Hello,
I'm Noah,
And this is Like You,
Mindfulness for Kids.
I'm very glad you're here.
Thank you to Lake for sending that message.
I love hearing about people's favorite episodes.
Hopefully you'll enjoy this one just as much as the ones you mentioned.
On this episode,
We'll discover a few things we can learn about mindfulness by acting like a cat.
So listeners of all ages,
Find a place to listen where you feel comfortable and safe.
As I ask questions and invite you to say affirmations,
You're welcome to speak out loud or as always,
You can just think your responses quietly inside your mind.
I wanted to start by mentioning that this episode is inspired by my family's cat,
Zuki,
Who we just adopted a few months ago.
Check out the episode notes if you want to see a photo of Zuki.
Right now,
We're going to begin with a breathing exercise to calm your body and focus your mind.
For this breathing exercise,
We'll also do some stretching and posing like a cat.
Have you ever watched a cat stretch?
It looks a bit like they're doing yoga.
Actually,
There's even a yoga pose called cat pose,
Where you get on your hands and knees,
Then you arch your back into a big curve.
I'm going to add a few photos in the show notes of cats doing different yoga poses.
If you want to pause and look at those pictures,
You can pick your favorite one and try to do that pose yourself during this breathing exercise.
Or keep listening and I'll tell you how to do a yoga pose called child's pose,
Which also looks a bit like something that cats do.
Start on your hands and knees like a cat.
Now slowly move your bottom back towards your feet while stretching your arms out forward in front of you as far as you can.
This is called child's pose.
Hold this pose or any cat pose you choose while we take a few deep breaths.
Breathe in slowly,
One,
Two,
Three,
And breathe out long,
One,
Two,
Three.
Another deep breath in,
One,
Two,
Three,
And out.
One,
Two,
Three.
Take another deep breath in,
One,
Two,
Three,
And a long breath out.
One,
Two,
Three.
Now rise back up onto all fours like a cat.
Slowly walk on all fours in a little circle,
Then lie down and make yourself comfy.
Now on the count of three,
Let's all say,
I like me.
One,
Two,
Three.
I like me.
I like you too.
I am so proud of who you are.
I wonder how many of my listeners have a cat of their own.
Do you?
What about any other pets?
Who has a dog,
A fish,
A rabbit,
A hamster,
Or a gerbil?
If you have a pet,
Tell me what kind it is.
You could even say its name if you want to.
Often we can learn a lot about mindfulness from watching our pets.
They're very good at being present in the moment and at using their senses to notice the details around them.
Today we'll be talking about ways a cat can be mindful,
And we'll try doing it ourselves.
First of all,
Cats engage all their senses to get to know their environment.
They have a strong sense of smell,
So they will sniff new or unfamiliar items to get to know them.
Why don't you try engaging your sense of smell?
Take a big breath in through your nose.
Did you notice any smells around you?
Now pick something near you like a pillow,
A toy,
A book,
Or a pencil.
It could be anything that happens to be nearby.
It doesn't matter what it is.
Try sniffing that thing like a cat.
Take short little sniffs through your nose.
Have you ever paid such close attention to the way something smells?
Another way cats can be mindful is by sitting quietly and watching what's going on outside a window.
Some people call this cat TV.
Find a window near you that you can look out.
Get in a comfortable position,
Then just look out the window and see what you can see.
As you watch out your window,
Try breathing slow and steady in and out.
Cats might spend hours a day just staring out a window.
They see all sorts of things people may not stop to notice,
Like birds,
Squirrels,
Falling leaves,
And people passing by.
Do you see anything out your window that you've never noticed before?
Even when cats close their eyes,
They often remain alert to everything around them by listening with their ears.
You might see them relaxing with their eyes closed,
But their ears are still darting forwards and backwards,
Listening in whatever direction they hear a noise.
Try closing your eyes now and pay attention to what noises you hear around you.
I'll turn down the music so you can just listen for a few seconds.
Perk up your ears like a cat and see what you notice.
The last thing we can learn about mindfulness from cats is how to be masters of relaxation.
Cats can chill almost anywhere.
They may climb on top of a shelf,
Hide under a couch,
Curl up in a box,
Perch on the arm of a chair,
Cozy up in a pile of laundry,
Or squeeze into all sorts of tiny spaces.
But even in the unlikeliest places,
Cats can relax,
Find their calm,
And enjoy a short nap.
So wherever you are right now,
Try relaxing and getting as comfy as you can while I sing a song.
As I sing,
You can take your pick.
Relax and chill like a comfy cat,
Or sit quietly as you look at the world outside your window.
The choice is up to you.
Come be cozy,
Head to toesy,
Feeling safe and warm inside.
My heart feels light,
My cheeks feel rosy,
Breathing deep and smiling wide.
When I feel I can't control things,
When my yes turns into no,
When the world seems wild and noisy,
And I need some place to go,
I can reach inside myself,
Pull a book down from the shelf,
Think a thought that makes me grin,
And imagine deep within.
I'm comfy,
Cozy,
Head to toesy,
Feeling safe and warm inside.
My heart feels light,
My cheeks feel rosy,
Breathing deep and smiling wide.
Now it's time for affirmations.
Affirmations are words you can say about yourself to remind yourself how wonderful you are.
You can say these out loud or inside your head.
I'll say each affirmation twice so you can listen the first time,
Then say it together with me the second time.
Here we go.
I'm glad that I am me.
I'm glad that I am me.
I deserve good things.
I deserve good things.
I will speak kindly to myself.
I will speak kindly to myself.
I love me just because I'm me.
I love me just because I'm me.
I will allow peace to fill my soul.
I will allow peace to fill my soul.
I am strong and determined.
I am strong and determined.
I can take it one step at a time.
I can take it one step at a time.
I choose to enjoy this moment.
I choose to enjoy this moment.
I choose to enjoy this moment.
Now let's take a few slow deep breaths as we wind down our time together.
If any of those affirmations stood out to you,
Feel free to write them down or just store them safely on your mind to say when you need it.
I can't wait to spend some time together again soon.
Until next time,
I like you,
I'm proud of you,
And I'm glad we're friends.
Have a happy and peaceful day.
Like You is written and hosted by me,
Noah Glenn.
I also composed and performed the Like You theme music and other music that appeared in this episode.
Our podcast cover art was illustrated by Maya Sane,
And our episode art is created by Lindsay Glenn.
Thanks for listening.
