Life Skills Archives - Page 4 of 4 - Kathleen Hassan

Confidence Tip: Just Breathe

Sometimes the simplest tool is the one that is most overlooked and underutilized. Give it a shot... what have you got to lose except all that stress??? Research has shown that 3 cleansing deep breaths turn on the relaxation response and turn off the flight or fight response. So when you're feeling stressed just remember to BREATHE... Inhale 1-2-3... hold... Exhale 1-2-3 and repeat. It's like sending a signal to your brain... it'...s OK... I'm safe and all is well. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OECo7254jT8 Here are some of the benefits of deep breathing: Reduces stress Promotes better sleep Increases energy Quiets racing thoughts Relaxes muscles Releases endorphins - the feel good hormone Try to make conscious deep breathing a regular habit. You will become more mindful and present in your own life and you will develop the ability to access inner guidance and intuition while in that heightened relaxed state and that [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:27:26-05:00 September 13th, 2010|

Weighing In on HUGE

Have you seen ABC Family’s latest summer blockbuster, HUGE? It’s the story of a group of teens at a weight loss camp, otherwise known as fat camp. When I first heard about it, I was intrigued, skeptical and disgusted all at the same time. Another show focusing on what is wrong with teens today and yet another blatant example of the media exploiting social issues to their advantage. Due to a regular Monday night commitment, I haven’t been home to watch it, but as I said, I was intrigued, so I had been taping it. Last week I sat down to a HUGE marathon and have to say, not only was I pleasantly surprised, I actually loved it. HUGE is well written and the characters are engaging, interesting and so lovable - even though none of them would ever claim that to be true. There are so many layers [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:30:26-05:00 August 16th, 2010|

Girls and Guidance

A week doesn’t go by without receiving an email (or several) from girls desperately looking for guidance. The details of their stories may differ, but the essence of each request is exactly the same: “Please help!” Help me figure out if I should tell this guy how I feel... Help me learn how to be more confident around other people... Help me figure out what my next step should be... Help me get along better with my mom. There was a time when I would personally answer each request and offer suggestions about how they might move through their challenge. This could easily have turned into a full time job if I let it, so I decided to reach more girls who might be going through the very same challenges by posting my responses on my blog or by creating videos on YouTube. Not only would I be helping more [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:35:01-05:00 February 8th, 2010|

Girls Helping Girls

You don’t have to look very far to get a glimpse of what’s wrong with girls today. Pick up any magazine, peruse your local bookstore, google “teen girls” or turn on the television and view the vast array of in-your-face perspectives of the dark side of growing up girl in today’s image-obsessed culture. Shows, magazines and even the very self-help experts themselves, portrayed as counter-culture saviors to assist today’s young women maneuver their way through the pitfalls of adolescence, all focus more on the problem and what’s wrong vs. the solution and what’s right with girls today. All of this can be very overwhelming and there are days that I feel like throwing my hands up in the air and asking “What’s the use?” Last week, like an answered prayer, I got the shift in perspective I had been asking for and I was filled up with hope watching two [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:49:22-05:00 October 30th, 2009|

Parents: Giving Advice to Tweens & Teens

Finger wagging advice NEVER works! The other day I received a request from a journalist who is writing an article for Good Housekeeping and she was looking for tips on how to give advice to tweens and teens. Being right up my alley, I immediately dashed off an email with 9 tips that absolutely flowed out of me and onto the page. I still haven’t heard back from the writer as to whether or not she’ll be quoting me in her article and the way it usually works is you find out just before the publication goes to print. I’m not holding my breath, but just happy to have been asked and figured I may as well share that information with all of you instead of waiting for the article to come out. So here’s what I wrote to her: My name is Kathleen Hassan and I am known [...]

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:55:51-05:00 March 5th, 2009|

6 things to do before your teen goes away for spring break

I just received this google news alert and thought it was important enough to re-post on my blog for your consideration. SunSentinel.com February 27, 2009 No matter where teens are traveling for spring break this year, Family Circle magazine has six things you must do before your teen goes away. Sit them down and talk to them about the behaviors you expect from them. Reinforce the same things you taught them when they were younger: trust their instincts, don’t wander off with strangers, stress that there is safety in numbers. Set up communication rules. Find out if your teen’s cell phone will work wherever they are traveling. If it won’t make sure they have money for a pay as you go phone that they can purchase when they arrive. Decide on a specific time every day for your child to call or text you to check in. Make sure you [...]

By Kathleen| 2009-03-02T10:49:59-05:00 March 2nd, 2009|

Teen Girls – How to Attract the Right Guy

Today’s video is about how to “attract” the right guy into your life. I want to thank Isabel who emailed me with her powerful question/challenge about boys.

By Kathleen| 2017-03-07T14:58:44-05:00 July 17th, 2008|