one of her friends. She has designed her own cards, written bespoke messages on the front, and filled said card with kind words and thoughts for that person. This is a great thing to do, not just for adults, but also for children. Sit them down with their favourite craft bits and get them to pick three friends to write cards or letters to.

By Chris Thomson

New to this whole mindfulness thing? Here are some tips on how to get started from our archive… Mindfulness is My New Year’s Resolution! Where Do I Begin?

P.S. Whenever you are ready… here are 4 ways we can support your personal and professional Conscious Goals:

1. Access Free Live Meditations & Energy Transmissions

Inside our private Facebook Group, The Conscious Professional Mindful Community where Neil leads live weekly community events. Join now for free.

2. Learn To Meditate With Neil Seligman In Just 10 Days!

Zen in Ten, our flagship online course, is a ten day mindfulness challenge for people who need to slow down.

3. Work With Neil One-To-One

See if a Conscious Coaching Partnership is right for you. Book a 15-minute discovery call with Neil here.

4. Bring The Conscious Professional To Your Business

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6 Mindful and Creative Activities for the Whole Family

neil — Fri, 10 Apr 2020 14:00:57 +0000

“You need to make time for your family no matter what happens in your life” – Matthew Quick, ‘The Silver Linings Playbook’

Truthful and meaningful connection with your family can be encouraged and built in a number of ways, but perhaps none more so than through the activities that fill your family leisure time. Enjoying engaging activities together is a sure-fire way to build positive connections, treasured memories and to look after your collective wellness.

At the time of writing this piece, the UK is in full lockdown, so yes, these activities come from a place of keeping you and your family sane whilst living without the ability to go outside very much. That being said, these are amazing activates for family connection and mindfulness, whatever the national situation!

1. Family Cook

Not only is food essential to life, but I think for most people it is at the centre of the home. This kitchen is always where people congregate in my family home, and so it makes sense that spending time in here, making food together, is a fantastic way to connect. Food has an amazing ability to create memories; a source of comfort, nostalgia, excitement, nourishment (for body and soul) and wellness.

Create food together. It could be as simple as baking a loaf of bread or creating an entire feast. Preparing food together offers a fun and engaging way to encourage communication and teamwork. It is also something that gives you results in a relatively short amount of time… fantastic for those kids whose attention spans or energetic impulses might not manage a lengthy plight!

2. Garden Time

Gardens are full of joyous opportunity. Not only is the garden a wonderful place for activity, but it has bucket-loads of potential for projects! Yes indeed, TV, computers, consoles and tablets have their place in family entertainment; but the garden offers a place that is naturally pointed away from modern entertainments.

Why not organise an assault course in your garden? Maybe build a den? These are activities that take hours… even days. And more often than not, they are just as enjoyable for the adults as for the kids. Or perhaps a growing project is more favourable? Build some raised beds, pick some fruit, plant some vegetables. When it comes to the garden, the options for family connectedness and creativity are many.

3. Art Hour

Art projects are also a wonderful way to pass family time; tactile, imaginative, creative and, more often than not, messy! Your art time can take any form. Perhaps you favour a free for all; a table full of paint, glitter, glue, paper, stickers to get stuck into. Or perhaps you prefer a more focussed project? Create a cool superhero. Draw a map of an imaginary island. Build a rocket from household junk. Paint a picture of your favourite place. The possibilities are endless. Get connected through creativity.

4. Competition!

There’s nothing like a bit of light hearted competition to bring a family together! Little competitions bring joy, excitement, focus and learning. Here are a few suggestions…

Handstand Competition – Who will last the longest?

Family Quiz – Put it together like a pub quiz! A fun thing to both write and take part in.

Dance Contest – Ever remember making up performances for your parents when you were a kid? Why not introduce this to your family. Another brilliant way to spend a significant amount of time engaging with imagination and creativity.

5. Tidy Party

If you are stuck in the house with a whole family, one thing is for certain, things can get a little cluttered. For the wellness of both your body and sanity, why not make tidy up time fun! Whack on your favourite music, grab everyone’s favourite drink and make tidy up time an enjoyable and ultimately satisfying experience.

6. Movie Night

If you are going to snuggle in with the ones you love, why not go the whole hog? Get the popcorn going, shut the curtains, gather your cosiest and softest blankets and really enjoy a nest of comfort with your nearest and dearest human beings. Movies are magical; a source for great nostalgia for so many of us… why not create a home experience to match?