**100th Blog** Alternate Nostril Breathing

 Blog Post 100! WOW 😁

Some posts during the stay at home order were memes or quotes to help brighten our days, but for the most part we have worked on mindfulness (or other student support related topics). I hope that you have felt supported with information for your students and for yourself. 

I would love to hear from you this week regarding what you would like to see for the next 100 blogs. What topics can I help address? I love taking a deep dive into mindfulness, SEL, behavior support, brain and behavior, and so much more. 

This week I want to take a moment to reflect on a topic of breathing and introduce a new breathing technique.

When we teach ourselves and our students to take a mindful breath we are helping the body with switching from the autonomic nervous system to the parasympathetic nervous system. This process is achieved when we breathe out longer than we breathe in.

Our Autonomic Nervous System (ANS) is our "flight, fright, freeze, or faint."

Our Parasympathetic Nervous System (PNS) is our "rest and digest." This system helps calm and conserver energy for later. PNS decreases the state of arousal to help calm.

A great way to help trigger the PNS is with deep breathing which focuses on longer out breaths. One breathing technique you can practice is called Alternate Nostril Breathing (ANB).

ANB is a practice that will help balance the nervous system, help trigger the PNS, reduce stress, lower blood pressure, lower heart rate, and improve breathing. It has been said to help with cardiovascular function and lung function. 

If you would like to reduce stress, anxiety, worry, and rumination, give ANB a try.

Alternate Nostril Breathing:

It is just as it sounds, alternating from which nostril you breath in and out.

The practice itself asks you to take your right hand and pace your thumb on your right nostril. Then place your first and middle fingers on your forehead (between eyebrows). Last, place your ring finger on your left nostril.

If you are comfortable close your eyes and begin the process.

To begin gently press your thumb against your right nostril and breath in for a count of 4. Next place your ringer finger on your left nostril for 1 count before you release your thumb, holding the breath. Then as you hold closed the left nostril slowly breathe out the right for a count of 6. 

Next you breath in your left nostril for 4, hold both for a second, and breath out the right for 6.

That is one full cycle of breathing.

This is to be repeated several times.

 

Safe, Connected, Loved

 This week I was introduced (via The Happiness Lab podcast) to the technique called Havening. As I have further explored Havening I have learned that it connects very well with mindfulness and can help us better support ourselves and our students.

The Havening Technique was developed by Dr. Ronald Ruden. Dr. Ruden used decades of neuroscience research to create Havening.

Havening helps trigger the production and use of the Delta brain wave.

Delta Brain Waves are known to be the slowest waves and they promote deep levels of relaxation, restorative healing, and restorative sleep. Delta waves also promote healing and a stronger immune system. 

Problems with Delta waves are typically related to sever ADHD, brain injury, learning problems, and inability to think.

If Delta waves are suppressed it can lead to the bodies inability to create restorative sleep, inability to rejuvenate the body, and an inability to revitalize the brain. 

Ok...Now that we have had a mini neuroscience lesson to help us understand why Havening is helpful, let's get back to Havening.

Dr. Ruden has found that when practiced Havening's ability to trigger Delta waves can help the mind and body heal from trauma and stress. Havening has been shown to help de-traumatize the memory and remove negative affects of trauma on the mind and body.

The practice of Havening can be done by others or the self. Self-Havening is a great technique to teach to our students. It creates a mindfulness practice that can help us as adults find peace in our own minds and body and be better equipped to support our students.

The Havening Technique focuses of hand movement on three specific areas of the body. 

The Face

The Arms (downward from shoulder to elbow ... or all the way to hand to transition into hands)

The Hands

Below is a video to show you an example of Self-Havening. 

Havening Video

This week as I have learned about Havening I have had a student learning it alongside me. He has practiced self-havening and I have helped with Arm Havening with him as well. While practicing Arm Havening it was observed by another that the student appeared very calm and at ease. 

Imagine how this practice could benefit you and your students. 

I have a goal to try this practice more. I hope you give it a try too. 

To Let it Go, Or To Let it Be....

 

Perhaps in the age of Elsa and her message to "Let it go" we should truly stop and ask if that is wise. Maybe we should seek advice from John, Paul, George, and Ringo and "Let it be." The Beatles told us that these were words of wisdom. Let's listen and "Let it be."

When it comes to our feelings we should never let them go without understanding them. Letting them be for a time helps us accept them and learn from them. 

The Happiness Lab (podcast), Season 3 Episode 1 is a talk with Brene Brown. Brene talks with Laurie, the host and Yale psychology professor, regarding mapping emotions. They explore Brene's new book Atlas of the Heart (now on my to-buy-and-read soon list!).

The idea of identifying and mapping out our emotions is not a new concept to us. This is a topic we have explored while implementing and utilizing the Mood Meter. The mood meter presents us with 100 emotions; Atlas of the Heart delves deeper into 87 of those emotions.

Correctly identifying an emotion gives us power to understand where it is coming from and why we need it at that moment. We can explore it and learn from it. 

In the podcast Brene quotes Ludwig Wittgenstein. The quotes is profound when we consider our goal of helping students name emotions. Wittgenstein, a philosopher from the early 1900's once said "The limits of language are the limits of my world." If we do not teach our students the language to use when talking about emotions we are limiting their emotional word. Brene also shares that when we face an emotion head-on and learn to name it we give ourselves power over the emotion.

Starting a new year with a goal to properly name our own emotions is a step toward opening our world. Imagine the world you can open for your students when help them learn the language of emotions.

This week I challenge you to let an emotion be. An emotion you might normally rush away, ignore, or dismiss. Accept it and Let it Be. Let it be the emotion that it is. Let it be with you for a moment. Let it be. Name your emotion, take power over it, let it be, and then if it does not help you, slowly shift it to what will serve you well.

New Year, New Opportunities to be Mindful

 

Mindfulness teaches us to accept the present, as it is, not as we want it to be. I feel that mindfulness can teach us that we can accept the fact that we:

a. set new years resolutions and promptly abandon them

b. just don't set them because we are self-aware enough to know, it's not going to happen

c. we make them and we make an effort to try and keep them...and before June give them up

The concept of a New Year's Resolution can be traced back to ancient Babylon and ancient Rome. It would seem that it is built into human nature to want to look at the past and try to make a better future.

Studies show that 80% of those who set a new year resolutions will abandoned it by the second week in February. 

In an article published January 3, 2022, Bill Gates talked about how he does not set new year resolutions. This article reflected back on an interview with Bill's former wife Melinda. In the 2016 article Melinda Gates shared that she does not set resolutions but rather picks a focus word for the new year. She shared that she believes a single word "instead of promoting radical change in behavior, it encourages a gradual change in mindset."

Melinda's word in 2016 was; Gentle. She shared that she wanted to be gentler with others, as well as with herself.

The article also shared that Bill asks himself a set of questions for each  new year. Questions about how well he felt the previous year went, how much he accomplished, what he can make better, etc.

Clinical Psychologist Joseph J. Luciani agrees with Bill and Melinda Gates and how they look at a new year. Luciani states; "Grandiose goals and result-oriented mindsets are much harder to achieve than small success and process oriented mindsets."

Luciani also shares; " You are not born with self-discipline, you acquire it. Like a muscle, you need to develop your self-discipline muscle, one challenge at a time."

I have been reading word after word after word, trying to find the right one for 2022.

I might barrow from Melinda and utilize Gentle. I feel a connection with this idea for the year. I also like the word Resilient. 

This year, if you could pick one word to focus on, what would it be?

'Twas the Week Before Winter Break

 

‘Twas the week before Winter Break, when all through the school

Every teacher was stressed, even those who usually stay cool;

The backpacks were filled with holiday work with care,

In hopes that students soon would take it home and do it there;

The children each day struggled to come to school, they wanted to stay all snug in their beds;

There visions of two weeks of break danced in their heads;

And Mrs. Patton in her lighted necklace, and Mr. Waddle in his Santa cap,

Likes others were starting to settle their brains for a long winter break nap,

When out in the hall there arose lots of clatter,

The behavior team sprang out of their chairs to see what was the matter.

Away out their doors they flew like a flash,

Tore down the hall and up the ramp in a dash.

The sun shinning bright on the new-fallen snow,

Gave teachers false hope as they checked and saw the temperature was too low,

When what to Ms. Zoe’s keen eyes did appear’

But a cart like a sleigh and glee-filled admin in Christmas gear,

With a bright leader so lively and quick,

Ms. Sarah knew in a moment that it must be Mrs. Dixon, much better than St. Nick.

More rapid than falcons Mrs. Dixon’s deans they came,

And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name:

“Now Shackelford! And Bock! On Swetz and Powers!

To the front of the school! To the side door, don’t fall!

Now dash out of the building; dash out; dash out all!”

As teachers on Friday at 3:45 fly,

When met with an activity they help and don’t ask why;

So up and down the halls the admin they flew

With a cart full of treats and Mrs. Dixon too-

And then, in a twinkling, Ms. Richardson heard in the hall

The dancing and cheering of admin one and all.

As Mx. Wray drew in their head, and was turning around,

Down the hall Mrs. Dixon and the deans came with a bound.

She dressed in red and green from her head to her toes,

And her clothes were all shinny with tinsel and Rodolph’s red nose;

A basket of goodies she had lining her cart,

And she looked as an elf, or maybe was just playing the part.

Her eyes- how they sparkled! Her smiles, how merry!

Knowing break was coming soon she was as sweet as a cherry!

The deans all helped deliver treats with a smile and a bow,

Getting all of the staff a chocolate treat to keep warm from the snow;

The teachers they all dressed in red, white, and green,

And this week while weary was the happiest this year they’ve been seen;

The staff were all smiles and energized for the day with pizza in the belly

Some teachers had a contest to see who could eat the most, most say it was Mr. Kelley.

The teachers had students convinced they were all watched by an elf,

And Ms. Hiller laughed when she saw them, in spite of herself;

A wink of Mrs. Dixon’s eye and a twist of her head

Soon gave Ms. Sentz to know she had nothing to dread;

She spoke words of cheer as she went about her work,

And told teachers to fill their bellies with treats; then turned with a jerk,

And packing up quick Mrs. Liskiewicz arose,

And giving a nod, out of the building she goes;

Ms. Hill sprang to her car, to her team gave a wave,

And away she flew like a bat from a cave.

But Mrs. Dixon heard all her staff exclaim, ere they drove our of sight-

“Happy Christmas to all, and to all a great break and good night!”

All Emotions Are Acceptable

 

Helping others through their emotions is an invaluable skills, especially if you are the one who helped bring on the emotion.

As I walked in the other morning I noticed a young lady at the 1-4 bathroom taking time to read the Mood Meter. She was looking it over and in the end touched an emotion and then walked on. It was a simple moment to watch but profound for the girl. She was taking time to identify her feelings. This is a strength that will help her handle her emotions and help her support others with their own.

Reflecting on the events of last week this is a great opportunity for us as adults and educators to take time and work to support our students through their emotions.

I recently had a student tell me that they "shouldn't be sad." I explored this with them and learned that somewhere along the way an adult told them to "cheer up and not be sad." Sad is an emotion we all feel at one time or another. Instead of saying "cheer up", "Stop being sad", let's move toward, "I see you're sad, that's ok, we all get sad, how can I help you work through your sadness?" 

Sadness is not the only emotion we can accept from ourselves and students. Anger is acceptable. The way anger is handled is what matters. 

There are no "right" or "wrong" emotions only helpful/healthy ways to express them and unhelpful/unhealthy or hurtful ways to express emotions.

Who are some students you have previously not allowed to feel an emotion because you feared how they would express it?

How can you help a student work through a feeling?

Take a few minutes to read the link below. We can all find a way to help ourselves and students work with and through their emotions. Avoiding doesn't make something go away.

Helping students with emotions

Mindfulness for Self-Control

 Have you ever had a day derailed and you realize it has changed some of your plans for the week?

That was the start of the week for me. I had a student acting out in my office and being very unkind to myself and another staff. 

The same day when I picked up my daughter from school I learned that her preschool would be opening late for the next week and half due to a staff injury and staff illness. 

A calm typical Tuesday was thrown out and chaos and confusion were front and center.

These events can become stress that can completely break us down, or we can choose to put into use all of our mindfulness practice.

Mindfulness has been shown to help with self-control. In a published article out of the University of Toronto, researcher Rimma Teper states; "Converging evidence suggests that the present-moment awareness and nonjudgmental acceptance intrinsic to mindfulness enhances one's sensitivity to the affective cues that direct self-control processes."

Mindfulness can and will help you and your students gain a better ability to feel and display self-control in the face of stress and frustration.

Mindfulness helps us understand, observe, accept, and control our emotions. These are all key components of self-control. The ability to accept and then control ones emotions will help with being in control of ones actions.

A fun and great self-control mindfulness practice I like to engage in with students is Self-Control Bubbles.

I start by explaining the rules to the "game." I share that I will use the bubble wand and blow the bubbles. The student will sit with a calm body and watch the bubbles. The bubbles are not allowed to be touched, only watched. As the student learns to sit and watch the bubbles, you then allow them a turn to use the bubble wand. This is a great slow in and out breathing practice. I encourage the student to watch the bubbles, follow their path with their eyes, notice colors and the way the light reflects in them. This a nice calm mindful way to practice self-control. Students will want to pop the bubbles. Talk to them about watching them and following them. 

You can use this mindfulness lesson to talk about each of us having our own bubble. We respect each other's bubbles and we do not pop them with our bodies.

You can talk about taking in deep breaths, blowing the bubbles and thinking about a wish to send to someone or a problem to send away with the bubble.

Take some time this week to find a self-control mindfulness or come barrow some bubbles.