Becoming a Mindful Warrior. Series for Teens (No1).
We get it; Mindful Warrior sounds weird.
But have you ever felt like:
· You are mindlessly going through life, without thinking or paying much attention to anything?
· Running away from your feelings?
· You don’t do what you care about?
· Being trapped in difficult situations?
If you are young - and life sometimes is just too much to handle - the Mindful Warrior skills can help you feel better and more in control.
Being a mindful warrior is an antidote. It means:
· Paying attention on purpose and with curiosity;
· Acting with energy and courage;
· Pursuing what you care about;
· Someone who understands himself/herself;
· A person who tries to live according to what she/he cares about.
As we go we will explore the key skills of a mindful warrior:
1. Breathing deeply and slowing down (trust us this is a game-changer).
Your breath can be like a ship’s anchor, not letting you disappear in rough waters of life. Your breath is the source of strength and stability.
2. Observing:
Being aware of what you are feeling gives you back your strength to choose the path you want to take. Self-doubt doesn’t have to stop you from succeeding. Fear doesn’t have to block you from making friends or finding love.
3. Listening to your values:
Your values are things in life that are important to you and how you want to live your life. You are much more likely to have a fulfilling life if you live in a way that’s true to yourself and your values.
4. Deciding on actions and doing them:
Sometimes you have to face your fears to do the things you care about. This skill is about choosing steps that will take you towards your goals and commit to doing them.
You might wonder if these things work. Just try them as we go through these series and you will decide for yourself.
As you practice these skills, you will benefit in many ways:
· When you feel insecure and afraid, you’ll still be able to take chances.
· When you feel anger, you’ll be able to choose whether or not you want to act angry.
· When you feel tired and unmotivated, you’ll still be able to stay committed to what you care about and to take action toward your goals.
· When you experience the mistakes and failure that are part of life, you’ll grow stronger.
In the next poster, we will talk more about the first skill that we will need to develop - Observation Skill.
The source: Ann Bailey, “Get Out of Your Mind and Into Your Life for Teens”.