A flying start for SoulKids® Romania

A flying start for SoulKids® Romania

By Dana Ilies, SoulKids Mentor
16th July 2018

I want to start with a quote I got from Vikas in one of his Life Lessons about how to overcome challenges and changes that come into our lives:

“Turn your mess into a message”

This quote matches my story very well.

It all started in Singapore where my husband had the opportunity to work for Marina Bay Sands, a big company and a beautiful building with an infinity swimming pool on 57th floor. We were so happy and of course we took the chance.

Singapore was amazing. We had the expat life with all the benefits and were happy there.
One day I was drawn to a Facebook post in which SoulCentre was recruiting for office support and I decided to apply. Sally gave me the opportunity to join a team of awesome people. The day I stepped inside the office was the beginning of an amazing journey. Vikas and Sally are the best mentors in the world, and the support I got everyday from them is priceless. I can say without a doubt that they made me shine.

When Sally offered me the chance to take the SoulKids Mentor training I said yes without a single doubt in my mind. If I were to reccomend a single, unique training in the whole world that will have the most impact on yourself, I’ll reccomend the SoulKids Mentor Training. It changed my life.
After becoming a SoulKids Mentor I had the opportunity to participate in many SoulKids programs and the SoulKids Manager, Vidhya Shailesh was the best support and mentor one could wish.

Everything about our life in Singapore seemed perfect, except for the fact that our two daughters were in Romania. We were missing them a lot and in the back of our minds the thought of going back was always there.

It all came to an end when my husband’s work contract ended and we had to return. From Singapore to Bucharest is a big step to take, and most of our friends and family thought that this step would turn out to be a bad one.
However, being a SoulKids Mentor, I learnt to always think positive and believe in myself. The lessons I taught to children all that time were now so useful for my own life.

Never give up! You are awesome! Be the best you that you can be! Follow your passion!

I did not even have to think about what I was going to do in Bucharest. Children in Romania can also benefit from the SoulKids Program.

We landed on 3rd of April and my first SoulKids Program in Romania was scheduled on 19th May.  I was completely unknown and SoulKids a brand new word for people in Romania. My drive was the fact that this program can make a huge difference in children’s lives and it is something unique. In no time the first program, SoulKids QuickStart, was sold out!

It was the first time doing it on my own and in Romanian, but the systems that Sally put into place for the management of the program were so helpful. I can say without any doubt that Sally is the most organised person I know. With her system you can’t go wrong even if you are doing it for the first time. Her check lists were very helpful and for me life saving!!

The program was a success, I got very good feedback from both parents and children and from there it all started to grow.
I started on 19th May, and by 5th July I successfully finished 5 SoulKids programs.
32 children had fun and learnt important life lessons for their future.

I’m looking forward to a bright future and I feel blessed for having the chance to make such a profound impact on the lives of Romanian children with this program.

I finish my story with an amazing feedback I got from one of the parents:

“ Since this morning Rares is a different child. In the morning he would usually ask for his phone to play on and to eat breakfast in bed, this morning he woke up, made his bed, brushed his teeth, went to his room and changed his clothes, prepared himself milk and cereals which he heated in the microwave and all this without anyone telling him anything. What can I say, he is a different child.”

Rares attented one of the SoulKids QuikStart programs. Because he wants more, he registered for the SoulKids Self-confidence program in the following week.

Thank you Vikas Malkani and Sally Forrest for creating this program and giving me the chance to share SoulKids to Romanian children and thank you Vidhya Shailesh for your guidance and mentoring on so many SoulKids programs in Singapore.

When you do what you LOVE and you LOVE what you do the results are amazing.

My advice for everyone out there who feels low and does not see a bright future ahead, is to find your passion and let it be your work or business. The results will be over the top!

To find out more about our programs for children, please visit www.soulkids.org or email us at:soulkids@soulcentre.org (Singapore)info@danailies.ro (Romania)

We offer group programs for different age groups of children and even offer one-on-one coaching if your child requires specific help and guidance. 

3 TOP TIPS TO RAISE A CONFIDENT CHILD  

By Sally Forrest

Managing Director, SoulKids, www.soulkids.org

21st May 2018

One of the most attractive qualities a person can have is self-confidence.

It starts young and it is a skill worth learning.

One of the core principles of SoulKids is that confidence is a teachable and learnable skill.

Here are 3 top tips that you can start with for your child (and of course for yourself):

1) CULTIVATE POSITIVE THINKING

At any moment, we have a choice. We can see the good in a situation, or we can see the bad. No matter what the situation, develop the habit of thinking “What positives can I find in this situation?”

For example, if your child brings home their grade card and 4 subjects are above average and 2 are below average, do not over-react and start to focus on the negatives.

Instead treat each moment as a learning opportunity.

Ask your child what went well, and how they feel about those subjects. Also ask your child what did not go well and why that was. Ask your child for their action steps to make improvements going forwards.

You can also encourage the child to take accountability for their own success. This way the conversation is positive and productive and you do not react to the disappointment of a few low grades.

2) VISUALIZE POSITIVE OUTCOMES

At SoulKids we believe that Visualization is a powerful tool to use.

Encourage your child to learn the art of visualizing positive outcomes in all aspects of their life.

Visualize doing well in school exams.

Visualize winning at sports.

Visualize having a healthy body.

Visualize having great friends.

Once the mind visualizes a positive outcome, the body responds, your child will begin to feel more confident and will take more positive actions, which naturally will have better results than taking action half-heartedly.

The child will develop confidence in this technique with practice. The more you practice doing positive visualizations, the easier it becomes.

3) CREATE A NETWORK OF SUPPORTIVE FRIENDS

At SoulKids we coach children on the truth that ‘You become who you surround yourself with’ and this is very important to understand if you want to have a positive life and future.

Who your child mixes with, will play a large role in their life.

If your child mixes with friends who encourage and support them, then they will become more confident and grounded in life.

If your child gets in with the wrong crowd and starts to do things to please others, then they are in effect moving away from their own personality and confidence.

It is important to explain to a child early the importance of relationships and what to nurture in them. Encourage positive friends and discuss with your child how these relationships will indeed support them going forwards in life.

These are 3 simple SoulKids tips that are easy to implement and that will make a positive difference in the lives of your children.

Your child learns best from experience, so become a role model in these aspects and your child will learn from your actions.

Sally Forrest is the founder of SoulKids.

If you would like your child to benefit from a SoulKids program, a personal coaching or by reading the SoulKids books, then please do connect on www.soulkids.org

The next SoulKids Self-Confidence program is coming up on 11 / 12  / 13 June. An ideal moment for your child to grow self-confidence and have fun during the school holidays at the same time.

For registration, click here.

One on One coaching sessions can be booked at your convenience by contacting the SoulKids Manager, Vidhya on soulkids@soulcentre.org.

Parenting tips for stress free travel

The holidays are finally here!

Summer vacations, trips back home, family time, and travel to exotic locations. While all of the above sounds exciting and fun, if you are not well prepared, they can prove to be stressful as well.

So here are our top tips to enjoy stress-free holiday with your family:

1. Plan in advance.

Children need something to do, something that stimulates them and excites them. Just sightseeing or tagging along for a shopping trip sounds extremely boring to them. Instead make a fun experience out of the same outing. Let them lead the way for you or talk to you about where you're headed. Get them to do some research in advance and take on the role of a guide or explorer. By giving them this responsibility, you are just turning a potentially boring trip for them into a fun learning experience.

2. Set some goals

A fun way to engage the children is to sit together as a family and set some holiday goals for each of you. Make sure the goals are achievable, realistic and measurable. Set goals for yourself too and work on them everyday. When the children see you working on your goals, it inspires them to work on theirs too.

3. Encourage the children to read.

Holidays and travel are a great time to read. SoulKids books provide a wealth of wonderful stories, which not just intrigue their interest but also serve as a wonderful conversation starter. The stories in SoulKids books help you to coach and mentor your children even whilst on holiday.

The SoulKids® books support the children to earn essential life skills such as self-confidence, self-esteem, teamwork, leadership and resilience.

You will be able to relate to the stories as you travel and explain the lessons with real life situations.

For example one story teaches about seeing the good in every situation – this could apply to many situations whilst travelling.

4. Start each holiday morning on a positive note.

Switch your thinking from 'what can go wrong' to 'what an exciting new experience, I’ll make the most of it'.

This way you transmit your positivity to your children and create for them the opportunities to see positive thinking in action.

5. Remember holidays are meant for rest and rejuvenation, whilst having fun.

It is a well-deserved time-off not just for you but for the children as well. Make it your goal to create happy memories.

After all " the quality of what you do is more important than how much you do."

Interview with SoulKids® Mentor - Simon

Hi everyone! My name is Simon (although I have been known as sausage and snail on the SoulKids® Programs!). Originally from the UK, I moved to Singapore with my wife and two sons in July 2014 after 11 years living and working in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. I love to travel and enjoy outdoor activities. 

In 2014, I completed a charity 7-day, 250km trek across the arctic circle with a team of Husky Dogs...awesome fun and one of the best experiences of my life. 

My SoulKids® journey started in November 2014 after attending a SoulKids® Mentor Training talk with Vikas. I immediately knew that the SK program fitted in with my values, contained inspirational life changing stories for young minds and.....sounded like lots of fun! Sign me up!

I was not disappointed! The SK Mentor training program was amazing...a real mix of activities, stories and games all focused on helping children cultivate a confident, positive, happy and open mind. As part of the training, the other Mentors and I got to be involved in a full weekend program where we all told stories, led activities and most importantly got to see how the children grew in confidence over the weekend. A special moment for me was sharing the experience with my son, who really enjoyed the whole SK experience and still loves reminding me of the lessons!

Since graduating as a Mentor, I have been involved in delivering both the full SK weekend and SoulKids® Quickstart Programs. It is so rewarding to observe how the children grow in confidence as they listen to the stories, take part in the activities and are able to share the lessons they have learnt. Very wise kids indeed!

SoulKids® is a transformational program and I am certainly looking forward to more stories, games and confident kids! 

Hope to see you soon for some SK fun!

- Simon

www soulkids.org

Lessons from a Peacock ...

Sally had a wonderful experience recently in Singapore. She was staying at The Capella hotel in Singapore and decided to take a walk in the rain. All the other guests were indoors and she felt excited and brave and wanted to walk in the rain and look at the gardens.

Look who she spotted...

SoulKids teaches Essential Life-Skills to Children

What a beautiful bird the peacock is..
Just look at the shape of the bird and its amazing colours.

SoulKids teaches Essential Life-Skills to Children

Sally said it reminded her of 'The Dancing Peacock' story in The SoulKids Book of Self-Confidence - Book 2. Peacocks dance in the rain - we can all learn something from this. 

Storms will come in life - things will not go the way you want them to. However do not run and hide, be like the peacock, simply give it your best and go out and dance in the rain.

Show your best - your true colours and simply dance

We like the outfit Sally is wearing - it is really the same colours as the Peacock ... Amazing ... The Universe was telling Sally that she is also like the peacock we think ;)

Interview with SoulKids Mentor - Amanda

Q: What brought you to SoulKids®?
Amanda: About 7 years ago I saw an advert in a magazine and was very interested to become a mentor. My daughter at the time was too young for me to take time out to do the course. Finally this year she turned ten and I felt able to pursue the SoulKids® Mentor course and went ahead.

Q: How did you hear about SoulKids® weekend program?
A: It was along time ago but if I remember correctly it was through an advert in the Finder or Expat Living.

Q: What are the experiences of the Mentor Training® and the SoulKids® weekend program?
A: All positive and professional. A chance to meet with a group of wonderful individuals. The experience was at times full of light bulb moments! The SoulKids® weekend program was fun and taught the children such important life skills that will help them in all sorts of situations. Just the fact that they left being positive and learnt one or more lessons was A+++.

Q: How has SoulKids® changed you as an individual? 
A: I am now able to look at nature as a teacher and use the teachings in my everyday life to help me grow. I am also able to help my family become more positive and to become the best that they can be.

Q: What was your best 'favourite lesson' from SoulKids®?
A: I really think that the lesson which I think about a lot is the donkey story. There are so many people that give up too easily in life and the donkey showed that in life that it is so important to shake it of and keep going!!!! Of course all the stories are just wonderful, such a hard task to chose one.

Q: What are your visions and dreams going forward?
A: To touch as many children or adults as I can. To help with SoulKids® going forward and be the happiest I can. To make sure I always show my beautiful daughter  how to be the best person in life she can possibly be, by me being the best ever mentor to her I can be!

Q: Anything else you want to share with our readers?
A: Please either do a mentor course or send your children on a SoulKids® weekend.
What do you have to lose? Nothing! What do you have to gain? An experience that everybody should go through. You learn essential life skills through stories and play, so simple yet so powerful!

Beauty is all around you ...

Hey SoulKids, 

I am writing this on a wet and windy day, and I am full of happiness.

Why do you think that is?

It is because I can see beauty all around me - even in the rain!

I am grateful for the simple things in life and for what I have received.

We should always look for the good in life and to see the beautiful things.

You can do this anywhere and at any time if only you stop for a moment and look.

So take a moment now to look around you and spot at least 3 things that make you feel great about life.

Here are a few suggestions:

• You are able to see as you have 2 healthy eyes – that will make you feel great
• You have nice clothes to wear and have good food to eat
• Your mummy and daddy take good care of you and provide a safe home for you
• You are able to go to school and learn exciting things
• Nature is found everywhere – look and see what trees / animals and birds you can see
• You have lovely friends who care for you and play with you
• Now continue:-)

Do this everyday and especially when you are feeling a bit low or grumpy – as soon you realise that you have so much to look forward to in life!!

We teach this at SoulCentre® and its called "Counting your blessings of life".

One of my biggest blessings in life is being able to teach SoulKids® and spend time with some amazing SoulKids® children.

You rock!! And we love you and count you as a blessing:-).

My Soul Journey

8 TIPS ON HOW TO BE AN INSPIRATION TO YOUR CHILD

Lessons From a Swan

It’s that wonderful time of year when many of us are blessed to take a break and go on holiday.

Vikas & Sally our SoulKids founders spent time in the Lake District in the UK and have just returned. They have shared many wonderful stories of all the animals and birds they met and some of the lessons that we can all learn from observing nature.

One beautiful encounter was with a swan on one of the lakes – look at the photo – how beautiful he is.

So what can we learn from the Swan as we go about our daily life?
Lets consider these points and apply them to our lives just for one day.
Become like the Swan and see how life changes.
If you like the changes then apply them each and every day ;)

1. The Swan is elegant and graceful on the surface, even though he is really very busy paddling his feet under the water.
2. The Swan is peaceful.
3. The Swan is silent and calm and only makes a noise when really needed.
4. The Swan gives out an energy of tranquility.
5. The Swan is CONFIDENT – just like all those of you who have been on SoulKids.
6. The Swan watches and learns from everything around him.
7. Every person who comes into contact with the Swan truly admires him.

So reflect on the qualities of the Swan and apply them into your life.

Singapore is 50 on 9th August ! Happy Happy Happy Birthday!

Hey SoulKids – what an exciting time to be living in Singapore
How are you planning to celebrate the 50th Birthday?

The first suggestion we have is to give GRATITUDE to Singapore – it’s truly an amazing place to live in.

50 years ago Singapore was very different to today and it’s all down to the hard work and dedication of the founders of Singapore.

So here is a challenge to you all – do something nice to 50 random elderly Singaporeans (ideally those aged 65 and over). It’s a nice surprise and a way of saying thank-you and that we all appreciate all the work they did to make Singapore great. Talk it over with mum and dad and get the whole family involved.

Do you think you can do this? We think it will be fun.

Here are a few suggestions:

• Give them a smile and say "thank you for making Singapore great"
• Shake their hand or ask if you can give them a free HUG ;) Just like the ones you get on SoulKids®.
• Write 50 creative thank you notes and give them out.
• Offer to help them in some way – carry their shopping /clean their windows/ walk the dog etc.
• If you have a full piggy bank – maybe you want to buy a local coffee/tea to some of the elders you meet. Or maybe give a flower or a chocolate to make them smile.
• Tell your friends about this idea and get them to do the same! Your friends should also come on SoulKids® for their free hugs from Sally & Vikas ;)
• Write to us and tell us what you did – take photos and feature on our upcoming blogs.

Do let us know if you are going to do this – once you shout out to the Universe that you intend to do it – then amazing things happen – so get ready!

Remember the Grand Canyon Story – what you give out comes back to you …so make it AWESOME!!!

Sally, Vikas and the whole of SoulCentre® and SoulKids® team are also going to do this – so lets together make everyone happy!

My amazing SoulKids experience!……..By Georgina Wells, May 2015

Georgina Wells, recently certified as a SoulKids® Mentor after completing her SoulKids® Mentor Training with Vikas.

She is already making waves by offering the opportunity of SoulKids® to many new parents and children in the expat and local communities.

Let’s delve into Georgie’s mind and get a taste of her SoulKids experience so far…

What bought you to SoulKids?

When we first moved to Singapore, some friends had told us that their children had attended the SoulKids program and that it had been wonderful. Both children had really enjoyed it.  

Then when my son starting expressing some sad feelings, despite being outwardly happy and confident, I thought it might be worth exploring SoulKids for him. I signed up both my children for the weekend SoulKids Self Confidence program.

I also attended a talk given by Vikas, the creator of SoulKids, to gain more understanding about what the program would be teaching my children. That talk was the spark that lit the fire inside me.  

As I listened I felt as if I was saying ‘Yes! Yes!’ internally, to the lessons and stories that Vikas was sharing - about how important it is to let children shine to help bring out their potential, that the foundation to happiness and success is teamwork and self-esteem.  

His words really resonated with me. It was like an internal opening up, a voicing of things I knew were true, but had never heard explained in such a simple way before.  

Vikas also spoke about the possibility of Mentor Training, which would include our practical training on the weekend program with the children. I thought it was a wonderful way to be able to share this experience with my children. Also, I realised it would help me learn about the stories and understand what my children were learning, and that I would develop the tools to continue these lessons at home which would be a positive thing for our whole family.  

So I decided right then to do the SoulKids Mentor Training, and I was really excited about it.

What are your experiences of the Mentor Training and the SoulKids Weekend Programs?

The SoulKids Mentor Training was one of the most wonderful weeks of my life! It felt like the unlocking of doors. It was liberating, exciting, uplifting.  

Yes, I did learn things about how to communicate with children, how to shine the light on their potential, but for me personally it was very far-reaching. It was extremely transformative for me personally. It was just a very joyous week; to learn about how we can control our outlook, our happiness; how we can choose to see things; and how crucial self-esteem is and how we can build and protect it.  

I was so excited when it came to the SoulKids weekend program with the children. I was like a little child before their birthday party! I was very impressed at how carefully, thoughtfully and thoroughly everything was prepared for the program. It was very professional and the team briefings covered everything one could think of.

When the children started arriving it was wonderful to see. Initially, some children were shy, nervous or a little apprehensive about what the weekend held. To see the gradual transformation in these children was so inspiring; by the second day they were marching down the room, flanked by their new SoulKids friends and declaring to the world how they wanted to be perceived and what they wanted to be. I saw the light of self-confidence come back into their eyes.  Others, who were already relatively confident could explore this energy to even greater depth.  

To hear the children’s perspectives and observations was inspiring. You could see them just sit up that little bit straighter when they felt that they had power to positively affect their life, to walk towards fear and overcome it, to show a smile to the world, to bring out their best selves.  It was really quite wonderful! It was extraordinary too, how the children opened up and formed bonds with the SoulKids Mentors at the weekend. Extremely touching. 

How has SoulKids changed you?

To me the whole undercurrent to the Mentor Training and the SoulKids program is positivity. It has helped me to focus on positivity, to know that what you put out in the world is reflected back to you, in so many ways. And yes, this works with children too.

As a parent if you shout, are impatient, then that is how you are teaching your children to behave. I have always felt passionate about children, marvelling at their perspective on life. I feel my children teach me so much, and SoulKids has reinforced this.  

As adults we have become conditioned to certain outlooks and mind-sets which are often limiting, but if we can still make positive change we can still continue to learn and grow.  

And if we help children develop positive mind-sets early on, and teach them about resilience, empathy, a sense of needing to take action and not just relying on others, then it will create a foundation for a happier adult life. And that’s a pretty wonderful gift to give a child.

What are your visions and dreams going forward?

Well, we are about to embark on a family adventure that we have talked about doing for many years. We will be heading off to live in another country for a year where we have no contacts, no links to and don’t speak the native language! We are going for the adventure, to open ourselves up to a new culture, a new environment, and to live somewhere beautiful.  

I will be taking SoulKids with me on this new adventure, and I cannot wait to share it with the children in the new city where we are living - I already have my eye on a school where I’d like to offer it as an extra-curricular activity!  

But in the meantime I’ve been working on a few things here in Singapore with the SoulKids team, and I am very happy to say that we will soon be introducing SoulKids programs in a new and very prominent venue.

Anything else you want to share with our readers?

Just to say thank you to those friends of mine that have already shown their support by enabling me to do a SoulKids program with their children.  

Also, I want to mention how grateful and lucky I feel to have come across SoulCentre and SoulKids, for the amazing ways of thinking and armfuls of happiness that it has painted across the canvas of my life. I am truly inspired!

Thank you,

Georgina Wells

To find out more about one of our SoulKids® programs or how to become a SoulKids® Mentor, please contact:

Sally Forrest

Mobile: (65) 9875 2372

Email: info@soulcentre.org

Website: www.soulcentre.org