Mindfulness

 

Mindfulness is, simply, present moment awareness. Mindfulness invites us to come into this very moment by engaging our senses and noticing the feelings within our bodies. When we’re in this moment with awareness, we can make decisions that we’re proud of, that treat ourselves and others with respect, and that nurture growth. To say “simply” doesn’t do justice to how complex the process can be! Mindfulness is not a cure-all or an easy fix. To be aware of how things are – whatever complexities or challenges that reality might hold – takes practice. We’ve got plenty of tools accessible to people of all ages to begin the journey of bringing awareness to our inner landscapes.

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Restorative Practices and Conflict Resolution

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Restorative practices are a field full of possibilities! A buzz phrase in contemporary education, “restorative practices” have the ability to reframe how we see behavior and conflict as problematic and teach us all – adults and youth alike – to work with one another. There are several incredibly empowering models in the restorative framework that can shift how teachers and students, parents and organizations, feel about behavior management, punishment, and reconciliation. How we deal with and work to resolve discord says a lot about how we want the world to be: We  do not have to agree, but we can cultivate respect toward each other. We can build a world where we know how to navigate our differences.

 

Emotional Intelligence and Resilience

 

Understanding our own internal landscape in order to be informed by our feelings, experiences, and reactions is key to creating harmonious, high-functioning communities. Emotional intelligence doesn’t mean ignoring or masking our emotions in order to be “peaceful.” It does mean learning techniques for identifying and working with them.

 

Resilience gives us the ability to bounce back from challenge. It allows us to reframe and rethink what’s happening around us and, sometimes, to us, to empower us to keep going. Increasingly, resilience is linked to positive outcomes across our lifespan. Given the immense challenges we and our students are facing in the world as it is, resilience is incredibly important. And we can cultivate it in small and large ways that take into account every person’s unique situation.