July 11, 2019
Thank you for visiting my blog and I hope you take the time to subscribe as I will be posting interesting articles to help your child develop life-skills which will transition into leadership skills. Here is the first one.
A 3 Minute Centering Exercise for Kids
One of the first things you
see on the “I AM A LEADER – A 90-Day Leadership Journal For Kids” is what I
call “centering.” It’s also one of the first things I teach children in my
Leadership4Kids program.
So, what is a centering exercise? The “centering” exercise, or sometimes called “grounding,”has its roots in mindfulness and meditation which has been around for thousands of years. It’s a great way to help kids connect deeply to the world around them and become more aware of the rhythms of their own body.
I first encountered the
“centering” exercise as a student studying Tai Chi and Qigong with my martial
art teacher Sitan Chen,
who won thirty-two gold medals in national and international Tai Chi
competitions around the world. Ever since then, it’s been a big part of my
daily routine.
Why is "centering" or "grounding" important for leadership development? Being a centered leader means having the ability to maintain one's balance, even in the midst of action. A centered leader is also more down-to-earth, know where she stands, what she stands for, and much, much less of subject to peer pressure.
To teach this “centering” to kids, I have simplified the exercise quite a bit over the years. After studying with Dr. Paul Linden, a sixth-degree black belt in Aikido and founder of Being In Movement® mind-body training, I have adapted his methods of “smiling heart” and “shine” into this simple effective, and quick exercise which perfect for kids. It really helps them to relieve stress, improve confidence, feel great (mind, body, and spirit) and develop a positive mental attitude at school and at home.
To teach this “centering” to kids, I have simplified the exercise quite a bit over the years. After studying with Dr. Paul Linden, a sixth-degree black belt in Aikido and founder of Being In Movement® mind-body training, I have adapted his methods of “smiling heart” and “shine” into this simple effective, and quick exercise which perfect for kids. It really helps them to relieve stress, improve confidence, feel great (mind, body, and spirit) and develop a positive mental attitude at school and at home.
Read the script below in a
calm, relaxed voice and follow your child’s cues for the pace. Or, if this is
uncharted territory for you, go to https://www.leadership4kids.com/centering. You will hear a guided audio version of this
centering exercise. It only takes three minutes. So give it a try.
Let’s begin by finding a comfortable position which can be either sitting
or standing. Once you feel comfortable, let’s take three deep breaths together…
…Breath in slowly through your nose and out through your mouths. Let your tongue hang loose, and your belly get soft. Imagine you are a balloon, so when you inhale, your tummy gets bigger and when you exhale, your tummy gets smaller. OK, ready?
…Breath in slowly through your nose and out through your mouths. Let your tongue hang loose, and your belly get soft. Imagine you are a balloon, so when you inhale, your tummy gets bigger and when you exhale, your tummy gets smaller. OK, ready?
Deep breath #1: (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Deep breath #2: (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Deep breath #3: (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
There you go. Three deep breaths in to help us settle in a bit. Feels good, right?
Now, the second part of the I AM A LEADER centering
exercise is called Smiling Heart.
Continue breathing deeply... Sit with your eyes closed and spend a
moment picturing whatever it is that makes you smile inside. Everyone has
something or someone that makes them happy inside; perhaps a friend, a toy, a
flower, a song.
Ready? Let’s start
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Ready? Let’s start
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Breath in,
Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Breath in,
Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
How did that go? I thought of playing and goofing around
with my daughter last night. That always brings a smile to my heart, and that
makes me feel so good and so grateful for this wonderful
day. The third part of the I AM A LEADER centering
exercise is called Shine.
Continue breathing deeply... with your eyes closed. Imagine that you are
the sun or a lightbulb or a firefly. What do you do? You shine. Feel every inch
of your skin glowing outward, as you shine in every direction possible...
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
How did that go? What happens inside of your body? What sensations do you feel flowing through you?
Okay. Take in another deep breath now and exhale slowly. Whenever you’re ready, open your eyes and give your body a big wonderful stretch!
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
Breath in, Breath out. (Make sound of inhale/exhale so kids can follow)
How did that go? What happens inside of your body? What sensations do you feel flowing through you?
Okay. Take in another deep breath now and exhale slowly. Whenever you’re ready, open your eyes and give your body a big wonderful stretch!
Great job! You just completed the centering exercise and thank you for being such a kind, focused, and courageous leader.
“I AM A LEADER – A 90-Day Leadership Journal For Kids” is available on Amazon.com.
