Sweet Cherry Publishing
Mani opened her eyes.
She took a step...She felt confident.
She took another step...She felt sure.
“What is this,” asked Mani.
“It’s yoga,” buzzed the fly.
That's correct! It's yoga, the ancient practice that has evolved to encompass various forms, such as Hatha, Vinyasa, Yin, and so much more, all serving as ways to strengthen the body and mind.
As a life-long yogi and children’s author, I’ve made it my mission to bring the myriad teachings of yoga to children. In my latest book, "Mula and the Unsure Elephant," Mani the elephant learns the valuable lesson of self-confidence. Mani was named after the Sanskrit word for the solar plexus chakra, Manipura. This energetic point in the body is often associated with confidence, and at some point we've all wanted or needed a compliment or two (or a million!). But self-confidence is a real game-changer. It gives us the strength to handle whatever life throws at us with resilience and composure. Just like Mani the elephant, we can learn from a young age that confidence comes from within by incorporating simple mindfulness practices into our daily lives.
Here are a few mindful confidence boosters to try with your kids:
Pranayama Breathing: The ancient practice of pranayama, or mindful breathing, is an incredible tool to help children build confidence, calm anxieties, and de-stress. With intention and focus, a pranayama practice for kids can bring them into the present moment, allowing them to reflect rather than immediately react. One of my favorites is Cake Breath. Just take a seat, close your eyes, and imagine a birthday cake with bright candles. Take a deep breath in, hold it for a second, then exhale WOOSH and blow out all the candles!
Yoga Asanas (Yoga Postures): Practicing simple balancing postures can help to build confidence, strengthen the core, increase lung capacity, and improve posture. A few grounding and empowering poses to practice with kids are Chair Pose, Eagle Pose, and Warrior One. Mani the elephant even teaches her favorite confidence-boosting poses at the end of "Mula and the Unsure Elephant."
Teach Patience: Sometimes kids can be discouraged when they try something new. Encouraging them to practice patience will help them boost their confidence over time. After all, Rome wasn't built in a day! There will be numerous challenges ahead and patience will help them to persist even when things don't go as planned.
Singing: Belting to our favorite tunes is an incredible way to boost confidence! It improves our mood, strengthens the lungs, relieves anxieties connected to stage fright and public speaking, and increases focus and cognition.
Read more books: Books can be an incredible confidence-booster for kids, opening them up to a world of stories, many of which teach lessons on self-empowerment. Books help children process their feelings and even develop a sense of empathy. As the book world grows day by day, there are lots of books available that are inspiring, confidence-boosting, and most importantly, funny! Humor is a great way to boost confidence as it has many benefits. It can reduce stress, strengthen the immune system, promote social connections, soothe pain, and even improve memory by sending more oxygen to the brain!
If yoga has taught me anything throughout my long practice, it's that the time is now. Yoga teaches us to focus on the present moment and calm the mind, to be fully in the now. So when it comes to teaching our kids the lesson of self-confidence, the time is now. As they grow day by day with the power of confidence nestled deep within, there's no telling what wonders they'll create in this world.
“What does your heart say now, Mani,” asked the fly.
Mani pointed to her heart.
“It says that I have everything I need right here.”
- Mula and the Unsure Elephant
Lauren Hoffmeier is author of "Mula and the Fly,” a picture book series that provides parents and teachers with a soft introduction to yoga. The fun characters and engaging stories promote a happy and healthy lifestyle to encourage positive mental well-being during early development. Lauren is a certified vinyasa yoga instructor and graduate of Boston University. To learn more about "Mula and the Unsure Elephant" and others in Lauren's yoga picture book series, visit LaurenHoffmeier.com and sweetcherrypublishing.com.