Things I Wish I Had Been Taught

A lot of us were raised in a generation of working parents, as latch key kids.

It was a time when parents relied heavily on the school system, to sort of "raise" their children.

There is no blame, it was a product of the times.

There are some things I wish I had been taught however.

I wish I had been taught...

...how to communicate effectively. How to give a voice to my needs, and how to really listen when others speak.

...how to handle stress and anxiety.

...that all of my feelings were valid and important and how to regulate them.

...about mindfulness. How to be present with, and for, the task at hand, the feeling at hand and life on its own terms.

...that the mind and body are inextricably linked and if you neglect either the other will falter.

...the importance of food (stupid faulty food pyramid!) as fuel, and the impact nutritional choices make on our mind, body and spirit.

...the necessity for kindness not only to others, but to ourselves.

Times are changing, as they do.

A generation of children has become a generation of adults who felt something was missing. So they made small changes which lead to big changes with their children which are leading to even bigger changes with the generation that comes next.

The Industrial Age spawned a learning environment designed to form good workers, not healthy humans.

In the last few years we have been shown, perhaps ironically, the healthier and happier the human, the better worker they are as a byproduct.

Times they are a changing.

In some ways that is a very good thing.