We want to be calm, present, compassionate, and available as we do the important work of raising our children.
But that's really hard, isn't it?
But that’s REALLY FREAKING HARD, isn’t it?!?
It's hard because we may not have a village of family members or other mothers to turn to for support.... or because the only advice we get is "go out and get a massage!", as if that's going to somehow make it all better.
When we practice mindfulness, our mindful, compassionate, and engaged way of interacting with the world impacts everyone we come into contact with — including our children.
What is mindfulness?
Mindfulness is our ability to attend to the present moment, with curiosity and without judgment. It is a powerful tool that transforms how you relate to your own life and how you engage with the world. When we practice mindfulness, we cultivate greater calm, balance, and ease.
Your Instructor
Sarah is a Mindful Schools Certified Instructor, and the Executive Director of Brilliant Mindfulness. She has taught mindfulness to thousands of people in workshops and trainings for teachers, students, parents, and families, and in her online courses. A teacher with 17 years of classroom experience, she also writes about mindfulness and joyful living on her popular blog Left Brain Buddha, and was featured in the August 2016 issue of O, The Oprah Magazine. She has had a personal mindfulness practice for many years, and describes mindfulness as life-changing.
We get good at what we practice...
and we're always practicing something!
When we repeatedly practice the super-busy, stressed-out and overwhelmed version of parenting, that’s what we get really good at, and what we continue to do.
With mindfulness we cultivate a new practice: we can truly BE THERE for our children, with our loving, compassionate presence.
What You'll Learn in Mindfulness for Mothers
Week One: Mindful Mama
❊ learn what mindfulness is -- and what it is not -- with detailed, no-nonsense instructions for starting your own practice (so there's no worry about "Am I doing it right???")
❊ discover the three essential qualities we cultivate with mindfulness practice, so you can focus on what's important, and meet each moment with ease
❊ develop, or deepen, your personal meditation practice to cultivate greater calm and balance in your days
❊ learn powerful practices for dealing with your thoughts and emotions ~ so they don't get the better of you!
❊ explore how mindfulness can be applied to the day-to-day work of parenting so mothering feels easeful, not stressful!
Week Two: Nurtured Mama
❀ create a self-care plan to nurture yourself and recharge your batteries, so you have the energy and internal resources to care for your children
❀ learn why self-care should be about refuge, and not "vacation" ~ and how you can build refuge into your day
❀ find out how to MAKE time for yourself (instead of trying to FIND it!) — even in your “busy mama” life!
❀ design your personal self-care strategy from my menu of over 60 nurturing, do-able, mama-friendly practices so you feel energized each day, instead of depleted
❀ discover research-based practices that support joyful and meaningful living (including the happiness formula) so you can live your best possible life!
❀ embrace self-kindness and self-compassion, and lose the guilt over “me-time”
Week Three: Calm Mama
♥︎ investigate and work with your “triggers” ~ a.k.a., you'll literally figure out how to "stop sweating the small stuff"
♥︎ learn simple practices for developing greater emotional awareness and working with your emotions ... because it's when we resist or fight the emotions that we suffer
♥︎ explore the latest research on stress (hint: stress is a given, but being stressed out is OPTIONAL! ... so I'll teach you how to opt out!)
♥︎ discover soothing and helpful mantras and calming practices for tense mama moments, so you can respond instead of react, and handle difficult situations with grace
♥︎ discover how your personal history and experiences influence the way you parent — and how you can use this insight to be the parent you want to be
Week Four: No-Drama Mama
❧ explore — and practice — positive, mindful discipline strategies (that actually work!)
❧ learn how to communicate more effectively with your children ~ so you can ditch the yelling and threatening!
❧ discover the most important first step in effective discipline (it's often the LAST thing we think to do!)
❧ develop strategies for repairing ruptured relationships ~ because it's not about being perfect! We all make mistakes...
Weeks Five and Six: Mindful Mama, Mindful Monkeys
Wrap up this course with TWO weeks devoted to teaching mindfulness to your children, and making mindfulness a family practice.
✮ learn age-appropriate techniques for teaching mindfulness to children ages 3-18
✮ choose from a variety of activities that teach children emotional awareness and self-regulation skills
✮ play mindfulness games with your kids (I've got some handouts just for them!)
✮ watch demo videos with me and my son -- perfect to watch with YOUR little monkeys!
But I'm so busy! I don't know if I have time for this course!
I know. That's why you will have FOREVER ACCESS to the course once you enroll.
- Stephanie Sprenger, mother and writer at Mommy, For Real
How the Course Works
All of the content for the course is hosted online, and can be accessed from any device, anytime you need it!
You can work through the course at your own pace -- do one lesson a day, or perhaps do all of them on the weekend. It's up to you!
Each week's content includes:
gentle meditations especially for mothers, to help you relax and take care of yourself (you'll end the course with a nice library of guided meditations to choose from)
learn how to bring peace and calm to your life... and read through the lessons whenever it's convenient for YOU!
easy-to-follow videos so you know EXACTLY what to do -- and the videos are short (like 10-20 minutes) so you can watch while the kiddos naps!
journaling pages for reflection, gaining insight about your triggers, and explring your identity as a mother