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Please send us a voice memo, drawing, or letter at hello@likeyoupodcast.com. We play a voice memo from a listener at the beginning of most episodes. If your child wants to be included, record a voice memo on your phone and email it to us. Your child can introduce themself and then say a favorite affirmation, sing a line from a Like You song, say what they like about the show, or share whatever they feel! Keep it short (10-20 seconds), send it to our email, and then wait patiently. It is our goal to share every recording eventually!

Like You is written and produced by Noah Glenn. The show’s artwork was illustrated by Mia Saine. Episode art is created by Lindsey Glenn.

This episode features original music by Noah Glenn.

Find Like You online at likeyoupodcast.com.

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Noah: Hello! I’m Noah and this is Like You, a mindfulness podcast for kids. It’s our first episode of the year. Happy new year! A new year provides a perfect time to think back about the past, imagine what’s in store in the future, and finally to learn to live in the present moment. So on this episode we’ll spend a little time doing all those things. First, a quick word for the grownups. Like You is listener supported, so if you’d like to help us continue making new episodes, join us at patreon.com/likeyoupodcast for early access to every episode, and other special perks. We also appreciate it when you help others find our show by telling your friends, or writing a review on Apple podcasts.

Now, we’re ready to start the podcast, so find a place to listen where you feel comfortable and safe. You’re invited to be a part of the podcast that means when I ask you a question you can respond out loud. Of course, if you’d rather just say things quietly in your head, that’s ok too. 
Let’s start how we always do, taking deep breaths together. I want you to close your eyes if you can, and imagine yourself standing in between the old year and the new year. It’s hard to picture an entire year, so we’ll use colors. Pick a color that feels like last year, and imagine everything to your left side is that color. I will pick blue, but you can pick any color you want. Then pick a different color that makes you think of the new year, and picture everything on your right side being that color. I’ll pick green, but you can pick your own color. What colors are you imagining for the old year on your left and the new year on your right?

Now turn your head left toward the old year. Take a long breath in through your nose. Hold that breath for a moment as you turn your head right toward the new year. Now breathe a long breath out through your mouth. We’ll do a few more breaths like this, and as we do I will give you different phrases to think about as you breathe in and out. First we’ll think “Goodbye to the old year. Hello to the new year.” Turn left toward the old year, and take a deep breath in while thinking “goodbye to the old year.” Now turn right to the new year and breathe out while thinking “hello to the new year.” Keep imagining yourself standing between the color you picked for last year and the color for next year. Do the same breath again. Turn left, and breathe in while thinking “goodbye to the old year.” Turn right and breathe out thinking “hello to the new year.” Now I’ll give you different phrases to think as we do these breaths. This one might sound a little funny, almost like a riddle. “I am who I was. I am who I will be.” Turn left and breathe in “I am who I was.” Now turn right and breathe out “I am who I will be.” Once more. I am who I was. I am who I will be.

Here’s one last set of phrases to breathe with.“I grew a lot last year. I’ll keep growing this year.” Keep picturing the colors you chose for the old year and the new year. Turn to the left and breathe in, thinking “I grew a lot last year.” Now turn to the right and breathe out thinking “I’ll keep growing this year.” Do that one last time. I grew a lot last year. I’ll keep growing next year.

Wonderful breathing. Now on the count of 3 say 
I like me.” 1, 2, 3. I like me.

I like you too. I like who you have been – a baby, a toddler, a child. And I like everything you are becoming as you grow older.

You can open your eyes if you want, or keep them closed if that helps your relax and focus. We’re going to spend a few minutes thinking about the past, then thinking about the future.

First, think back about last year. A lot happened last year. Some good things, some bad things. Some boring things, and some exciting things. Some things that we ALL went through, and some things that only happened to you. Spend a few moments just thinking back about last year and what it was like for you. I know that last year was a hard one for a lot of people, so you may have some sad thoughts or angry thoughts, and that’s ok. However last year made you feel, just sit with that feeling for a moment.

Now I’ll ask you a few questions about last year. Remember you can answer out loud or in your head. What was something that made you feel sad or angry last year?

Now, what was something that made you feel happy or excited last year?

Now let’s look forward to next year. If you had one wish for the new year – one thing you’d like to happen – what would that wish be? Once you’ve thought of a wish, try picturing it in your head. What does it look like? What does it feel like?

Last question about the future. What is something you would like to learn or do this year?

Ok, so we’ve remembered the past, and we’ve thought about the future. Now let’s come back to now. Now is a small moment in between the past and the future. And it’s where you actually spend all your time. It’s impossible to change something that happened in the past, and it’s difficult to guess what might happen in the future. But you always have control over how you choose to react to now. Open your eyes if you’ve had them closed. Take a look around. Where are you right now? What are a few things you see around you? I am sitting near a window, and out the window I see a maple tree, and a row of houses. Inside, I see blue walls, a stack of books, and the grey chair I’m sitting in. Check in with your other senses. What do you smell? What do you hear? All these things that you see and smell and hear are now. One of the reasons we practice mindfulness is to notice what’s happening around us right now.

Remember that everything that happened in the past led to who you are now. And the things you choose to do right now will lead to who you become in the future. So whatever you wish to see, whatever you hope to be, it starts with you right now.

With that in mind, let’s say some affirmations. Affirmations are simple phrases you can say about yourself to help you remember how wonderful you are. I’ll say each one twice, so you can listen, then repeat it with me.

I like me.

The world needs someone like me.

I can do hard things.

I choose to keep growing.

My positive thoughts create positive feelings.

Now I want you to come up with the last affirmation for yourself. Some people come up with a new year’s resolution, what if instead you came up with a new year’s affirmation for yourself? Think about a way you’d like to grow on the inside, and then think of an affirmation to help you do it. For instance, if you’ve been feeling scared or worried about something and you want to have more courage your affirmation could be “I am brave and strong.” If you want to work on being kind to all your family and friends your affirmation could be “I am kind and caring.” If you want to learn a lot in school, your affirmation could be “I am always learning and growing.” If you want to try new things, your affirmation might be “I am curious and full of adventure.” So you can use one of those examples, or think of your own. Just take a moment to think of how you hope to grow on the inside this year, and pick an affirmation to help you do it. Say it out loud now once or twice, and then tuck it away in your mind so you can say it any time you need it all year long.

Now let’s wind down our time together taking a few more deep breaths as we listen to a new song.

I like me

I like me

I grow and change, but stay the same

I am always me

What has been, has been

What will be, will be

I am right here, right now

And I like me

Once I was a baby

When I’m grown, who will I be?

It grows from who I am today

And I like me

I am who I was

I am who I will be

I am always who I am

and I like me

I don’t remember everything

I can’t guess what will be

But I know who I am right now

And I like me

I’d love to hear about what new year’s affirmation you came up with for yourself. If you want to let me know, you can have a grown up send me an email at hello@likeyoupodcast.com. That’s a new email address, so I’ll say it again hello@likeyoupodcast.com. If you’d like you could even have a grownup record a voice memo of you saying your new affirmation and email it to that address if you’d like me to play it on the show. I can’t wait to spend some time together again soon. Until then, I like you, I’m proud of you, and I’m glad we are friends. Have a happy and peaceful day.

Like You is written and produced by me, Noah Glenn. I also composed and performed the Like You theme music and all the other music featured on this episode. The podcast cover art was illustrated by Mia Saine, and our episode art is created by Lindsey Glenn. To all the grown-ups listening, please consider supporting this podcast by visiting patreon.com/likeyoupodcast. Joining our Patreon group gives you early access to every episode plus other special perks. If you’re unable to offer financial support, you can still show us some love by leaving a review on Apple Podcasts, and by telling your friends about the show. You can find show notes on our website, likeyoupodcast.com. You can also send us voice memos, drawings and pictures by sending an email to hello@likeyoupodcast.com. Be sure to follow us on instagram, Facebook, and twitter @likeyoupod. Thanks for listening!