5-Minute Mindfulness Meditations for Teens

by Nicole Libin

5-minute mindfulness meditations for 40 everyday situations

The rollercoaster of teenage life doesn’t offer a lot of moments to slow down and process your experiences. 5-Minute Mindfulness Meditations for Teens offers easy, quick practices that allow you to harness the power of mindfulness meditation―paying immediate attention to your body and thoughts.

Crafted for real-world situations, these exercises teach you to think and respond rather than react. There are even tips for how and where to engage in mindfulness meditation in complicated settings like school. You’ll gain clarity and learn to cope with stress more effectively.

This standout among mindfulness meditation books for teens includes:

Quick exercises―Learn 40 short meditations to help you with things like taking tests, improving relationships, and more.
Tips for success―Discover tricks to get more out of your mindfulness meditation, including finding a comfortable posture, using a timer, and journaling about your session afterward.
Adaptable mindfulness meditation―Practices include a suggestion for changing things up, so you can tailor them to your specific needs.
Stay calm and remain in the moment with this effective mindfulness meditation book for teenagers.

145 pages, Paperback

Published January 1, 2019

About the author

Nicole Libin:
- has a Ph.D. in Religious Studies and doesn't recommend it. Really silly thing to do.
- lives in Calgary with her daughter Aria and her husband Cam.
- bakes cookies that she can't eat
- teaches mindfulness to kids, adults, and teens
- trying to help anyone see that it's okay to feel however they feel and it's okay not to be okay
- hates writing biographies.
- has a website! https://followyourbreath.com/

Reviews

[Kailey (Luminous Libro) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book begins with explaining what meditation is, and what it isn't, assuring the reader that you don't have to force happy, peaceful emotions or clear your mind of all thought in order to successfully meditate. It's just about being present and aware in each moment, and finding acceptance no matter what thoughts or emotions come up.

One thing that I did not like about the explanation section is that it promotes some very leftist ideas and abnormal ideologies as though they are normal. "In a society where you're judged and targeted for things you can't control, like your sexuality, the color of your skin, or your body or gender identity..." "[Meditation] can't do much about racism, homophobia, or sexism on a broad scale. But it can help you deal with all that..."
It seems silly to lump racism in with gender identity. They are completely different issues.

The introduction also states that "...mindfulness meditation has its roots in Buddhism..." which could not be further from the truth. Most religions of the world have some form of meditation teaching, including Christianity and Judaism.

The next chapter is full of various prompts for basic meditations, like focusing on your breath, scanning your body, self-compassion, gratitude, or visualizing a happy place.
The following chapters are meditations for School Life, Friends and Family, Everyday Life, and Self-Care. These meditations focus on things like "Taking an Exam, Coping with Mistakes, Finding Forgiveness, Silencing Self-Criticism, and Handling Parental Expectations."

I really liked the good advice and healthy reminders in the meditations, urging the reader to step back, slow down, and recharge with compassion and clarity. Each meditation has steps for connecting to the breath, allowing your emotions to be there without criticism or guilt, and then stepping forward into a more positive experience with a better mental energy.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for a free and honest review. All the opinions stated here are my own true thoughts, and are not influenced by anyone.

[joyce w. laudon · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the author of this book readily acknowledges, it is not easy to be a teenager.  Pressures exist both from within and without.  Mindfulness offers one possible way of acknowledging what is happening and ameliorating stress. 


This book offers an excellent introduction to mindfulness practice and information on its benefits.  The tone throughout is open, supportive and encouraging.  Chapters are divided into those on foundational meditations, followed by meditations for school life, friends and family, everyday life and self-care.  Additional resources are included at the end of the book.  These include websites, books, and apps. 


Examples of foundational meditations  included are the body scan, a safe place visualization and sending kind thoughts.  More particular meditations are, for example, those on starting a new class, finding forgiveness, dealing with difficult people, loving your body and more.


Overall, this title provides excellent tips and meditations.  Suggest it to a teen you know and hope that it will help!


Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this title in exchange for an honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a nice little guide that helps you learn some simple meditations. The meditations are all extremely similar, but have different little twists for the different situational prompts. The book is definitely geared towards teens, but could be used for adults too. The author emphasis using meditation to help you "step back' from strong emotions and calm yourself so that you can reasonable acknowledge which emotions are worthy of validation and which are lies.

As a conservative Christian, I had several eye-roll moments while reading the introduction. There is also one meditation that I felt was too prayer-like ("sending kind thoughts") and I would encourage any Christian to simply pray for whomever you are wanting to pray for and not use a meditation in that style. God hears you without you meditating. :) Even with that said, this author gives one of the best, and most even explanations of meditation that I have heard. She makes it very clear that meditation is a mind exercise (like exercising any other muscle) and is simply one of the tools that we have access to to help us cope with stress and anxiety. It doesn't have to be a spiritual or otherworldly experience.

(The publisher sent me this book for free, but the opinions above are my own).

[Jordan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I teach 4th graders, so not yet teens, but I’m still excited to use this book to teach them about mindfulness and introduce some breathing exercises. I wanted to do some mindfulness practices after reading Hacking School Discipline and hearing from educators that use it, but I was really nervous to actually try it out. This book explains it in kid friendly language and helps them understand WHY it can really be useful. Uses lots of brain explanation and scientific research as well as anecdotes they can relate to. It’s not too flowery, not too philosophical. I think even my hard to reach boys will latch onto this better than what I could do myself. Excited to try!

[Jennifer Hottinger · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an ARC copy in return for my honest review by the publisher.

I love the way this is set up for teens. We incorporated mindfulness into our homeroom classes this year and these are perfect mindfulness moments focused on breathing through the stresses of school and daily life. Wonderful addition to my classroom!

[Marisa Zimmerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great resource for my work doing guided meditations with high schoolers in distance learning.

[Morgan]

helpful!