|
Thoughts from a Nurtured Heart . . . |
 I can't recall the source of this scribble that resonates with my mantra... What's your gut saying?
0 Comments
 Find regular reminders to pause and take a breath to reset yourself to this moment.
 Your student or daughter under the table is an example of her taking her own form of reset. She is getting away very likely to protect or calm herself in preparation for whatever comes next. When you validate her feelings you are welcoming her to the strength and power she already has in being able to regulate her intensity.
 One of the challenges when starting the NHA is the ability to call up words to describe inner qualities. When I attended my first NHA Certification Training Intensive in Tucson, I drove (alone!) to the training site each morning. I remember challenging myself to a steady stream of recognitions between two stoplights as I approached the hotel. It was a playful way to stretch my verbal skills and I recall it with a smile (two parts embarrassment, one part joy).
We need to recognize and foster our own inner resources and values as we extend to others. When out walking yesterday, I made it around part of a block while making this recording. . . . I invite you to attend to your internal narrative and notice yourself while doing routine two-minute tasks. I believe this practice will fill your tank and help words of recognition find your tongue in the company of others.  Trust yourself and remember baby steps! What about Bob? Dir. Frank Oz. Prod. Laura Ziskin. By Tom Schulman. Perf. Bill Murray, Richard Dreyfuss, and Julie Hagerty. Buena Vista Pictures Distribution, Inc., 1991.
  It’s cold in Wisconsin and I’ve been encouraged by one jokester to warm up in a corner "where it’s always 90 degrees!" Ba dump bum...
Today my heart was warmed in the corner pictured above where I talked with individual third graders. A child sat upon a stool looking at the qualities posted on the wall as I knelt nearby requesting, “Tell me about your greatness....What is a quality you can claim for yourself right now?” I thoroughly enjoyed hearing kids give evidence of friendliness, kindness, courage and enthusiasm. As I probed for examples, I also listened to connect what I heard and explained additional traits. After a 2-3 minute conversation, before leaving me to select a fellow student, I requested that the child breathe deeply to claim his or her greatness. “I am creative and courageous.” “I am patient and flexible.” “I have determination, flexibility and self-control.” Absolutely heartwarming...  Sending loving kindness and a shout out to Celeste Elsey who reminds us the choice is ours!!
Shine from within, people!! 
You are eye-popping awesome for reading this blog and for thinking about how you want to show up for kids. We are encouraged to make our recognitions authentic and energetically aligned. The eye-popping awesome toy in this video supported a change in my energy and vocabulary. In 2008, when The Inner Wealth Initiative: An Educator’s Guide to the Nurtured Heart Approach by Tom Grove and Howard Glasser was fairly new, I laughed about some of the nutritiously rich alternatives I might use to replace the blandness of “thank you” and “good job” in response to positive behaviors. I scoffed, “When am I going to say, ‘You’re being eye-popping awesome!’ to a kid?”
After nearly 10 years, I can hear myself saying most of the things from this page of The Inner Wealth Initiative including, “eye-popping awesome”. Have fun with this list and allow what feels authentic to you to emerge in good time, perhaps with accompanying props.
Grove, Tom, Howard Glasser, and Melissa Lynn. Block. The Inner Wealth Initiative: The Nurtured Heart Approach for Educators. Tucson, AZ: Nurtured Heart Publications, 2007. Print.
≇ means NEITHER APPROXIMATELY NOR ACTUALLY EQUAL TO
Like the Nurtured Heart Approach, Mindfulness has a simplicity that is NEITHER APPROXIMATELY NOR ACTUALLY EQUAL TO easy. While the ideas are relatively simple to remember...
NHA: energy, intention, 3 Stands, no, yes and clear Mindfulness: paying purposeful attention to this moment without judgment ...it’s not easy to change habits. So, we take baby steps and implement an idea or two at a time. And then, we recognize the heck out of ourselves privately, or in community, for our persistence, risk taking, effort and commitment, etc. While the rewards are many, it is not as easy as it sounds to implement the NHA or mindfulness. Please forgive yourself for the mistakes and those times it could have gone better. Mindfulness practices promote awareness, patience, non-judgment and acceptance while also supporting the practice of NHA. Mindfulness Resources From Life Hack: The word “hack” suggests there are short cuts. Again, simple doesn’t mean easy, but these ideas support the journey. 20 Simple Things You Can Do Daily To Become A Mindful Person A Simpler Guide to Mindfulness for Beginners Another introductory page: http://yourbraintraining.com/mindfulness-for-beginners.html A video... Former Chiropractor, Dr. Karen Osburn identifies herself as a “Powerful Badass Mindset Coach for Women Who Want MORE.” I’ve listened to several of her podcasts between audiobooks.
Always on the listen and look out for ideas that resonate with the NHA, I appreciate Osburn’s reflections about how she interacts with her “spirited” six-year-old son. According to Osburn, a “Listening For” is the frame that you have for somebody else, "the way you see and hear that person." NHA practitioners know that if you’re listening and looking for problem behaviors you will find them. Similarly, if you’re tuned into what’s right (perhaps originality, respect or focus) you can find it. In podcast #194, Osburn reflects first on similarities she has with her son, Tyson. They are both passionate, physical, energetic, emotional and full of push back. Next, Osburn discusses how she stopped fighting Tyson's raw energy. She is now flipping her “Listen For” with Tyson from difficult, challenging and headed for trouble to brilliant, unique, amazing, determined, funny and fun. Osburn also reflects on changing the quality of time she and her husband spend with Tyson. She feels more loving, more present and accepting of Tyson for who he is. As a result of focused effort to listen for and see Tyson’s greatness, she is seeing positive changes in her son. Like Howard Glasser who encourages us to water the grass we want to grow, Karen Osburn invites us to change the frame and listen for greatness. Karen Osburn Podcast #194: What is Your Listening For With the People in Your Life? |
Paula WickThe Thoughts from a Nurtured Heart blog includes ideas and perspectives encountered through intentional living. Posts include ideas that support NHA but are not necessarily explicit teachings of Howard Glasser. I've done my best to properly attribute ideas I borrow from others. Archives
August 2018
Categories |
RSS Feed