The Mindful Moments Journal Project

Creating Happiness Through Gratitude

Featuring Child Behaviour Consultant, Nathalie Brown of Easy Peasy Kids

What is THE MINDFUL MOMENTS JOURNAL PROJECT?

The Mindful Moments Journal Project is a co-creation between you and your child(ren), helping you build a daily practice of gratitude as a family.

• Build your child’s self confidence & contentment
• Build a greater understanding & appreciation of your kids
• Keep a record for the future of their growth, creativity & daily lives
• Record your own thoughts & reflections on parenting
• Practise & experience gratitude as a tool for greater happiness, fulfilment and contentment

Mindful Moments are those special “aha” moments that allow us to stop and take notice. They can be incredibly tiny, such as a flash of a smile from our child that warms our heart, to huge “Mack Truck” moments where an event or idea changes our lives forever. They occur constantly – we just need to slow down enough to recognise them.

Concentrating on Mindful Moments, instead of using other gratitude methods such as daily gratitude lists, helps build positive relationships and open up discussions about feelings, people and experiences instead of focussing on just “things”.

Sign up and receive your FREE copy of Mindful Moments. You can opt out of mailings at any time.

Includes:

• Step by Step Instructions on How to Start Your Own Mindful Moments Journal Project with Your Family
• Tips for Positive Open Discussion with Kids by Nathalie Brown, Child Behaviour Consultant (Easy Peasy Kids)
• Tips on Practising Gratitude
• Positive Emotions List
• Thank You Pages, Printables & Emotion Stickers

The Authors

Cath Connell (previously Creative Director of Leaf Paper and Journals),  Vanessa Carnevale (previously Editor of Mindful Parenting Magazine) and Nathalie Brown, Child Behaviour Consultant at Easy Peasy Kids, collaborated to put together this wonderful eBook, that’s filled with pages containing ideas and practical and fun ways of embracing the concept and practice of GRATITUDE and the capturing of life’s daily MINDFUL MOMENTS.

The Power of One

My take on the anti-McDonald’s protest in Tecoma

She sits alone on the rooftop. Behind her the forest glows in the early morning light.

Serene. Resolute. Brave. Beautiful.

That image still haunts my thoughts today.

She represents all my thoughts, OUR thoughts as we fight as a community for what we believe in.

We fight for democracy: to be represented fairly by those we vote for and to have our beliefs honoured; and to have our voices heard when we feel that is not happening.

We fight for diversity: to be free to choose from a range of options rather than being railroaded towards one bland, homogenised offering – whether that be food, fashion, lifestyle or political view. The media often has us portrayed as  eccentric hippies (and admittedly, some are) but most of us are perfectly normal folk – of all ages, backgrounds and professions.

We fight for community: to preserve the uniqueness that brought us here – a chance for a slower, greener, healthier life, along with other people who share those values – and to support the small business owners who are also part of that community.

We fight for family: to raise kids who are free from many of the pressures that living in the ‘burbs face – to think a little differently, discover what the word “treat” means for them rather than what some advertising agency thinks it should be (the Munchkin’s current favourite is Devonshire tea at the Kallista Tea Rooms), to collect bugs, climb trees and be a part of the great outdoors, rather than just a casual observer.

We fight for nature: to keep our forests free of litter, and our animals (and our sleep) protected from the late-night hoons who feel it their right to take on the windy roads at high speeds (they do this already, what will it be like when they have a convenient gathering place nearby?)

Compared to this lone roof-sitter, my own protest efforts seem so insignificant. Sure, I signed a petition or two, attended a community protest event and voted for a councillor who would fight as best they could. I toot my support every time I drive through Tecoma. I repost a few anti-maccas Facebook posts. I certainly don’t eat at McDonald’s elsewhere (it’s been about 20 years actually)! And I talk about it with my friends.

The Munchkin does too… I overheard him chatting about it with his friend after school the other day. I didn’t catch all of the conversation, but it was clear they were both strongly opposed to McDonald’s in Tecoma, (although there was some debate about whether it was OK to like the chips (their word)… odd considering both kids have only ever eaten Maccas fries once in their lives!)

When he was little, the Munchkin used to make us giggle by calling it, “Old McDonald’s with the food we don’t like” whenever we drove past the golden arches – like that was its name!

It may not be stopping demolition crews by sitting on a roof, or chaining oneself to a bulldozer, but maybe our willingness to share our true beliefs as parents, and be firm, positive influences and examples to our kids, are a protest that will last much longer, even if the battle in Tecoma is lost.

Due to the high frequency and severity of trolling (including reports of death threats) that is occurring regarding this topic, I have chosen to close comments on this post. I hope you understand. You can sign the online petition here… 

Image: Photo by Penny Stephens, The Age. Reproduced with permission.

Mack Truck v The Beast

I am standing at the binding machine (known affectionately as The Beast) when it hits…

A deep inner truth. A purpose. A humbled person not yet ready to take on a new project, a new cause.

I don’t know what it means, yet it hits home – hard!

I stand there, stunned, looking out at the bush beyond, hoping my tears do not hit the paper.

Some days I am OK. Today is not one of those days. I trust I will soon know what it all means.

And yet, today I am grateful.