Have a Calm Start to Your Day

Hi, and good morning. How do you feel this morning as you're getting ready for the school day ahead? Whether you're feeling energized or a little bit groggy, taking time to be mindful will help your day move smoothly. So let's try some practices together. Let's start by looking around the space that you're in for certain shapes. Just noting them to yourself as you see them. So first, notice one or two things that are round. And now notice something pointy. How about something that's square-shaped? And finally, notice something that you're really glad to have where you live. And now see if you can notice something about the space you're in that you've never noticed before. And if someone is practicing with you today, share some things that you noticed with each other. And now we'll notice some things about ourselves. Let's start with our clothes. How do our clothes feel today? Are they soft, warm, and cozy? What do you like about what you're wearing? The colors or the style, or maybe how soft they feel. And now we'll notice something about our senses. Our senses are like the windows between ourselves and the outside environment. What are some things that smell good to you? Can you imagine smelling an orange or peppermint? And what can you smell right now? And now let's notice sounds. You can try this one with your eyes closed, if you'd like. Sometimes it helps you to hear sounds that you don't normally hear. So first think of a sound that you like to hear, maybe the sounds of birds or waves in the ocean. And now see if you can notice three different sounds happening around you. I'll be quiet so you can listen to each one a little longer than you're used to. And if you're with someone, tell them what you heard, and ask what sounds they noticed. And now let's take a nice big stretch. So you can put your hands on top of your head, and as you breathe in, just stretch your arms and hands slowly up toward the sky. And then as you breathe out, just letting your hands slowly rest back on top of your head. And let's try that one more time. So lifting your hands, stretching your arms as you breathe in, and then breathing out, letting those hands float back down to rest on top of your head. And then just letting your hands rest on top of your legs again. And before we go today, let's think of one feeling that you'd like to have. It might be happiness or calm. Focus. Or maybe the feeling of belonging with all of your friends at school. So I'll be quiet for a moment so you can think of a good feeling word. And as you think of that feeling word, we'll wish it for yourself and the person that you may be practicing with today. So you can say it to...