Mad. Aggravated. At your wit’s end.Everyone’s been there before.
Maybe it was a rough day at the office that did it to you. Or rush-hour traffic. Or a family member who just asked way too much of you that morning. And you felt like you were going to lose it.
It’s fine; it’s happened to all of us. But there are more productive ways to deal with frustration than taking it out on a loved one, or stewing over it for the rest of the day.
In just under four minutes, the children in this video exhibit wisdom that some of the most intelligent adults could learn from. Their advice? Just breathe.
These school-age children are able to pinpoint warning signs their body sends them when they are getting to their breaking point, or, as one girl explains in her own words, when “‘mad’ just takes over your body.” One of the children drew a parallel to a glass jar full of glitter, and how the glitter gets jumbled up when it’s shaken. They talk about what they do when they’re mad (like punch stuff, scream, or get red-hot), and how they don’t like doing what they do when they’re mad.
One child is even able to explain the neuroscience behind anger, a phenomenon I’m sure many adults aren’t aware of.
More importantly, these children explain the coping skills they use when they begin to feel the “mad” warning signs in their body. The overall consensus from these young minds is simple: just breathe.
The children describe how breathing helps the heart slow down, and harnesses your energy, allowing you to think clearly. The girl who used the glitter analogy explains, “it’s like all the sparkles are at the bottom of your brain.”
The wisdom shared by these young life coaches is something all of us could use on a daily basis, at work, at home, or in the car. Nothing is so important it’s worth lashing out, or losing your cool.
Though these children don’t have bills to pay, or mouths to feed (besides their own), they all have worries and stress that are just as important as the adult problems we face every day. And if they can figure out a way to remain calm, so can all of us.
Featured photo credit: Pixabay via pixabay.com
