A Thankful Heart Flow

Spend a few peaceful minutes in the morning or before bedtime with yourself. Just a few minutes will make a difference. Enjoy your break! Happy Thanksgiving!

Move with your breath. Inhale to elongate, exhale to deepen the stretch. Spend as many breaths as needed or wanted for each pose. As you focus on your breath, count your blessings. Open your heart to all that we have to be thankful for. 

An Attitude of Gratitude

 

There is no denying the benefits that are associated with having an attitude of gratitude. It improves our social, emotional, mental, and physical well-being, and, practiced regularly, it becomes a fixed mindset that will produce health and joy. When we are purposefully grateful, we are naturally put in a positive state of mind: focusing on what is rather than what is not. Research has proven that practicing gratitude not only helps our physical and mental health (including improved sleep), it also increases our empathy and self-esteem. 

As educators, we could make such a profound impact on our school culture by working on having an attitude of gratitude. Being grateful helps us see the bigger picture and be present in this moment, not dwelling on past or future. It helps us focus on what is working rather than what is not working, so that we can face obstacles and conflicts with a more solution-based mindset.

There are some simple ways to approach our daily lives with a grateful heart:

• Keep a daily gratitude journal.
• Write thank you notes to our peers or students.
• Mentally appreciate people throughout the day.
• Even better, verbally appreciate people throughout the day!
• Count your blessings. (Write them down, if that helps!)
• Focus on the present.
• Surround yourself with others who are grateful. (Your tribe affects your vibe!)

I encourage you to set aside some time daily to reflect on your blessings and improve your physical and mental health. Even if you just have a minute, try these stretches while you meditate on those blessings!

Albert Einstein said, "There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle." Set your intention today to fill your life with gratitude and joy.

Welcome

Thank you for choosing to spend a moment with me! Life seems to be coming at educators hard, so I am choosing to create a space of calm a peace for you. In my ideal school setting, we would have a room to visit where we could breathe, relax, and rejuvenate. Until that happens, I will share with you ideas of activities that will be good not only for your mental health, but also for your physical health. Some days our students need a moment as well, so I will be sure to include activities that you can share with them. 

Evidence shows that teachers may experience increased levels of depression and anxiety compared to that of the average American. This is probably a direct result of our incredible stress load and constant dealings with students behaviors. Combined, these all create a noxious climate. (APA, 2024)

In 2022, I started my journey with Breathe for Change, a yoga/SEL community designed to train educators. Upon finishing my 200 hour Yoga Teacher Training certification, I immediately signed up for the next level (300 hour) training to deepen my knowledge. Since beginning this process, creating a way to share with my peers has been on my heart. And here we are!

This is my effort to help all of us feel better so that we can be better for our students and each other. Remember, it is never an "all-or-nothing" situation. If you only have 3 minutes, do something for 3 minutes. If you have 10, then take 10.  We are at a place in this career where our mental health needs to be protected and nourished more than ever. Even just a minute dedicated to yourself will be make a difference.

While my focus is for educators, there will be something for everyone here! My goal is to post weekly, as well as build a library of tools for you to reference as needed. I hope you find something useful and continue to join me on this journey to peace.