On this episode, we’ll imagine going on a car ride and learn how feelings are like road signs. Then we’ll use the word STOP to help us get through difficult feelings.
Show Notes
S.T.O.P. is a well-known mindfulness exercise using stop as an acronym for managing stress, anxiety, and other difficult feelings.
Read more about S.T.O.P. here:
https://www.mindful.org/stressing-out-stop/
https://www.mindful.org/abcs-stop-three-short-mindful-breaks-day/
https://cogbtherapy.com/mindfulness-meditation-blog/mindfulness-stop-skill
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.
This episode’s affirmations were read by Eso Tolson.
Find us here:
Transcript
Noah: Hey everyone! I want to start by thanking one of our generous Patreon supporters, Monique Johnson. It is people like Monique who help make this podcast possible. You can also be a part of helping us produce new episodes by making a small monthly donation at Patreon.com/likeyoupodcast. And don’t forget to subscribe to Like You on your favorite podcast app, so you never miss an episode. Now let’s start the show!
[intro music]
Hello! I’m Noah and this is Like You, a mindfulness podcast for kids. I’m so glad you’re here! Today we’ll imagine going on a car ride and learn how feelings are like road signs. Then we’ll use the word STOP to help us get through difficult feelings. 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 in your mind.
Let’s get started with a breathing exercise to help us relax and focus our minds. Imagine you are going up and down a hill as you breathe. With each breath in, you go up the hill, and with each breath out, you go down the hill. You can imagine that you are on a bicycle or riding in a car as you go up and down hill after hill. Breathe slowly in as you go up the hill, and breathe slowly out as you go down the hill. Now let’s add some movement to this breathing. I’ll let you choose if you want to move your whole body or just a finger. If you’re just moving your finger, you can use it to trace an imaginary hill, curving slowly up as you breathe in, and curving slowly down as you breathe out.
If you’re using your whole body, get up on your feet. When you breathe in, you’ll stand up as tall as you can, stretching the top of your head up toward the ceiling. Then when you breathe out, keep your feet firmly planted on the floor and bend your knees, keeping your back straight so you end up in a squatting position.
Now that you know what to do, let’s try a few breaths, up and down a hill. Start with a deep breath in as you stand tall or trace the hill with your finger. Then long breath out as you squat or trace your finger down. Another long breath in, heading up the hill. Another long breath out going down the hill. Breathe in, up the hill. Breathe out, down the hill. Breathe in, up the hill. Breathe out, down the hill. One more breath in. And a last breath out.
Now on the count of three, we’ll all say I like me. 1-2-3. I like me.
I like you too. Remember, you are wonderful just the way you are, and don’t let anyone tell you that you’re not. Even if someone else tears you down using mean words, remember those mean words aren’t true, and they don’t change what a beautiful person you are inside and out.
Now that we’ve breathed up and down a few hills, let’s imagine that we’re going on a car ride. Have you ever gone on a long car ride? A road trip, or a vacation, where you had to drive for hours? Where did you go?
When I was a kid, I loved gazing out the window on long car rides. It’s amazing all the things you see if you pay attention to the places you’re passing through. Have you ever just sat in a car seat and watched quietly out the window? You might see tall trees, rocky cliffs, shiny new buildings, or old falling apart buildings. You can ride on bridges over rivers, or through dark tunnels that pass through mountains. I find it relaxing, and I love to let my mind wander as I gaze at the passing scenery.
There’s something else you’ll see out the window when you’re on a car ride. They are very common, but as a kid just daydreaming out the window, they may seem boring, or almost go unnoticed. I’m talking about road signs. Road signs tell drivers all sorts of things they need to know. Speed limit signs tell them how fast they can drive, signs with arrows help them know which way to go. Other signs tell drivers the distance to the next exit or the next city, or what sorts of restaurants they can find nearby. Still other signs are warnings, that the road may be bumpy, or curvy, or steep.
And then there’s the sign that might be the most recognizable road sign in the world. The stop sign. In most countries all around the world, a stop sign is an 8 sided shape called an octagon, and it is almost always red. Even if you visited a country that spoke another language, chances are you could recognize a stop sign even if you could’t read what it said.
Feelings can be a little bit like road signs. Just like road signs tell drivers things they need to know, feelings can tell you things you need to know about yourself.
So today we’ll use the word STOP – S. T. O. P. – to
help us get past difficult feelings like anger, worry, jealousy, stress, frustration, anxiety, or nervousness. Remember none of these feelings are wrong to feel. Everyone feels all of these feelings sometimes. But these are feelings that might be difficult or uncomfortable for you. They may make you feel a little out of control, but remember, no feeling lasts forever, and you can take control of your feelings. I’m going to teach you a quick mindfulness exercise you can do anywhere, any time using STOP, where each letter in the word stands for something we’ll do – S. T. O. P.
First I’ll tell you what each letter stands for, then we’ll talk more about each step. Here goes.
S – Stop
T – Take a breath
O – Observe
P – Proceed
The first letter, S, stands for stop. Well, that makes it easy to remember! The first step is to stop whatever you’re doing. So if you’re moving, stop moving. If you’re holding something, set it down. It may even help to close your eyes for a moment. Think of it like pressing the pause button on whatever you’re doing.
The next letter, T, stands for “take a breath.” Taking a deep breath, or a few deep breaths can help you calm down and focus more clearly. I’m sure you know all sorts of great breathing exercises you can try since we start every episode of Like You with breathing. Like breathing up and down a hill the way we did a few minutes ago.
The next letter, O, stands for Observe. Observe just means pay attention to what is going on around you and inside you. What feelings or emotions are you feeling? Can you name the emotion? How does it feel in your body? Are you feeling tight, tense, sore? Is your tummy tied in knots? Just take a moment to observe.
And the last letter is P, which stands for Proceed. Proceed means go back to what you were doing. In other words, when you’re done with STOP, you can go again. But now you’re able to proceed with new knowledge about what’s going on inside you that can help you make a better decision about what to do next. Because in real life when a car stops at a stop sign, it might then continue straight ahead just like it was going, or it might decide to turn left or right instead. After you do your STOP exercise you might be able to keep doing what you were doing before with a calmer feeling inside, or you might decide to turn and do something different that can help you feel better.
So next time you feel a big overwhelming feeling, remember to try this STOP exercise. Stop, Take a breath, Observe, Proceed. S.T.O.P.
But you don’t have to be feeling difficult feelings to do this exercise. It can help to practice it even when you’re feeling happy or calm. So let’s try it right now.
Do you remember what’s first? S is for Stop. Don’t stop the podcast, but stop anything else you’re doing. What comes next? T is for Take a breath. You can take a few deep breaths now.
Now what does the O stand for? Observe. Take a few seconds to pay attention to how your feeling and notice how your body feels.
And what is the last step? P for Proceed. So we’ll proceed with the podcast together. Why don’t we take a turn toward affirmations?
Affirmations are words you can say about yourself to help you remember how wonderful you are. It’s been a while since I’ve invited a friend to say affirmations with us, so today let’s welcome back Eso to say a few.
Eso: Hey, it’s Eso. Are you ready to say some affirmations? Listen the first time, then say it with me the second time.
I am beautiful inside and out.
I have courage and confidence.
I am not alone in my feelings.
I am strong on the inside.
No matter how hard it is, I can do it.
There is no one better to be than myself.
Noah: Thanks Eso, now let’s smile and 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 in your mind to say when you need it. Right now I want to play an affirmation sent to us by a podcast listener. I’ll let him introduce himself and tell you his favorite affirmation.
Caleb: Hi My name is Caleb and I’m 9 years old. My favorite affirmation is: being brave doesn’t mean you’re not scared.
Thank you Caleb! That’s a wonderful affirmation that reminds us that it’s ok to feel afraid.
If any other listeners have an affirmation that is special to you, I would love to hear it! You can have a grownup check our website or show notes for ways to get in touch and share your thoughts with me. 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 a production of Perpetual Motion. It is made possible by our supporters on Patreon. Become a supporter by visiting Patreon.com/likeyoupodcast. 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 the episode. Our podcast cover art was illustrated by Mia Saine. Our episode art is created by Lindsey Glenn. If you’ve enjoyed the podcast, I hope you’ll tell your friends, and leave a 5 star review on Apple Podcasts or Spotify. You can send us voice memos, drawings, and pictures by having a grownup send an email to hello@likeyoupodcast.com or if they follow us on instagram, they can send us a direct message there. Visit our website at likeyoupodcast.com to find show notes, transcripts for each episode, an online shop, and other info about the show. Be sure to follow us on instagram, Facebook, and twitter @likeyoupod. Thanks for listening!
