Listen to Awareness of Feelings

* Each of us, children and adults alike, tend to respond to our feelings in a rather habitual way.

* We typically reside somewhere along the continuum of ignoring (suppressing) feelings or being controlled (overwhelmed) by them.

* Mindfulness helps give us insight into the patterns we have with reacting to our feelings. With practice, we can “have our feelings without our feeling having us;” meaning, we are aware of our feelings without them controlling our behavior.

* The way we respond to our feelings can directly impact our own suffering. Consider the equation below:

Pain x Resistance= Suffering

Unpleasantness x Wanting Things to be Different= Upset

(child friendly version)