Helping students be present, take a break, and connect to their breath

Introduction

The Staying Present Tool is a gentle, engaging resource that helps students pause, reset, and return to the moment. Whether they’re overwhelmed by academic pressure, distracted by social stress, or stuck in worries about the past or future, this tool offers three simple ways to reconnect with the present. It’s designed to build emotional awareness, reduce anxiety, and strengthen students’ ability to self-regulate — all through breath, senses, and self-talk.

How to Use It

This tool works beautifully in classrooms, counseling sessions, or at home. Here’s how to guide students through it:

1. Pay Attention to Your Breath

Use the breathing box to lead a calming exercise:

• Inhale for 4 counts: “INHALE… 1, 2, 3, 4”
• Hold for 4 counts: “HOLD… 1, 2, 3, 4”
• Release for 4 counts: “RELEASE… 1, 2, 3, 4”

Try it during transitions, before a test, or when emotions run high.

2. Connect to the World Around You

Invite students to engage their five senses:

• SEE: “Name one thing you see that makes you feel calm.”
• TOUCH: “Find something soft, smooth, or textured nearby.”
• HEAR: “Listen for three sounds — near or far.”
• SMELL: “Take a deep breath and notice any scents.”
• TASTE: “If you’re eating or drinking, pause and savor.”

 Use this during mindfulness breaks or grounding moments.

3. Tell Your Worries…I am choosing a different thought!

Teach students to acknowledge their thoughts without judgment:

• Say: “Hi there, worries… but I am choosing a different thought.”
• Visualize placing worries on a cloud and watching them float away.

 Use this when students feel stuck in anxious or negative thoughts.

Benefits

This tool helps students develop:

• Self-awareness — noticing thoughts, feelings, and physical sensations
• Emotional regulation — calming the body and mind through breath and senses
• Peace and relief — letting go of stress and returning to the present
• Resilience — learning to pause and reset during tough moments

Call to Action

Download the Staying Present Tool as a printable poster and keep it visible in your space. Whether it’s taped to a desk, hung in a hallway, or used in a counseling binder, it’s a powerful reminder that students have the tools to pause, breathe, and come back to now. Their power is in the present — and this tool helps them find it.

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