YMKIND ACTS, which stands for KINgborough, Daily, Art, Community, Teaching and Support, will be a series of activities, ideas and resources shared online, via social media and as a range of themed packages which can be sent out through the post. Please note that our posted packs are limited and are only for Kingborough residents.
This is the page dedicated to the youth of Kingborough. We hope you find the ideas and resources helpful. Please feel free to let us know how we are doing, and share your activities with us on Facebook and on Instagram with #KCKindActs #KCyouth
Exercising from home
As well as keeping you fit and healthy, there are many good reasons to stay active. Here are 3 of them:
It charges you up. Thirty minutes or more of vigorous exercise releases endorphins (the good stuff) in the brain, giving you energy, vitality and an intense natural high.
It helps your positivity. Studies show that exercise is a great way to help manage depression. It not only releases those happy hormones, but also helps clear your mind of stress, confusion and worry.
It helps you sleep. Working the body and clearing the brain ensures a good night’s sleep, and can help regulate problematic sleeping patterns.
Finding new inventive ways to exercise at home can be challenging. Here are a few ideas to help keep you motivated and moving:
- Choose one song you love each day and set yourself 5 different exercises to do for 20 seconds each until the song finishes. You could choose star jumps, pushups, jumping jacks, squats, skipping rope on spot, lunges, high knees jogging on spot, crunches, plank. Only do as much as you feel you can manage and try and expand on this each day. If you want it to go longer, play more than one song and keep exercising for as long as feels good.
- Put together a playlist of your favourite upbeat songs and dance, dance, dance. Now could be the time to try some new moves!
- Have a look at YMCA exercising website (external link). There are lots of FREE exercise videos including: bootcamp, yoga and tai chi.
Stability Rocks - tips on helping you feel in control
Hold on to your ‘Stability Rocks’
A ‘stability rock’ is a process or practice that adds something reliable to your life when it feels like things are spinning out of control. ‘Stability rocks’ are really grounding and help you to remember that there are some things that are within your control. Your own routines and rituals will become really important at this time when some parts of your life are disrupted (e.g. school, uni, work, social life).
Some examples of ‘stability rocks’ could be:
- waking up at the same time every day
- eating regular meals
- going to bed at the same time
- doing some form of exercise every day. Try some of the exercise programs on these free videos from YMCA (external link)
- talking to a friend each day
Share one of your ‘stability rocks’ with the community.
#KCKindActs #KCyouth #StabilityRocks
Mindfulness
‘Mindfulness’ simply means paying attention to the present moment. Practising mindfulness can help you to cope with everyday life and deal with tough times. This is confirmed by extensive research, which has found that mindfulness reduces stress and anxiety. It can also help you to concentrate, relax and be more productive.
The best way to decide if mindfulness is for you is to give it a crack! Here are some different ways you can practise mindfulness.
Focus only on the present moment
You can develop mindfulness during regular activities such as when walking, driving or even while brushing your teeth. The key is to try and focus only on the present moment and not pay too much attention to your thoughts about the past or the future.
When you concentrate on what’s happening around you, you’re less likely to get caught up in your thoughts. Ask yourself whether you feel hot or cold. What does the air feel like on your face? What sounds can you hear? What can you smell? Is your breathing slow or fast? Are you tired? Are you hungry? How do you feel?
Try not to be judgmental about anything you notice
This is tricky to do, but try not to label things as ‘good’ or ‘bad’. Just notice things and let them be. For example, instead of labelling a particular smell as ‘bad’, just notice it without judging it.
Practise mindful breathing
Take a few extra minutes to focus on your breathing. You can do this with your eyes closed or open. What does your breathing feel like? What does it sound like? Where do you first feel the breath in your body? Check out our ReachOut Breathe app if you want a helping hand.
Try mindful meditation
If you’re ready to go a little deeper into developing your mindfulness, consider mindful meditation. To do this, sit quietly with your eyes closed and focus on your breath, or on a word or a phrase that you repeat quietly. If you find your mind is wandering, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong. It just means you have a normal human mind! Gently lead your thoughts back to your breathing, or to the word or phrase you’ve chosen. You can practise mindful meditation by yourself, or you can use an app (such as Headspace or Smiling Mind) if you want some guidance.
Check out this link to WTF is mindfulness https://au.reachout.com/articles/wtf-is-mindfulness-meditation
Where to find help if you are struggling
Over the next few weeks we will be sharing some great tips on supporting yourself emotionally, mentally and physically through this challenging time.
It is vital that we all follow official health directives to keep each other safe. This can make us feel anxious and uncertain BUT a positive thing about the Coronavirus pandemic is that we are seeing an increase in acts of kindness towards each other. This is something we can all be a part of. Try to be kind to others regardless of how they are reacting to the situation.
Everyone deals with things in their own way. Equally important is being kind to yourself. This means practising self-care and not judging yourself harshly for how you are feeling. harshly for how you are feeling. Don’t be afraid to talk to reach out and ask for help. Talk to someone you trust a friend, parent, teacher, counsellor, relative, your doctor. Download one of these suggested apps to give you that extra bit of support. Or visit / call one of the suggested websites / phone lines listed below:
