A Conversation About DiSC for Kids Happy Tuesday!
How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? If you can, spend some time journalling your answers to the questions above. Have you ever heard of DiSC? How about DiSC for Kids?! DiSC is the best-selling, non-judgmental personality and behavioural assessment used by more than one million people every year to improve teamwork, communication, and productivity… And at HappiMe, we share it with our young people to help them with very similar challenges! Why is DiSC just a powerful for children to learn? …Because DiSC gives them the power to understand themselves and others, helping them to communicate more confidently, build rapport and improve their emotional intelligence skills. So, what is DiSC, and how best can I teach it to my children? Well, at HappiMe, we use cute animals to help children connect with each of the profiles. D or Lion - Leader, blunt, driven, loud, work and goal-focused. I or Zebra - Friendly, loud, outgoing, talker rather than listener, people-focused. S or Panda – Quiet, supportive, listener rather than talker, loyal, people-focused. C or Wise Owl – Detail-oriented, blunt, quiet, perfectionist, work-focused. Generally, we are a combination of all 4 profiles, but often there are 1 or 2 profiles that are obviously much stronger. If someone is a clear D and I combination, but their D traits are more prominent, we might call them a “high D/I profile”… With the HappiMe animal model, that would simply change to a “Lion/Zebra combo profile”. Once a child has got to grips with each of the profiles, and how to read a person based on their more prominent traits, they can then communicate with that individual in a way that suits them best. This can help your child to build relationships, and to feel more confident around new people! Does that make sense? For more on this, get in touch - I'd be happy to send you an information pack. “Learning is a treasure that will follow its owner everywhere.” – Chinese Proverb If you’d like a supportive ear, some advice and a chance to talk to someone, feel free to get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat today. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x
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A Conversations About Handling Stress Good afternoon!
How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? If you can, spend some time journalling your answers to the questions above. Let's have a chat about handling stress... “The greatest weapon against stress is our ability to choose one thought over another.” – William James The truth is, stress can be a real nuisance… But, what if I said it can be great too? Stress can encourage us to slow down, motivate us to be more vulnerable with those around us by sharing how we feel, whilst also inspiring loved-ones to share more openly about how they feel too… 2020 was arguably one of the most stressful times in many of our lives. I certainly can’t think of a time during the last 25 years where the nation was in a constant state of worry for this long… Children and adults alike! That being said, stress is something we all deal with, day in, day out – and it looks different for all of us. Some of us handle stress by burying ourselves in a task, others cope with it by offloading to friends and family, and many don’t deal with it at all… The truth is, many of us know how stress feels but don’t have the knowledge, tools or resources to be able to handle it effectively and constructively. That’s why I'd like to share some great tips and advice for those of you wishing to manage your stress better. 1. Get familiar with your emotions… Can you think of 10 terms or phrases that may be used interchangeably with the word “stress”… Perhaps “overwhelm” could be one? 2. Share honestly! The next time you’re feeling stressed, reflect on why (maybe in a journal) then call a friend and tell them how you’re feeling… You might be surprised out how raw and authentic this conversation could be. Give them a go and let me know how you get on. Before you go, here’s a resource to those who wish to find out more about National Stress Awareness Month. If you’d like a supportive ear, some advice and a chance to talk to someone, feel free to get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat today. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Parent/Carer Mental Health Hi, lovelies!
How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? If you can, spend some time journalling your answers to the questions above. Let's have a chat about parent/carer mental health... “Start where you are. Use what you have. Do what you can.” – Arthur Ashe When speaking with a parent recently, they shared their love of this quote. In exploring how they were feeling, it became clear why this message was so important to them. The truth is, as parents, it can often feel like you are always getting it wrong. Life is hard, but throw children, school, work, finances and everything else into the mix, and it can feel like a daily hike up a snowy mountain – with constant avalanches and 100mph winds. Would you like to know my message to all parents/carers out there? REMEMBER THAT YOU CAN ONLY DO YOUR BEST. You will get it wrong, you will make mistakes and things will be tough… But you are human. No one can get it right all of the time. I thought it might also be helpful to share some of my top tips for managing our mental health better as a parent or carer too:
Here are some other useful resources worth looking at: I just wanted to reiterate that if you are struggling, you really aren’t alone. Parent/carer burnout and overwhelm are very real experiences. If you’d like a supportive ear, some advice and a chance to talk to someone who understands, feel free to get in touch for a free, no-obligation chat today. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Complementary Therapies Hi, hi, hi!
How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? If you can, spend some time journalling your answers to the questions above. Have you ever tried a Complementary Therapy? Since it’s National Complementary Therapy Week, I thought I'd share some of my top recommended alternative therapies... First up, what is a Complementary or Alternative Therapy? According to BUPA, Complementary Therapies offer a different approach to conventional or mainstream medicine. They include therapies that aren't usually part of conventional medical care, such as yoga, meditation, acupuncture and homeopathy. They are usually used alongside, or as well as, Conventional Therapies. Ok, so, which therapies do I recommend? I've picked 2 for this week, and may share more in future... The first I'd like to share is... Pilates. According to our friends at Oxford Dictionary, Pilates is a system of exercises using special apparatus, designed to improve physical strength, flexibility, and posture, and enhance mental awareness. NHS England shares that Pilates aims to strengthen the body in an even way, with particular emphasis on core strength to improve general fitness and wellbeing. Pilates was developed by German-born Joseph Pilates, who believed mental and physical health were closely connected. His method was influenced by western forms of exercise, including gymnastics, boxing and Greco-Roman wrestling. The second therapy I wanted to share with you today is Reiki. So, what is it? According to the Reiki Association, “Reiki” (ray-key) is Japanese for ‘universal life energy, and is also a word used to describe a system of natural healing. Reiki can be used alongside other conventional or complementary treatment and often helps to provide emotional support during recovery. The method of receiving Reiki is simple. The recipient remains clothed and lies on a couch or sits on a chair and relaxes. The practitioner gently places their hands in a series of non-intrusive positions on or near the body. There is no massage or manipulation. The whole person is treated rather than specific areas. Sessions can take 45 minutes to an hour-and-a-half, depending on the client’s needs. If you’re interested in either of these Complimentary Therapies, feel free to get in touch. We can recommend tried, tested and reputable practitioners who are currently working remotely. Lastly, I felt it important to offer advice on how to ensure you are using reputable therapists, given that some of the therapies within the CAM sector don't require supervision. Here are some useful tips:
If you give something new a try, please do let me know! If you're struggling at all, please remember you aren't alone. You are welcome to contact me and the HappiMe team, or check out some of the amazing organisations that are also there to help you. They can be found here. If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Happiness... Good afternoon!
If you're new here, welcome! How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? If you can, spend some time journalling your answers to the questions above. So, since this Sunday is International Day of Happiness, I wanted to share my advice on how to be happier! Firstly, what is happiness? Well, the team at Cambridge think that happiness is... feeling, showing or causing pleasure or satisfaction. Did anyone else read that definition and think, "is that all?". To me, happiness is a "state of being" rather than just a feeling. I don't think it possible to be in this "state" all of the time, but I think that there are things we can do to try to spend more time in a "state of happiness", than in other, less helpful states. Here are some of my top tips for feeling and being happier: 1. Daily Gratitude - I can't stress to you enough how much cultivating a daily gratitude practice changed my perspective on life. Once I made the commitment to feel grateful for life's pleasures each day, however basic those things may have been (my morning coffee, a gentle breeze, the smile from the shop assistant...), I began to notice myself feeling increasingly more thankful for life's challenges too. Spend 15-minutes at the beginning and end of each day considering the things you're grateful for and see how your outlook changes. 2. Daily Joy - I've said it before and I'll say it again... Do one thing each day that brings you joy, and try to change it up throughout the week! Doing things you love releases endorphins (happy chemicals), so it's a no-brainer really. It can be a small as a bubble bath, as big as a day out... And anything in between. 3. Daily Reflection - This goes hand in hand with gratitude practice, but the idea here is to mentally reflect (or use a journal) on your day - including any wins, any lessons and any thoughts that have been whizzing around your mind. The point is to let go of anything that isn't serving you, so that you can start each day with a fresh, new outlook. Give them a go and let me know what you think. To clarify, if you struggle with a mental health disorder, including personality disorders, depression or anxiety, please consult a medical professional for support. These tips may not help you. If you're struggling at all, please remember you aren't alone. You are welcome to contact me and the HappiMe team, or check out some of the amazing organisations that are also there to help you. They can be found here. If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Creativity Hi, lovely.
How are you feeling this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? Today, I wanted to talk to you about creativity, although this post is definitely aimed at parents and caregivers... "But Abby, this is a mental health blog, why are you talking about family creativity?" I hear you ask! I strongly believe that allowing children to get creative in their free time boosts confidence and resilience, as it encourages independent thinking, problem solving and can lead to a great sense of accomplishment! Allowing young people to create and follow through freely with tasks is also a great way of allowing them to understand and appreciate their sense of self. Would you like a couple of fun activities to try? Have you ever tried to create a rainbow in a glass? Here’s how…
What about creating a board game? Ah, but here's the twist... I am looking for a game that can be played by at least 2 players, uses a board, along with some kind of game card feature… Do you think you can do it? Have a go and send me your amazing creations by sharing your work and tagging HappiMe on our socials. If you're struggling at all, please remember you aren't alone. You are welcome to contact me and the HappiMe team, or check out some of the amazing organisations that are also there to help you. They can be found here. If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Parent/Carer Mental Health Good afternoon.
How are you this week? What have been your biggest wins? What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? Today, I wanted to talk to you about how to manage your mental health as a parent or caregiver, So, what is mental health? Well, according to the WHO, mental health is, "... a state of well-being in which an individual realises his or her own abilities, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and is able to make a contribution to his or her community." We all have a level of mental health, just as we do a level of physical health. In order to maintain good physical health, we might eat our greens, exercise and drink lots of water… And looking after your mental health is very similar. You simply need to feed your mind more of what it needs to stay healthy… Like sleep, connection, self-belief, joy and purpose. Does that make sense? Since we've now defined what mental health is, I thought we might explore some of the common reasons why parents or carers may be struggling at the moment. Can you identify with any of these?
Do any of those feel true to you? Perhaps more than one of them? The truth is, there are hundreds of reasons why you might be struggling at the moment, and this is going to feel different for everyone. To help you combat some of the challenges you may be facing at the moment, here are some of my top tips for trying to improve, and to maintain, a good level of mental health:
Please remember you aren't alone. You are welcome to contact me and the HappiMe team, or check out some of the amazing organisations that are also there to help you. They can be found here. If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Confidence Hey, lovely.
How are you this week? What have been your biggest wins? Trust me, you can think of at least 3… What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? Are you ready to let them go now? Since it's something we work with young people to improve daily, I thought it was about time with had a chat about confidence. So, what is confidence? Well, according to the Cambridge Dictionary, confidence is "the quality of being certain of your abilities or of having trust in people, plans or the future." What do I think about confidence? Confidence is how you feel about yourself intrinsically… Not what other people think of you. Just because someone once said, “she’s doesn’t seem very confident”, doesn’t mean it’s true! I also feel that confidence has nothing to do with the external world, and everything to do with your own thoughts. If you keep saying to yourself, “I’m not very confident”, guess what? You will never be confident! Lastly, confidence doesn’t necessarily mean you’re loud, love being the centre of attention or have to be the “class clown”. Confidence is being brave enough to be quiet when appropriate, to listen, and to share assertively when you have something to say. Confidence works very closely with vulnerability! Now we're clear on what confidence is (and is not!), here are some of my top tips for improving yours... 1. Journaling (with a twist!) – “What’s the twist?” I hear you ask! Our ‘Confidence Journal’ is all about sharing your real thoughts and feelings about specific situations that may have happened that day. We suggest listing every key event, numbering them, then on a separate page writing down all of the things you thought or wanted to say. The point of this is to be vulnerable with yourself, and to learn to trust your own thoughts and feelings. 2. Mirror Work – Once you have written your journal for the day, head over to your nearest mirror and say some of the things you’d liked to have said, as assertively as you can. Speak clearly, smile and allow your inner confidence to shine through. Your voice is so important, so let it be heard. 3. The Power Pose - Stand upright, hands on hips, chest puffed, chin up and legs parallel to your hips. Take a deep breath, smile and recite a short mantra that makes you feel happy. For example, “I am strong”, “I am confident”, or “I am brave”. Try to do this for 2 minutes at the beginning of each day. 4. Helpful Thoughts - This is a great first step towards changing your beliefs. They are NOT super positive, because if you currently believe something like, “I have never been confident”, it’s unlikely your brain is going to listen when you start chanting, “I am super confident”. A small step in the right direction could be reciting something that is equally true but just a tiny bit more helpful. For example, “I am capable of being more confident”, or “with practice, I could be more confident”. Remember, change doesn't happen overnight, so pick what you'd like to try and give it a go for at least 30-days. I also suggest that you rate your confidence level out of 10 today and again in a month's time. If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x A Conversation About Self-Care Hi-de-hi.
How are you this week? What have been your biggest wins? Come on, think of 3 if you can... What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? I thought I'd share some of my self-care rituals with you today, given that 2021 hasn't been easy for many thus far. I suppose I am one of the "lucky ones", in a sense that I find it reasonably easy to put my mental health first... However, it hasn't always been that way, and I know I'm probably a bit of an anomaly. It takes practice and discipline, but when you start to really take care of yourself, life just seems to feel just that little bit easier. Self-care can help you to be more resilient, more self-confident and better in control of your emotions and thoughts. Here are my top tips for looking after your mind, body and heart! - Mind - Meditation! I practice around 30-minutes of meditation each day, and after I made the commitment to do this, my mind was so much quieter throughout the day. It felt like a reset. There are great apps and guided meditations on YouTube, so just find what works for you. When I first started, I found Insight Timer a game-changer. - Heart - Joy! Do one thing each day that brings you joy, whether it's savouring a cup of coffee, a walk, time to read or a hot bath... Fill your heart with deliberate happiness for at least 30-minutes every day! - Body - Exercise! I'm not talking 90-minutes at Spin, but even a gentle walk, a short HIT workout or some fun in the garden... Exercise releases endorphins, as well as looking after your body, too! Give these a go for 30-days and see how you feel afterwards. The message that helped change my mindset on this when we first started HappiMe was... "There is one thing guaranteed in your life, and that is that you'll be stuck with you for the duration, so you just as well nurture that relationship." How true is that? So, do you think you can put yourself first? If you’d like some useful tips for building confidence, self-esteem and self-worth in your children, please feel free to contact me here. I hope this blog helped you in some way. Take care, Abby x A Conversation About Children's Mental Health Good afternoon.
How are you this week? What have been your biggest wins? Trust me, you can think of at least 3… What hasn't gone so well? What lessons have you taken away from these experiences? So, it’s children’s mental health week. I know it goes without saying given that the HappiMe ethos is all about improving children’s mental health, but this awareness week couldn’t be more important. Why? As you can see, this is a growing problem… In fact, stats show that each year thousands more young people are diagnosed with mental health disorders, and that’s just the ones we know about. After a 2020’s events, I would imagine those numbers are going to soar higher than they ever have before, which is just so incredibly sad. As a young person, I really struggled with my mental health. Although we didn’t have a name for it at the time, I spent the majority of my teenage years with quite severe anxiety… I hid it well until it all came to a head in my early twenties – which was when I was finally ready to make a change. You see, whether you’re 12-years-old, or 45, keeping on top of your mental health is such a personal journey. This is why, when we started developing HappiMe coaching and therapy programmes, we did it with teaching clients how to take care of themselves at the core of every intervention. If you have tools and strategies to manage your mental and emotional health, imagine how much better life can be? As a not-for-profit, we think it’s important to ensure everyone is able to access good quality mental health support. This is why we send out a free resource pack to everyone who joins The HappiMe Club. But wait, what is The HappiMe Club? Well, it’s a place where all members get exclusive special offers, freebies and monthly tips and advice for supporting themselves and their families. Oh, and it’s completely free! Contact us to join The HappiMe Club today. I hope this blog helped you in some way. I aim to post every Tuesday, but don't worry - if you're following us on our socials, you will get a reminder there. Follow us Instagram. Like us on Facebook. Check us out on Twitter. If you aren't already, feel free to connect with me on LinkedIn too, for more on children's mental health. Take care, Abby and the HappiMe Team x |
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