What About the Ones?

I was on Facebook this morning and someone shared this beautiful video of children singing.

And... it got me thinking.

There are so many amazing kids out there. Really, really amazing kids.  And perhaps the ones that we see in these types of videos, and maybe the kids that come straight to mind when we think of that sort of thing- are the ones that are settled.  Maybe they are the ones that are centered and grounded enough with themselves. Maybe they are the ones free of fear and anxiety and feel good enough about themselves that they can perform- knowing that it could perhaps be seen by hundreds or even thousands of people?

But what about this?

What about the ones that struggle to reach their potential? What about the ones that hold back doing the things they love because of fear? What about the ones that don’t have friends because they feel awkward or lack confidence?

What about the beautiful singer whose music we’ll never know because they were too afraid to stand up and sing? Or the amazing speaker that we won’t hear because they were told they'd never be able to write a speech, and therefore speak it?!?

What about them?

Now some may say that it's up to the child.  It's their choice not to participate- their choice not to help themselves, or to push through the fear and "do it anyway".  And perhaps, that may be the case in some instances.  But what if it's not? 

What if a child doesn't even know there is a "choice"?  What if a child doesn't know any different because it's the way they've lived their whole life and they don't even recognize that there could be something different?

What if...we could show them the way?

Show them the way to their greatness.

Show them the way to their possibilities.

Show them the way out of fear and anxiousness and insecurity.

Show them that there can be another way to live life-

to live in a different, and more settled way.

I believe that we can. I believe (and know) that we can help kids gain control of their emotions.  I believe that we can help kids gain confidence and self-acceptance and control over their own bodies.  I believe that we can meet kids where they are in life and move them forward to a place of more joy.

These are the kids that I also want to see doing the things they love.  I want to help them reach their potential.  I want to help them to love who they are and to feel confident enough to stand up and say what they feel (if they so choose).  I want them to know and understand that they can have tools and strategies that can help them throughout their life. I want them to become the best versions of themselves that they can be.

Those kids are amazing too. I want to help them shine.

Thank Goodness We Have Tools

It's June 2020. Unfortunately, these words are commonplace right now:

Pandemic.

Lockdown.

COVID-19.

Remote work & school.

Stress.

Thank goodness we have tools.  I have tools.  My son has tools, the clients I work with (and other Brain Fit Coaches work with) have TOOLS!

No- not tools like hammers, and saws.  

Movement tools.  

Movements and strategies, and ways to handle stress.

Movements that help reorganize the brain and body for success. Movements that help us to move through a stuck thought, or a stressful moment. Movements that help us to focus, and to enjoy the moment, and to be resilient. Movements that help a difficult time be not as difficult.

Until I became involved in Brain Fit Academy, I never realized how such simple movements could be so powerful.  Simple movements combined with goal-setting and "noticing".  Noticing changes such as noticing subtle differences in thoughts, actions and movement of our bodies. 

Simple movements.

Powerful movements.

Where do these movements come from? At Brain Fit we pull from different modalities- such as Brain Gym®, Primitive Reflex Integration and Rhythmic Movement Training.  Simple, but powerful movements that make changes. 

Movements that (even in the midst of a pandemic) have helped us:

• Focus before we sit down to work or school 
• Sleep better at night
• Reduce our stress levels
• Reduce tension in our bodies
• Prepare us for what is to come

I don't know how much longer this pandemic will last, or what the fallout from it will be- 

But thank goodness we have tools.

There's Smiles, but There's Also Tears

I looked up at his mother.  He had just excused himself to go to the bathroom and we both knew why. 

It was so that he could cry-privately.

I had been working with this 10 year old (a different child than in my previous post titled "The Smiles are the Reward") for probably about 4-5 months.  We had been using various modalities including Primitive Reflex Integration and Brain Gym® to get to the root cause of his anxiety.  Although this client was making small gains, his mother and I didn't see a big breakthrough- until that day.

At the beginning of our session, after we did our settling-in activity, we started talking about his goal for that session.  When we work with kids (or adults) at Brain Fit, we always set a goal-an intention- to help the movement activities to be more powerful. 

On that particular day, his mother joined us for the goal-setting piece.  And, as we discussed particular goals, he was making suggestions as to what the goal could be, but we knew there was more- something deeper- that we hadn't gotten to yet.  We'd been working on integrating many different primitive reflexes- but we hadn't gotten to the one I knew he needed- Fear Paralysis.

But- you may be wondering, why not? If I knew he needed to work on Fear Paralysis, why hadn't I done that with him? 

It's because he wasn't ready.  

At Brain Fit, we use a type of Applied Kinesiology we call "muscle checking".  It's a way to get information from your subconscious mind using the reaction of muscles in your body.  Some of you may have experienced it if you've ever been to a chiropractor or wholistic practitioner (some of them use the technique). 

To determine what reflex to work on, we ask the body and mind what it needs on that particular day using various muscle checking techniques.  Until that day-I'd never been told by this client's body (using muscle checking) that it was time to work on Fear Paralysis.

But guess what? After he came back from the bathroom, I did a few movements with him to help him to calm his body and then I muscle checked him to find out the reflex that was needed for that day.

And...you guessed it- it was Fear Paralysis.

Those tears, that need to let go- was reached that day.  It opened the door to integrating the Fear Paralysis reflex, and it was the turning point in his treatment.  From that point on, the improvements soared until a few months later we was ready to be released from the program.  

Anxiety? Tremendously improved.

Confidence? Gained.

Happiness? Felt.

I never want to make a client cry- but sometimes, in order to make progress-

The tears need to say what the heart can’t.