As a Project Happiness Ambassador I take great pride in sharing the current 21 Day Happiness Habit Challenge over on my Facebook and Instagram (go take a look if you haven’t already!) Today it just happened to line up perfectly with my training session about Conscious Discipline! I decided to make a note of it here to share. Enjoy! ????

Today’s challenge: Take a moment to be very conscious of where you are in the present. Notice your breath, body, and surroundings. Pause. Be in the moment. ????

On the day to day, how often do you catch yourself thinking, “I will be happier WHEN…”? Your life is NOW, not “WHEN…” Our to-do lists often pull us from our present moment. “I’ll be happier when I get more money” or “I’ll be happier when I get the job I want” or “I’ll be happier when I’m in a relationship”.

Instead of measuring happiness by achieving external desires, start experiencing them by degrees of presence. This is the essence of a happy life, when you are breathing in all the present has to offer. ????

During Conscious Discipline training you learn that when you are feeling frazzled, you can’t be expected to unfrazzle a child who is struggling with something. ???? You must be calm yourself first before you can help others. Think about the signs on the airplane – put your own mask on first before assisting others. Taking a breath sends that message to your brain to respond, rather than react. ⚠️

Project Happiness described their breathing challenge as follows:

For the next 24 hours, practice a steady presence with your immediate experience. Realize deeply that the present moment is all you have and honor your NOW. By returning to this simple breathing practice at regular intervals throughout your day: BREATHE IN, “Hello Moment.” BREATHE OUT, “I am here.”

Project Happiness

Give it a try! See how you feel.

For children, you can use the S.T.A.R method from Conscious Discipline:

Stop or Smile

Take a deep breath

And Relax

Repeat three times for optimal brain engagement. ????

Have you done any breathing techniques with the children in your care? Do you use them yourself – at work? At home? I’d love to hear more from you about how you get on! ???? Share below and let’s continue to reflect and grow our practice.