Rebecca Lock works with the Horowhenua Kāhui Ako as an across schoolteacher. She has been delivering the Pause Breathe Smile wellbeing programme since 2019 and did an inquiry into the impact on the students that same year. We’ve asked Rebecca to share her thoughts on the training and delivery of this programme to help inform others.

Mindful eating is one of the core practices of Pause Breathe Smile. When we eat mindfully, we bring all of our noticing to this everyday activity, intentionally paying attention to the many moment-to-moment sensations, thoughts, and emotions that are part of the eating experience.

Gratitude practice is a core component of the Pause Breathe Smile programme. Practising gratitude regularly helps us to more frequently notice and feel appreciative of the everyday things in life, including things that we may take for granted, such as the sunshine, a morning coffee, or our health.

Mindful movements are a core component of Pause Breathe Smile. Practising mindful movements simply means bringing our full, whole-hearted attention to the body as we move. The practice of “being where our feet are” creates an anchor for the wandering mind, providing the opportunity to rein in scattered attention and settle more easefully into the present, where the body is always located.