The Mindfulness Education Collective (2026)

10/06/2021

A lesson we can learn from physical wellness practices to enhance our emotional wellness.

Also, can we talk about the hilarity of choosing a “cover” for IGTV videos from your video? I didn’t realize how much I blink and look up (as seen above). 😂😂😂

17/05/2021

Did anyone else start their morning going a million miles per hour unexpectedly? Over here it began waking up late (forgot to set alarm) and subsequently waking Jo up late, followed by an indecisive 3-year-old and an exasperated me trying to get her dressed and instead losing it on her. Luckily dad was home to get breakfast on tue table, but just as we thought we had turned it all around, our mulch order arrived 5 hours early as we are running out the door already late.

Who is with me? Have you been holding your breath and white knuckling it through your morning? Take 30 seconds with me to reset.

This is a 30-second breathing exercise to calm yourself after a hectic morning.

07/05/2021

For anyone who needs to hear this today:

Parents? You are enough.
Unattached? You are enough.
Married? You are enough.
Working? You are enough.
Not working? You are enough.
Student? You are enough.
Feeling lost? You are enough.
Feeling lonely? You are enough.
Everyone: YOU ARE ENOUGH.

✨For everyone feeling like they need to DO or BE or HAVE more: You are enough. Even if it’s feeling cloudy right now.

Remember: Rainbows can’t exist if there’s only sunny days.

It’s OK not to be OK. It’s OK to ask for help. If you need support, I’m here.

💚

06/05/2021

Years ago when I told people I was a preschool teacher, the most common response was, “You must have a lot of patience!” I would always laugh it off with a wave of the hand and say, “I just really love that age.”

The truth is, I did have a lot of patience--most of the time. A few years into teaching, I found my patience becoming much shorter. What was the difference?

In those early years, I was in a classroom with multiple teachers; we supported each other, collaborated, and found ways to give each other breaks throughout the day. I was also a single gal living in Astoria. I had my own room in a 3-bedroom apartment, and when I left school, the only person I was responsible for was me.

Fast forward a few years: I was living in a new city and working at a new school. This time, I had no co-teachers to support me during the day. The hours were longer, and when I went home, I now had a boyfriend, three kids and a dog who needed me.

One day, just a few weeks into working at the new school, I came home, walked and played with the dog, and then finally sat down for a moment’s rest. Not even a minute later, the dog started whining at my feet. Instantly, I burst into tears and said, “I just need to not be NEEDED for 5 minutes!”

It occurred to me: I hadn’t been alone in weeks. Every moment of my day was spent caring for someone else--I’d forgotten to take care of ME. No wonder I was struggling to be patient with my students, their cries and whines triggering and agitating me. No wonder the dog’s little whimper set me off. I was spent.

When we have interest in or love something, we are always going to have more patience for it. But that isn’t enough to sustain our patience--I love my daughter, but when I haven’t met my own needs, it is infinitely more difficult to maintain the level of patience needed to withstand the big emotions and meltdowns.

So, the moral of today’s story: our ability to be patient is not a fixed skill. It can change with the wind. Taking time to care for our own needs, practice mindfulness, and better understand what triggers us can help us replenish our patience each day. And above all, be kind to yourself.

What’s your patience level today?

04/05/2021

When I was in grad school for Early Childhood Education, I was a student teacher at a preschool on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. I was assigned to the two-year-old room (NOT my first choice, btw). We were asked to keep a journal of our experience that our Advisor would read and offer advice.

One day I described in my journal my frustration with a student who kept trying to play with a toy on the shelf next to him during naptime. No matter how many times I reminded him it was quiet time, he kept going for it. It created a lot of frustration for both of us, and disturbed the nearby kiddos.

My advisor commented “Was this child set up for success or failure?”

A lightbulb went off. Of course this kiddo was going to keep reaching for the toy. It was sitting there, right in front of his face and within arms reach. I mean, if I don’t want to eat all the brownies, I am definitely not going to set it in front of me on the table (or even bring them into my house). Why should I expect a toddler to have a higher level of impulse control than I do?

We decided to turn the shelf with the toys and cover them during naptime. It worked much better and set that kiddo up for success—rather than being totally focused on how to get is hands on that toy, he could relax his body and rest, and the teachers had one less power struggle to deal with.

When we think about our kiddo’s behaviors, let’s look at the big picture. Asking these questions can help:

👉🏼What precipitated the behavior?
👉🏻Was the expectation of behavior developmentally appropriate?
👉🏽How might I change the environment to better support my kiddo?
👉🏾What is their behavior communicating to me?

Once you’ve answered these, you’ll have better awareness for how to address the situation. They might be hungry, tired, overstimulated, or there might be too much expected of them (a quick barometer is if it’s something we struggle with, like sitting still for a certain period of time, then it’s definitely too much to ask of them).

Not sure if an expectation isn’t developmentally appropriate? This is just one of the topics I address in my one-one-one coaching sessions. Message me to learn more! 😎

03/05/2021

Happy !

Today I want to share an exercise that a friend of mine shared during a training we were facilitating a few weeks ago. It’s short and sweet and a great way to shift your mood when you need a pick-me-up!

There are two things I love about this exercise:

✨ Seeking things that make us feel joyful is a powerful way to uplift our mood--this is not a “good vibes only” scenario, but rather a way to break us out of unproductive thought patterns--whether we’re mindlessly scrolling, replaying a conversation in our head, or struggling to focus. An exercise like this quickly brings us back to the present moment, uplifts the mood, and can help us move forward thinking in a clearer, calmer way (see my last post to understand how the thinking and feeling brain can affect one another).

✨This exercise is a great barometer for us to notice our surroundings, especially if it was difficult. Does your space reflect joy? How might you add more to your space (photos, keepsakes) to increase the reminders of joy. This doesn’t have to be a major overhaul or redecoration. Even just one simple item that brings you joy can make a big difference in your space.

I’d love to know what your item is! Share in the comments, or take a photo of it and share it on your feed, making sure to tag so I can see it! Have a great Monday 💚

30/04/2021

This afternoon, Jo took a tumble down the stairs. I ran down to pick her up and check her, finding a scratch on her shin, but she was otherwise fine physically. Emotionally, however, there was a lot of sobbing.

In my head, the first things I wanted to say were:

✨You’re OK.
✨Next time hold on to the railing.

But, she wasn’t OK. That spill scared her and had activated her Amygdala, or the fear center in her feeling brain (Limbic system). When this happens, our brain signals for a massive dump of the stress hormones cortisol and adrenaline. When the amygdala is in action, it overrules our prefrontal cortex (the thinking brain). Why? Because if we met a bear in the woods and needed to fight or run to survive, our thinking brain would stop that sh*t in its tracks. And then the bear eats us. So, for survival purposes, the Amygdala shuts it down, so we don’t have time to think, we just do what we have to do--fight, or run, or freeze/play dead.

But what does that have to do with my kid who just fell or experienced something scary (which might not seem scary to you)?

When the amygdala is activated, their thinking brain is shut off. Dr. Daniel Siegel refers to this as “flipping their lid.” The thinking brain literally can’t work. They need some time to let that stress response run its course. THEN we can say things like, “Next time let’s hold the railing.”

To recap:
✨Acknowledge + validate the feeling (rather than telling them they are OK)
✨Safety: Reassure them they are safe.
✨Connect + Share your calm: Full breaths, hugs,back rubs, soothing words.

What does this look like in real time? After I picked up Jo and checked her, I took a breath, hugged her, and in a soothing voice said, “Boy, that was scary! It’s OK to feel scared. You’re safe, kiddo.” Then I sat and held her her as she cried. I could feel her heart pumping fast (adrenaline). After a few minutes, we looked at her leg again and she commented, “There’s no blood mommy!” and a minute after that, without prompting, she said, “Next time I should probably hold on to the railing to go up.” Her thinking brain had come back online.
✨
Share with a friend below!

29/04/2021

A quick tip for those days where the power struggles Just. Won’t. Stop. You’re worn down, your kid won’t stop pushing your buttons, and you need them to put on their shoes NOW. Next stop: Meltdown City (for both of you).

BUT. Before you blow your top.* Remember this: You can have a do-over!

That’s right. You can get OFF the train before everything goes to you-know-what.

How?

When this happens with Jo and me, I usually take a deep breath, perk up a bit and say, “Oh man. This isn’t working for either of us! Can we have a do-over?” And then I might pretend I’m rewinding my words and my body (usually shaking it out a little bit) which makes her giggle and diffuses the tension. I take another deep breath and start over, in a more calm manner.

Why does this work?
✨It diffuses the tension--You take a deep breath, your child shares in that calming moment.
✨Humor! Another great way to diffuse tension. Try not feeling a little better after a little laughter
✨You get to start from a calmer place. This allows you to make more informed decisions, offer controlled choices, and involve your child in the process.
✨You’re showing your kids that it’s OK to mess up, and teaching them how to repair.

*Sometimes, you blow your top. It’s OK. It’s OK to feel frustrated/angry/mad. You can repair this as part of the redo by saying, “I’m sorry I yelled when I was frustrated. I’m going to take a deep breath to calm my body now, and then I think we need a do-over! Want to try a big breath with me?”

Give me a in the comments if you give this a try!

27/04/2021

🌿T R A N S I T I O N S🌿
Last weekend I had the opportunity to teach my first in-person yoga class in 13 months for some friends at their neighborhood park and it was glorious—I mean, do you see this view? It was also one of the first things I’ve done that felt some semblance of “normal,” and got me thinking about all the things I’m excited to do:
🌿Host backyard BBQs
🌿HUG my friends and extended family!
🌿Impromptu neighborhood hangs
🌿Teach more in-person yoga classes and parent workshops
🌿Get back to air travel!

🌸What’s something you’re looking forward to as we begin to transition into this post-pandemic world?

20/04/2021

It’s dinner time. My husband is home after a long day (for both of us). It’s a Tuesday, so it’s just the three of us, and as we sit down, my husband and I are catching each other up on our days. Suddenly, we hear an ear-piercing screech right between us.

“Joey! Ouch! That hurts mama’s ears.”

We continue our conversation. Less than 10 words in, the screech happens again.
✨
Can anyone else relate? End of the day, everyone is exhausted, and the adults in the house just want to chat about adult things.
✨
Depending on the day, the scream will be a huge trigger for me ( but we’ll get into that in another post). I might yell at Joey to stop, or even have to walk out of the room. This will inevitably leave one or both of us in tears.
✨
But on other days, when I’m more regulated, I am able to pause and remind myself—she is not trying to be annoying for the sake of it. Or to get our attention. She is seeking connection with us. She wants to be included. And this is the only tool in her toolkit to get our attention.
✨
When you’re noticing certain behaviors in your own kiddos, take a moment to wonder, “Are they needing connection with me right now?” Depending on what is happening, this could look like taking a moment to give them a big hug and telling them you love them. If you have a little more time, you might take 5-10 minutes to give them some special time—no phones or distractions. You might be surprised how quality over quantity in connection can make a huge impact!
✨
How does your child tell you they are seeking connection?

19/04/2021

This last week, guys. It was a WEEK. It started with the high of getting to see my parents, siblings, and nieces and nephews for the first time in 8 months and ended with the total joy of teaching my first in-person yoga class in 13 months. In between there was grief, anxiety, sadness, loss, frustration, laughter, professional fulfillment, more grief, and fatigue. While this entire year has felt like some semblance of the same, there was a key difference that will make this week stand out among them for the next little while.
✨
I stayed present with my emotions this week. Simply, I paid attention.
(Maybe you’re thinking, “But aren’t you a mindfulness teacher? Don’t you do this already?”

To that, I’ll just say, “We teach the lessons we need most.”)
✨
So, what did I do?

🌸I noticed how they felt and where I felt them in my body.

🌸I gave myself permission to feel them, instead of my old standard of comparison-shaming (i.e. “Other people have it worse, you shouldn’t feel this way). I practiced sitting in the discomfort even when I wanted to shut it down by “fixing” or numbing the feeling.

🌸I recognized moments where I felt multiple emotions at the same time. Ex. Both compassion and frustration for my extra-clingy three-year-old.

🌸I shared my emotions: instead of shutting down or cutting off my loved ones, I let them know how I was feeling. This was helpful for everyone as it allowed them to ask how to best support me and gave me the freedom to feel without worrying about offending anyone.

What did this do? This heightened all of my emotions. So, the grief felt really heavy. But the joy felt even more joyful. Some of it was overwhelming, but I allowed myself to feel that too. I fully felt the emotions from start to finish rather than pushing them down and “ignoring them” (which, let’s be honest, never works, they just come out in other ways, like snapping at my husband or kids).
✨
I shared some of this with a good friend over text last week and she said, “It sounds like the voice in your head is getting a little kinder.” She’s totally right.
✨
What emotions have you felt this week? How are you working to make your inner voice a little kinder?

09/04/2021

The struggle is real, you guys! By the time Friday comes, the emotional exhaustion has caught up. Drop a 🙋‍♀️ below if you are with me (and what you’re doing to recharge this weekend!)😂

・・・
PENDULUM PARENTING = When parents overcompensate and screw our kids up the opposite way our parents screwed us up.

If you’re gonna teach your kids they can express every feeling: ALSO GET THEM A DIARY. So they can TELL THEIR FEELINGS TO THE DIARY.

How have you pendulum parented yourself into a little slice of fresh hell?

The Mindfulness Education Collective