Do you ever feel like you just need to take a break? Kids Help Phone partnered up with MindWell, a mental health training and well-being platform in Canada, to bring you new mindfulness tools and resources. You can use these tools on your wellness journey (and for help relaxing whenever you need to!).
A big part of mindfulness is taking time to notice what’s going on for you in the moment. It’s also about creating space to reflect on your thoughts and feelings without judging them. This can include reflecting on what feels new, grounding yourself and even just taking a few deep breaths. But there can be a lot more to it than that, depending on what works best for you! You can check out the mindfulness tools from MindWell and Kids Help Phone below for support building your skills.
Stay in a mindful zone with these video tips:
How to practise “Take 5”
Take 5 is a tool you can use anytime to stay in the mindful zone, especially when life feels particularly busy.
There are 5 basic steps to help you flip the switch and redirect your attention into the present moment.
Take 5 is simple and can be done effortlessly however is not so easy and when mastered can have a powerful effect on your day.
Remember you can take 5 anywhere and at anytime, you don’t need to close your eyes or necessarily even stop what you are doing.
The secret is to integrate Take 5 into whatever you are doing without anybody noticing.
The purpose of this recording is to teach you Take 5 so you can guide yourself through the practice as often as you would like and in any situation.
No need to remember word for word what is said.
You can customize your Take 5 to work best for you.
The key is to take 5 breaths and to adopt a mindset of non-judgement, openness, and patience.
Take 5 is a tool that you can use anytime especially when life feels particularly busy.
There are 5 basic steps to help you redirect your attention and get into the mindful zone.
Step 1, Notice the Cue
Step 2, Notice Something New
Step 3, Notice the Body
Step 4, Notice the Breath
Step 5, Notice Now
Step 1, Notice the Cue. Use cues in your environment to remind you to Take 5, it might be every time you brush your teeth, take a coffee break, walk through the door to your home, or see a given person. It doesn’t matter what the cue is, so long as you notice it. This is your gateway to Take 5. Now you are ready to get back in a mindful zone. Step 1 also cues your intention for Take 5. Take a moment to focus on the outcomes you want to create in your life.
Step 2, Notice Something New. Respond to your cue by noticing something new about yourself or environment that you weren’t paying attention to before.
For example, if you were listening to someone, you may notice something new about the person you were listening to, such as the quality of their voice. On a coffee break, you might tune into the feeling of the cup in your hand or the taste of the drink. Or you might simply refocus your attention into your physical surroundings to notice a new pattern, or texture, or colour on an object around you. Noticing something new can also include a small detail that is going right for you, or that you are grateful for today.
It doesn’t matter what you notice, and you are not trying to make things a certain way, good or bad. The practice is about learning to direct the attention with intention.
Step 3, Notice the Body. Next, whether you are standing or sitting bringing your attention to the feet, noticing the contact points your feet are making with the floor or shoes or any other point. Then, pressing the feet into the floor and lifting and lengthening up the spine. Feeling the body as a whole while you ground and lift.
Step 4, Notice the Breath. Now bring the attention to the breath. Begin with one complete breath. Feeling the breath moving into the body, feeling the breath moving out of the body. Then, deepening and lengthening the breath so the inhalation and the exhalation are each about 5 seconds. Finally, take five complete breaths this way. Don’t worry if you find your mind wandering just gently guide your attention back to the felt sensations of breathing and start again.
Step 5, Notice Now. Noticing what is present now, in this moment, not trying to change anything, rather observing and allowing things to be as they already are. Responding to now with a sense of openness, non-judgment, and patience. Once your brain is more fully wired into the moment you have a much better perspective to choose a wise step forward. You can always choose to repeat or extend any of the steps in Take 5. Remember your cue for the day and decide to take five every time you notice it. When you Take 5, you are creating new pathways in the brain that help the body destress, the mind re-focus, and optimize your ability to perform.
The more you integrate Take 5 into everything you do, the more seamless and beneficial it becomes.
If you would like support with mindfulness, balance, wellness or anything else, you can reach out to Kids Help Phone 24/7.
Kids Help Phone would like to thank MindWell for their partnership, sharing their resources with young people across Canada and supporting youth mental health!
