/ˈmīn(d)f(ə)lnəs/
To be fully present in the moment to the mind, body and surroundings, with a level of curiosity and kindness.

Being mindful is all about awareness - awareness of thought, emotion, sensations and surroundings. It’s also about being curious and kind to yourself about what you discover when paying attention to these things in the present moment. Over time, it can help you to begin to respond intelligently to life’s stressors rather than reacting blindly. The practice of mindfulness is one of the most powerful things you can do to enhance your well-being and you don’t need anything but a little guidance to get started.
This session provides a glimpse into the benefits of a mindfulness practice. We’ll demystify mindfulness techniques for people curious about starting a formal practice and offer simple, informal practices to help you live more mindfully in your daily life.

Note: This session can be expanded into a series for groups interested in delving further into the benefits of a mindfulness practice 

The Practice of Mindfulness

/ˈɡradəˌt(y)o͞od/
Expression of appreciation for what one has. It is a recognition of value independent of monetary worth. Spontaneously generated from within, it is an affirmation of goodness and warmth.

In this session, we'll share just enough of the science so you'll understand the why and how behind gratitude and well-being. We'll spend most of our time together working through gratitude practices that will help you move towards a regular gratitude practice of your own that will leave you searching for and finding the good that exists in every day.

Moving Towards Gratitude

/self/kəmˈpaSHən/
Extending compassion to oneself in instances of perceived inadequacy, failure, or general suffering.

Have you ever noticed that you are likely much harder on yourself than you are on others that you care about? In this session, we'll explore the components of self-compassion, how it works differently than self-esteem, and examine how taking a more loving and supportive tone with yourself is actually more motivating than you might think. Get ready to practice and know that you'll leave with several strategies to start embracing self-compassion right away.

embracing Self-Compassion

/ô/ 
the feeling we get in the presence of something vast that challenges our understanding of the world, similar to wonder and amazement. 

The sunrise, that first glimpse of the mountains, the birth of a child. We’ve all likely experienced moments of awe and often, they feel pretty wonderful. In this session, we’ll examine this complex emotion, learn a little about how it positively impacts mental well-being, and cultivate practices to bring more opportunities for awe in our everyday lives. 

searching for awe

Recent advances in positive psychology research have opened the door to a much greater scientific understanding about what makes us happy and what positively impacts our well-being. In this session, we'll touch on just enough of the science to explain the "how" and "why" surrounding certain pillars of wellbeing. We'll spend most of our time together learning and practicing some new skills that you can share with students but that we hope you'll adopt into your own wellness practice as well. Get ready to explore topics like gratitude, joy, and self-compassion through a mindful lens.

Student well-being: practices for the classroom and beyond

/kəˈneksh(ə)n/ 
an association or relationship

Just as we need food, clothing, and shelter, human beings need meaningful social connection to thrive. In this session, we will learn ways to deepen and strengthen our connections with others. We'll examine where we can be more intentional and present in our current relationships and explore how to make new connections. Participants will leave with new practices to implement, enrich, build, and honor their relationships.

cultivating meaningful connection

/joi/ 
 a feeling of great pleasure and happiness  

It sounds and feels wonderful doesn’t it? But can we really choose it? By prioritizing everyday activities that we know bring us sparks of joy and leaning into those experiences, we can choose more joy. Positive psychologists have determined that we have a window of opportunity to create and sustain happiness and joy. In this session we’ll explore practices that can help you to regularly and fully experience joy in the everyday. 

choosing joy

Make a commitment to boost your own well-being through the practice of journaling. Learn several different forms of journaling to creatively express emotion, practice mindfulness, build resilience, and increase well-being. The only supplies needed are a journal, pen, and markers.

Note: This course is most effectively delivered as three, one hour sessions.

journaling for wellness

 \ ˈjər-nᵊl \ 
a record of experiences, ideas, or reflections kept regularly for private use

Cultivating and navigating adult friendships is vital for our mental health but this can be really challenging at times. Many of us are lonelier than we'd like to admit or are looking for ways to deepen or repair friendships we currently have. In this session we'll facilitate learning and discussion around the following topics: the impact of our attachment style on our relationships, building new friendships, navigating conflict and setting boundaries, and meaningful ways to celebrate and deepen friendships .

Note: This is an engagement session with active participation encouraged 

Union: the art of adult friendships

/ˈyōɡə/ 
a type of exercise in which you move your body into various positions in order to become more fit or flexible, to improve your breathing, and to relax your mind. 

The practice of yoga has proven to be beneficial to people for a variety of reasons including; increasing strength, flexibility, balance, endurance, core, stability, and fostering recovery. Breathwork, mindfulness, and mindset will also be introduced throughout sessions to instill the importance of the mind/body connection to foster one’s well-being. 

yoga

 /ˈmen(t)l/ˈtəfnəs/ 
“the psychological edge that enables you to generally cope better than your opponents with the many demands of performance. specifically, to be more consistent and better than your opponents in remaining determined, focused, confident, and in control under pressure.” (jones,hanton, & connaughton, 2002). 

As parents and coaches, we want the best experience for our children and youth. We want them to reach their full potential and to build resilience and grit to help them deal with challenges and setbacks in sport and in life. We hope that they’ll contribute to a positive learning environment, maintain a positive growth mindset, and approach others with a sense of gratitude and humility. We want to see them build skills to embrace challenges and not just survive but thrive under healthy pressure. Building Mental Toughness can assist athletes and performers in all these areas. Contact us for more information regarding a mental toughness education plan for your group (ages 13+ please).

mental toughness for athletes and performers