Let’s talk about a new-to-me app called Headspace. I know this one is very popular with many people, but I hadn’t tried it out until a few weeks ago. Thank goodness I did because now I’m obsessed with it!
Not only are there a ton of meditations and breathing exercises of varying lengths (most are 2-10 minutes), there are targeted meditation courses, sleep meditations and music, focus playlists and workouts! Plus, everything is categorized so it’s easy to find exactly what you’re looking for. Want a breathing exercise to jumpstart your day? Check! How about a meditation to help you feel more hopeful and less anxious? Check! There is even a whole category of meditations for kids!
So maybe you’re wondering what all the hype around mindfulness is about. Well, in her book, Mindful Parenting, Dr. Kristen Race discusses how even 5 MINUTES of daily mindfulness practice can work to strengthen the neural pathways in the brain, resulting in more reflective responses vs. impulsive responses. I don’t know about you, but the deeper into this pandemic we’ve gone, the more impulsive my responses to my husband, my children and myself have become. It’s something I’m actively working to improve, and practicing mindfulness each day is one action step I’m taking toward thinking before speaking or acting.
Perhaps you’ve noticed your interactions becoming more reactive as well. Or perhaps you have a kiddo who flies off the handle when told no or when they don’t get their way. Mindfulness practice is a great place to begin course correction. Plus, if we want our kids to grow their emotional intelligence and learn self-regulation techniques, they must be able to filter and vet their words and actions first. This means they need to actively practice slowing down and taking charge of their brain at times.
Mindfulness isn’t easy for most of us, but like many other things in life, the more we practice, the better we become. The good news is that Headspace makes the practice part easy. See my overall review below and check out this awesome app, if you haven’t already!
| PROS | CONS |
| Great for all ages and levels | Costly (~$70 per year) |
| So many options for meditating, breathing, moving and focusing | The many options can feel a bit overwhelming for beginners. |
| Well-organized | You still have to make the time…the app won’t do that part for you! |
| Easily set reminders to make mindfulness a daily practice |
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