Tip #3: Blowing into a mug of hot chocolate

For some, the breath is an interesting anchor because it is constantly changing—from inhale to exhale to the next breath—and we can follow this flow with our consciousness when we focus our attention on it. Explain to the youth that you are now going to try to connect with the breath, which can be their anchor to the present moment. The following mindful breathing practice will help them both to calm down in stressful situations and whenever they are calm, as a kind of mindfulness training.

The exercise is suitable for children from 3 years old and teenagers

If students feel uncomfortable at any point during their breath-centered practice, allow them to stop without feeling like they have failed. Silence and breathing exercises can sometimes trigger strong emotions, especially for young people or adults who have experienced trauma. Therefore, it is important that mindfulness training in the classroom feels like an invitation.

One way to support young people is to offer them a range of choices within any exercise and show them early on that they can find different ways to re-source themselves if they experience discomfort. For example, sometimes choosing not to continue with the practice may be the best form of self-care. Let young people know that they can keep their eyes open if they feel safer, or that they can use a different anchor if, for example, focusing on their breath is causing anxiety. They don’t always have to follow your lead! The point is to make conscious choices and support themselves. How to proceed step by step:

Imagine you have a cup of hot chocolate that smells wonderful but is too hot to drink.

When you hold it in your hands, you can breathe in through your nose to smell it, then blow on it very gently to cool it down. Be careful not to splash it!

Try this a few times now. Breathe in through your nose to smell the chocolate, then blow very gently on it to cool it down. Be careful not to splash it! Try this a few times now. Breathe in through your nose and blow gently out through your mouth.

Many people find that this breathing pattern calms their body down a bit. You may not notice it right now, but try it again sometime when you are calmer and see how it feels. Then you can use this breathing pattern when you are feeling anxious or upset.

You can also find many tips for promoting mental well-being on the website of the Safe Space 4 Youth project - a project that supports young people and youth workers in mental health care and involvement in social action.

Author: Veronika Veselá