Like You is listener supported. Learn how you can support the show by becoming a patron on Patreon. You can also support the show by shopping in our online store or purchasing songs from the show on our Bandcamp page.

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 a production of Perpetual Motion. The show 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, as well as additional music by IMAKEMADEBEATS.

This episode’s affirmations were read by Mia Saine. 

Find Like You online at likeyoupodcast.com.

This podcast is designed for kids, but our social media feeds are geared toward their parents. So grown-ups, give us a follow:

• Instagram
• Facebook
• Twitter

Noah: Hello! I’m Noah and this is Like You, a mindfulness podcast for kids. I’m glad you’re here! Thank you to Ash and Hugh for sending that message from Australia! If any other listeners want to hear themselves on the show, have a grownup record a voice memo and email it to hello@likeyoupodcast.com. You can tell us your favorite thing about the show, or say an affirmation, or anything else you’d like to share! I also want to shout out some new Patreon supporters, Samuel and Lisa Sieden! Thanks for your support! This podcast is listener supported, so if you want to be a part of helping the show happen, you too can sign up at patreon.com/likeyoupodcast. One last note before we get rolling. I wanted to let you listeners know that I’ll be taking next week off for spring break, so there won’t be a new episode next week. But Like You will be back with new episodes the following week. In the mean time you can go back and re-listen to some of your favorite episodes from the past. But right now, we’re ready to start today’s episode. We’ll imagine planting a seed, and giving it what it needs to grow. So find a place to listen where you feel comfortable and safe. Feel free to speak up and chime in with your own thoughts or responses, but if you’d rather keep those thoughts quiet in your head, that’s ok too.

Let’s start with a breathing exercise.

We always talk about taking long deep breaths, but I wonder if there’s a way to see how deep you’re breathing. If you’re able to, I’d like you to lie down on your back for this breathing exercise. You can lie on a couch, or a bed, or just on the floor. If you have a stuffy of some kind nearby grab that and keep it next to you. We’ll use it in a minute. If you don’t have a stuffy, a book might work instead. Or a pillow. Or any small, lightweight item you happen to have around. I’ll tell you what to do with it in a moment. For now, lie down on your back, and try to relax your body. We’re going to take some deep belly breaths. So look down at your belly. I want you to watch it as you breath and see if you can see it moving. Go ahead. Deep breath in. Long breath out. Did you see your belly rise and fall? Now place one hand on your belly. Just let it rest softly there. Take another deep belly breath in, and feel your stomach rising against your hand. Now release your breath and feel your belly going down as you breathe out. Now it’s time to grab that stuffy, or pillow, or book if you have one. Place it on your stomach, and let’s watch it go up and down as you breathe. Deep breath in. Long breath out. Do you see it moving?  Deep breath in. Long breath out. One more deep belly breath in. Long breath out. Could you see your stuffy moving up and down as you breathed? That means you’re taking wonderful deep belly breaths. Good job! Now on the count of three we’ll all say “I like me.” 1-2-3. I like me.

I like you too. Whether you’re feeling up or down, you’re always you, and there’s no one else like you. Thank you for letting me spend this time with you. If you’re still lying there, why don’t you try taking a few more deep breaths while I sing a short little miniature song.

When I’m up, I’m up

When I’m down, I’m down

When I smile, I smile

When I frown, I frown

When I’m me, I’m me and that’s who I’ll always be

When I’m me, I’m me and that’s who I like to be

Now let’s imagine planting a seed. Maybe you want to close your eyes so it’s easy to imagine. Maybe you want to keep lying down. Of course you’re free to sit or stand or open your eyes, or whatever helps you focus and tune in to your imagination. Picture yourself being outside. You look down and see dirt. Imagine that dirt. You’ve seen dirt before so I bet you can picture it in your head. Think about how the dirt looks and feels, and smells. I hope you don’t mind getting your hands dirty, because next we’re going to imagine scooping up a big handful of dirt. Picture it in your hands. Let it fall slowly between your fingers until your hands are empty again.

Now I want you to picture something that grows in the dirt. It could be a tree or a flower or a bush. It could be a tomato or a zucchini, or whatever your favorite vegetable is. Any sort of plant at all. Maybe it’s a plant that grows in your yard, or a plant that you’ve seen at a park nearby. Or you could even invent your own imaginary plant in your mind. Have you thought of what plant you’ll imagine?

Every plant is a living thing. It grows and it changes. And it needs some things to help it grow strong. It needs dirt, and water, and sunlight. Can you think of anything else a plant needs to grow? Time. Growing takes time.

The plant that you’re picturing, might be a small flower, or it might be an enormous tree. But every plant starts as just a tiny little seed. So imagine you are holding a seed. We’re going to plant your seed. Reach back into the dirt, and make a tiny little hole. It doesn’t have to be a big hole. Just big enough to fit the seed. Place your seed in the hole. Now cover it with dirt. Now let’s give it what it needs to grow. Imagine you have a watering can. And you pour water over the dirt, like your own tiny little rain shower. Your seed has dirt. It has water. What else does it need? It needs sunlight. That’s good. We’ve planted it outside where it will get plenty of sunlight. And what else does the seed need to grow? Remember what I said a moment ago? Time. So let’s wait. Take a breath. Let it out. Take another breath in and out. Has anything grown yet? No. Plants take a long time to grow. So we have to wait patiently. Even if we can’t see anything happening, the seed is already at work, creating roots that will grow down into the dirt, a nd preparing itself to grow. Growing takes time. So you and I are going to continue to wait. In fact we’re going to wait a few weeks, and then we’ll finish imagining how our seed grows on another episode. As I mentioned, I’m taking next week off. The following week I have a different episode planned. So we’ll continue this episode three weeks from now. That’s when we’ll check back in on our seed to see how it has grown. For now you can open your eyes.

Did all that talk of growing and waiting remind you of anything? You and I are growing too. People grow on the outside and on the inside . Just like a seed, we start small, and we grow and grow. And I don’t only mean that our bodies get bigger. We also grow on the inside when we learn new things about ourselves, about other people, and about the world. A seed needs dirt and sun, and water to grow. What do you need to help you grow? Can you think about that for a moment and tell me any answers that come to mind?

You may have said that people like you and me need food and sleep to grow. If we’re going to grow healthy inside and out, we also need things like love, friendship, imagination. Can you think of anything else that helps you grow inside and outside? I’m sure you can think of a few more things yourself. You have such wonderful thoughts of your own.

I’ll tell you something else we need to grow. Just like plants, we need time. Sometimes you may grow so slowly that you don’t notice how you’ve grown until you look back. You may see an old photo and notice how much taller you are now, or how your hair has changed. You may also have memories about things that used to be hard for you, but now that you’ve had time and practice, some of those things may feel easier. Maybe there’s something that used to scare you, but you’ve learned to have courage and it doesn’t scare you as much any more. These are all ways of growing. I’m proud of how you’ve grown, and how you continue to grow, inside and out.

I’m growing

I’m growing

With each new thing I’m knowing I

Am growing body, heart and mind

I’m learning

I’m learning

Each day the earth is turning and

I know a little more each time

I’m listening

I’m listening

The world around is whispering and

I learn so much from what I find

I’m growing

I’m growing

With each new thing I’m knowing I

Am growing body, heart and mind

Now it’s time to say affirmations. Affirmations are words you can say to yourself to help you feel good about yourself. Listen the first time, then say it with me the second time.

I am growing inside and outside

I learn from my mistakes

I I am so proud of who I am 

I will love myself no matter what

I make a difference, by just being me

My mind is full of brilliant ideas 

Now let’s smile and take a few deep breaths as we wind down our time together.

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 other music that appeared in the episode. Additional music came from IMAKEMADBEATS. Our podcast cover art was illustrated by Mia Saine, and our episode art is created by Lindsey Glenn. Our podcast is listener supported, and you can be a part of supporting us by joining our Patreon group at Patreon.com/likeyoupodcast. Other ways to support the show are by telling your friends, writing a review on Apple Podcasts, or checking out our online shop at likeyoupodcast.com. Our website also features show notes for every episode. We love hearing from listeners. You can send us voice memos, drawings and pictures by having a grownup send an email to hello@likeyoupodcast.com. Be sure to follow us on instagram, Facebook, and twitter @likeyoupod. Thanks for listening!