Count your Blessings to ensure a happy start for 2017

Vikas Malkani
9th January 2017

 

Count your Blessings to start the year right!

‘Counting your Blessings’ is one of the essential pillars of my teaching. My students will know why, as I have explained the many reasons spiritually, scientifically and practically too…

Try it for yourself and see the difference that being focused on your blessings makes in your life. I can guarantee that counting your blessings will make you happier, healthier, energetically attractive and will encourage a positive mindset that is resilient and able to handle challenges.

By counting your blessings you raise yourself energy levels, you attract more blessings and you experience all the goodness that a meditative mind brings. After all, counting your blessings is a technique of meditation and mindfulness from ancient times…

So start 2017 in a positive, peaceful and powerful manner – by counting your blessings with me.

Here are my top 5 blessings as I start 2017 -

1) I am blessed to be alive and have good health

2) I am blessed to be surrounded by wonderful people and friends

3) I am blessed to do work I love and share wisdom with the world

4) I am blessed I have recently enjoyed some time off and seen the beauty of our wonderful planet

5) I am blessed to be living and working in Singapore and meeting great people every day at SoulCentre®!

I’ve shared mine with you, what are your top 5 blessings?

To make 2017 a great year for yourself, connect with SoulCentre® and get started with meditation, mindfulness, reiki or start coaching yourself to a life of happiness, prosperity and fulfilment.

Attend a ‘Life Lessons with Vikas’ on 18 January or ‘Meditation Made Simple’ starting 07 February and start to make your life better in all ways.

Connect with us at info@soulcentre.org to find out more.

www.soulcentre.org

Life-Skills for Children - SoulKids®

This life-skills training has been a family journey -  Vidhya Shailesh

3rd October 

About four years ago, while waiting for my "Meditation Made Simple" class to begin, I happened to take a look at the SoulKids® flyer. Always drawn to wisdom, I was intrigued. Back then my daughter was eight years old and I felt she needed some help with her self-confidence. The flyer looked promising and I decided to sign her up for the weekend.

www.soulkids.org

When I told her about it, I realized she was very anxious. I reassured her that it would be a lot of fun. The weekend came and it had a huge impact on her. She wouldn't stop talking about the stories and she was visibly happier. As the weeks went by, she would keep recalling some of the stories and lessons. Her favorite story was the sunflower and the rose because it taught her that she was special. She was clearly feeling more self-assured and knew how to manage her fears.

All the SoulKids® talk at home got my younger son very interested and excited so I signed him up when he was just five and a half years old. This time it was my turn to be nervous - he was after all very small. But once again, I needn't have worried because I had a very happy and excited little boy after the session.

Watching the changes in the children, I decided to go through the mentor training myself. I wanted to be able to support their new learning myself and like every other parent, be the best parent I could be. I knew as the children got older, it was only the nature of issues that would change and I wanted to be able to handle them well.

The mentor training opened my eyes to a whole new way of parenting. I learnt not to hand down my limiting beliefs to my children. They had a potential of their own and I learnt that it was this potential that needed to be brought out.

I certified as a mentor and subsequently started working with SoulCentre®, conducting their SoulKids® programs.

After all these years, my children still get excited every time we talk about SoulKids®. The stories and lessons are often still discussed at home.

SoulKids® has given us lessons for life. And it is one program that we as a family vouch for. We have benefitted from it tremendously as have several other children and adults. I am privileged to be able to spread the teachings to other children through the SoulKids® classes. It has truly been and shall continue to be a family journey!

Thank you SoulKids®.

Coaching for Children - 3 reasons how coaching can benefit your child

25 September 2016

Vidhya Shailesh, the SoulKids® Manager was recently asked for her top tips on coaching and how it can benefit your child.

The children who experience coaching at SoulKids® really do enjoy their “me“ time and also enjoy their new focus and points of action as a result.

www.soulkids.org

TIP #1

Coaching provides a platform for a child to speak one-on-one with their coach. It provides a safe, friendly and happy environment where the child can discuss any issues they might be faced with. Children develop a personal relationship with their coaches and know that they can speak with them freely without being judged. In this way, seemingly minor issues can get addressed way before they become too big.

TIP #2

Once a personal/friendly relationship has been established, coaches can guide the children using tested methodology and help address specific issues. Coaches focus on the natural strengths of the children and guide them towards success. Coaching focuses on building a child’s self-esteem and boosts their sense of self-worth. Children become more receptive and learn when the environment is positive and nurturing. Their mindset changes and they understand how they can create change for themselves.

TIP #3

Coaches can also provide specific tasks and set time-bound goals for the children. Once the children understand that they are accountable, they follow through with appropriate action. The tasks are manageable, achievable and help the children take responsibility for their own growth. An ongoing relationship ensures that the learning is sustained and continuous guidance is provided for their overall growth. The child's emotional and mental well-being is the coach's highest priority. 

Life-Skills – Enrichment Classes – Support Your Child

September 19th 2016

SoulKids offers essential life–skills that support your child to succeed in life. Academic training is provided in all schools, however this is not enough for a child to really succeed in today’s world.

www.soulkids.org

To be truly happy and successful in life the following skills are needed :

•  Communication skills

•  Presentation skills

•  Behavioral skills such as how to deal with emotions

•  An understanding of ones strengths

•  An understanding of areas that need support

•  Leadership

•  How to be a team player

•  Self-belief

•  Self-confidence and self-esteem

•  An understanding of how to bring out the best in ones self

•  An understanding of how to bring out the best in others

•  Authenticity and honesty

All of these skills are learnt at SoulKids through fun – games – stories and experience.

Imagine having these skills and being able to apply them. These skills really do create a well-rounded, happy and balanced child.

SoulKids prepares children for the future and this starts from the age of 6.

Children who attend SoulKids from a young age really do mature into confident, self assured adults, who bring out the best in themselves and in others.

SoulKids Mentors stay in touch with its graduates and so children know that they always have a trusted friend they can turn to – for any issues that may arise on their journey of life.

This is truly the best gift you can give to your child.

Mentorship programs are also available for children from the age of 10, to support them during the critical teenage years.

Interview with SoulKids® Mentor - Jesmin Tan

Sally has been out and about interviewing the newly graduated SoulKids® Mentors. She recently met up with SoulKids® Mentor Jesmin Tan.

www.soulkids.org

Sally Forrest: What brought you to SoulCentre® & SoulKids®?

Jesmin Tan: I was searching for a quality program to engage my son for the school holidays as I did not want him to just have fun and not gain any real learnings. While searching for such a program on Google, I came across SoulKids® and was instantly interested.

SoulKids® was a good balance for him to have fun, mix with different children from various nationalities and at the same time learn how to increase his emotional resilience through the practice of a positive mind-set.

S: What was your experience of the SoulKids® Mentor Training (for adults) and the SoulKids® Weekend (for children)?

J: The Mentor training with Vikas Malkani was mentally intense but it was a fantastic experience. The sessions were presented in a systematic manner with simple but powerful lessons and statements which provoked self-reflections. The training also helped me to focus on what was important and what to be mindful of as an adult and parent.

Many stories were shared which made the learnings even more impactful. Being able to put in practice what was learnt in the mentor training with the kids for the SoulKids® weekend was also an eye opening and awesome experience for me.

S: How has SoulKids® benefited you as an individual?

J: By attending the SoulKids® Mentor Training and the weekend with children, I have definitely become more reflective, mindful when I am parenting and more importantly I am also learning to walk the talk. I keep an open mind and am being positive in my day to day engagements.

S: What is your most important lesson from the SoulKids® training?

J: My most important lesson has been - Every individual has the potential to reach their best, as long as they believe in themselves, get a great mentor to guide them, learn and take action.

S: What are your hopes / dreams and visions going forward?

J: A commitment that I will be a better parent and individual. I also want to be able to share my experience and journey of SoulKids® with others in order to help them achieve their personal best.

Interview with SoulKids® Mentor - Avanti Kundalia

Sally has been out and about interviewing the newly graduated SoulKids® Mentors. She recently met up with SoulKids® Mentor Avanti Kundalia.

www.soulkids.org

Sally: Avanti, what brought you to SoulCentre and SoulKids? 

Avanti Kundalia: Serendipity!!! An ever-increasing thirst for connection to my inner soul, and a deep love for life and children brought me to SoulCentre. 

S: How did you hear about SoulKids? 

AK: In the final lap of another training I was attending at another location, I heard the word SoulKids being uttered from across the room. The name just stuck in my head – I googled it a few days later and the next thing I knew I was at the SoulKids Mentor Training introduction talk with Vikas Malkani, the creator of SoulKids! 

S: What have been your experiences at SoulKids Mentor Training and the SoulKids Weekend program?

AK: I came in with zero "expectations" really - just an earnest desire to learn how I could bring my innate talents and passion together, to teach kids and truly make a difference in the world!

The SoulKids Mentor Training with Vikas itself surpassed every possible expectation I could have had! It was comprehensive, detailed, and easy to grasp and put into action, and of course a whole lot of fun too. It was also beautiful to connect with like-minded people from all varied walks of life and of different nationalities.

I loved every minute of it and literally had withdrawal symptoms when it was over!!! The SoulKids weekend program validated for me the effectiveness of the intensive training we had just gone through and was 2 days of a true funfest – the best I have ever spent in my life and career with children!!! 

S: How has SoulKids changed you as an individual? 

AK: SoulKids reintroduced me to the wonderful, playful, joyful child within myself. It reminded me of the promise I was born with (Vikas always teaches that we are born with a promise of potential inside us, that’s waiting to be fulfilled). A Promise buried deep within, which when nurtured had the potential of taking me to the peak of my life experience. SoulKids assured me it's never too late to become who I came here to be! It gave me Hope and it showed me a path to get there. 

S: What’s your most important lesson from SoulKids Training?

AK: ‘Always say YES' & 'Never give up!’

I realized how totally I was cloaked in fear of rejection/ failure/ not being "ready" enough and how much I was standing in my own way!

But since the SoulKids Mentor training, by taking little baby steps, I am becoming more of a positive Yes-Woman, and no matter how impossible a dream had seemed in the past I have consciously begun to grow it promising myself to never give up no matter how long it takes!

Go Bruce Lee!!!

S: What are your hopes, dreams and visions going forward? 

AK: First and foremost, to stop going backward. To stop doubting the potential within myself or the support that life and others give me.

To nurture and develop fully this deep connection with my inner Self that SoulCentre has so gently yet emphatically brought back into my attention.

I truly believe that an exceptional life story begins in the details of a script that gets scripted in one's early years, and that this life script can be edited, enhanced, improved and made beautiful for every child by the right kind of mentor/ coach. And that is the kind of example I wish to be in the world - breathing and living wisdom, touching and transforming lives, one beautiful child at a time.

How to be more Confident - It all begins with Me

5^th September 2016

Imagine the joy of seeing your child walk confidently through life being able to handle any situation that life offers to them.

Parents and teachers are the main source of a child's self worth, and their first teachers.

Confidence skills can be taught from a young age and will remain with the child for life.

Here are a few tips on how to encourage your child to become more confident:

1) Encourage them to see their inner and outer strengths.

a) Outer strengths: For example praise them for dressing well, grooming well, showing a happy face etc. …

Use words and phrases that show the child that you appreciate what they have done.
For example:
"Mary I like the way you have co-ordinated your outfit today – all the colours match well"
"When you style your hair like that it really suits you and looks chic"

b) Inner strengths: name them and also reward good behaviour.

"Mary I love it when you share with others as it shows that you care"
"I love to hear the positive thoughts that you bring to the conversation"
"I admire the fact you are determined, focussed and take responsibility"

2) Ensure a child feels loved.
Hug them, hold their hand, write them notes and most importantly let them know they are loved.
It is wonderful to hear the words "I love you".
Include their name so that they know the love is for them.
For example;
"Ria, I love you."

3) Make their environment positive.
Each child should have a space of their own on which you can build a wall of appreciation for them. Include positive pictures, certificates, awards, and any good comments that you have received about the child. Use hand written comments and post them on the wall to keep it alive and exciting. If space is limited and your children all share one bedroom, then allocate a small space on the wall for each child. With the right mind-set and some creativity, any space can become magical for the child.

3 top tips that are easy to apply.

Knowing them is not enough – we must apply and take action.

Do let me know how your child feels once you have tried these out for 7 days …. Miracles will result.

Stay connected to wisdom with the SoulKids® Books

Children who attend SoulKids® programs have great fun learning life lessons, gaining wisdom and techniques to deal with life issues and listening to the many stories we share.

Each child leaves with a favorite story and many parents have commented that the child continues to tell the story over and over again.

www.soulkids.org

Parents asked us to put the stories into books and we are delighted to share the wisdom in 8 separate books and inspirational flash cards;

• 5 Books in the SoulKids® Book of Self Confidence series (Book 1 to Book 5).
• A limited edition “Box Set” containing all 5 books for your child to treasure.
• The 2 Dogs.
• Ben's Story.
• SoulKids® for Teenagers.
• SoulKids® Inspirational Cards.

We always encourage parent’s to keep their children connected to the wisdom and to encourage reading. There are so many benefits!

Allow us to remind you of 8 important ones:

1. Reading expands a child’s vocabulary and allows them to master language skills.
2. Reading encourages conversation and enhances communication skills.
3. Reading together improves relationships and allows time for parent-child bonding and quality time together.
4. The stories expose the children to life lessons they may encounter as they grow.
5. Shared memories result as both parent and child will benefit from the story and life lessons contained within it, and soon, SoulKids® wisdom will be part of the family vocabulary.
6. Regular reading encourages concentration, focus and discipline.
7. Reading together provides an excellent opportunity for parents to discuss the life lessons contained within the stories. The lessons of the stories are designed to support with real life issues and the parent can use them to support the child during stages of transition (moving school, exams etc.)
8. If reading is fun, children are more likely to pick up a book rather than all the other gadgets on offer.

Our complete range of books can be bought on line, or at our head office in Bencoolen Street.

Please connect with us (info@soulcentre.org) and we will guide you on which books are most suitable for your child.

Schooling for Success

SoulKids joins a whole nation in congratulating the success of Joseph Schooling!

We are proud and humbled by his extraordinary achievement at a young age of 21.

It is important to remember that it was the combined efforts of the parents and Joseph together, which have changed the history of Singapore forever!

What can we learn from this unforgettable moment?

www.soulkids.org

Here are some lessons to learn from his parents –

1. They saw his strengths early, and built on them.
2. They believed in his dreams and intentions.
3. They took the non-conventional path for raising their child, and bringing out his uniqueness rather than trying to fit him into the conditioned lifestyle of society.
4. They invested in bringing out the potential inside their son. They supported his talents and passion with time, energy effort and finances.
5. They did not seek approval from society or individuals, instead they followed the voice of their heart. They did what was best for their son.
6. They believed in his dreams and visions, and didn’t just seek safety and security for his future.
7. They went through personal hardships to support him, and often put their needs at second place.
8. They understood the importance of superior coaching and training, and connected him to the best coaches they could access.
9. Whenever he didn’t achieve the victory he wanted, they stayed positive and encouraged him to persevere and improve.
10. Even in great victory, they stayed humble and gentle. The parents are true champions too!

Some lessons to learn from Joseph Schooling –

1. Joseph was dedicated to his dream! He developed a strong focus on the goal he wanted to achieve.
2. He adopted positive role models and mentors.
3. Joseph learnt from the best coaches he could find!
4. He cultivated discipline to wake up at 5.30am every morning to start his training day.
5. He continued to stay focused through the years, and continued to peck at one tree like a wise       woodpecker. He did not get distracted from his goals.
6. Joseph continued to think positive and kept his mind space protected from all the negativity of the world. He always fed the positive voice in his mind. He ignored the negative people and the nay-sayers.
7. He strove to be the best he could be, and put daily actions towards making his vision a reality.
8. He was willing to do what it takes and kept a long tern vision in mind. His amazing new world record was clocked at 50.39 seconds, but it was the result of 15 years of hard work and training.
9. His focus was on being the best, fighting for what he deserved and never quitting without trying his best.
10. He surrounded himself with people who encouraged and supported him, and moved away from those who didn’t.

Joseph is a true CHAMPION, and by his life, he defines his message to the world:

C = Commitment to his vision.

H = Happy to do the hard work and pay the price for the prize.

A = Attitude makes a big difference.

M = Mindset must be positive.

P = Persevere and persist through the hard times.

I = Integrity is important.

O = Optimize your efforts.

N = Never give up!

Champions are not born, they are built!

Everyone wants to be victorious like Joseph; let us also be willing to work hard like him and put in the 15 years of persistence it took to create the 50.39 second victory!

Majulah Singapura !

Majulah Joseph!

Why are life-skills needed?

‘SoulKids teaches children how to create and enjoy a good life, not just earn a good living.’ – Vikas

www.soulkids.org

The imperative things to learn in life, are how to manage ourselves, work with others and maximize our inner potential for the benefit of others.

Sadly, these essential skills are often overlooked as a child grows into an adult.

While academic learning and external skills sets may be enough to get us a good job, they do not ensure that we will have happy relationships, actualize our inner potential, work efficiently with others in teams, or even enjoy a lasting sense of happiness and purpose in life.

And this is where SoulKids really shines! SoulKids works with children to equip them with the complete set of life skills that a child will need to create a happy and successful life as they become adults.

Skills that teach us about the power of our thoughts, the strength of our emotions and the effects of our actions.

Inner skills such as resilience, teamwork, positive thinking, creative problem solving and discipline, which are needed to create both success and happiness in one’s life.

Children enhance their level of self-confidence, think positively, develop determination, focus, vision, persistence, passion and creative problem solving, and have greater emotional intelligence and resilience after attending SoulKids. They can apply what they learn at SoulKids in their personal, family and social life.

Life-skills create strong self-esteem and empower us to overcome day-to- day challenges, stress and tension.

Life-skills are necessary in today’s world, because academic education is simply not enough for us to create and enjoy a good life!

SoulKids is an award winning training program that provides the complete menu of life-skills that your child will require to create a life of happiness and success.

So if your child has not benefited from the magic of SoulKids yet, now is the time for you to connect with us.

INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE CARDS - SOULKIDS

Do you ever wish you could simply find the answer to a question in life or do you ever feel a bit lost and would just love for some words of wisdom?

Well we have the solution, or as we love to say, the SOUL-ution.

SoulKids Inspirational Words of Wisdom – Our SOUL Card series.

• Children can play a game and pick out a card and think of an occasion when they acted like this or think of an occasion when they saw this quality in others.
• They can send cards as gift notes.
• They can put them on their walls.
• Leave these cards in your home and see the difference in your child’s self confidence. 

Available through SoulKids – Order on line or simply just drop us an E-mail and order your set today.

www.soulkids.org

Low Self Esteem – How to support your child?

SoulKids teaches parents many skills and techniques to support their children if they ever face low self-esteem.

Here are some ways parents can help to raise self-esteem in their children.

5 Simple Tips to raise self-esteem in your children:

1. Keep your speech positive around your child. Be aware of what they hear from you and others in the family, because they imbibe and imitate what they hear.
2. Encourage your child to make small efforts, rather than take big leaps. Support their efforts when they make them and encourage them to do some more. Remember, small victories lead to greater ones.
3. Never compare your child. This habit is toxic to your child’s inner beliefs, and devalues the child’s self-esteem.
4. Do not dominate your child. If you are dominating and dictatorial, it weakens your child’s self-esteem. Either they will withdraw and become introverted, or they may rebel and swing the opposite way by becoming confrontational.
5. Avoid labelling your child in any way. Labels such as ‘you’re slow’, ‘you’re so dumb’ etc. are toxic to their self-belief.

Positive self-esteem in children helps them to become happy and successful, while low self-esteem will make them unhappy, sad or depressed.

High self-esteem leads to action, while low self-esteem will make them avoid taking actions. Since actions produce results, success is inevitably a result of high self-esteem.

SoulKids is an award-winning life skills program for children. Send your children to SoulKids and we will help them develop a positive and strong self-esteem.

We recommend all parents to attend our annual ‘SoulKids Mentor Training’ and learn SoulKids methods and secrets from Vikas Malkani himself.

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."

Self-Belief - How to develop it in Children

SoulKids teaches parents and children a unique and powerful methodology to build strong self-belief in children.

We highly recommend all parents to attend our annual ‘SoulKids Mentor Training’ and learn SoulKids methods and secrets from Vikas Malkani himself.

However in the meantime, here are some tips to help parents strengthen self-belief in their children.

Tips to create positive Self-Belief in a Child:

1. Use positive self-talk to the child and around the child. Be careful of the nature of the conversation you have around your children, because they imbibe and imitate what they hear.
2. Support their efforts and not just their results. If your child is putting sincere effort into something, acknowledge the work done, regardless of what the result turns out to be.
3. Notice them doing things right, don’t just catch them doing things wrong. Acknowledge and reinforce their good behaviour and work.
4. Avoid comparisons, both within and outside the family. This devalues the child’s self-esteem.
5. Let your child know that they have your unconditional love, but not unconditional acceptance of incorrect behaviour. The love is always there, but their behaviours must be deserving of approval.
6. Motivate, don’t dictate. If you are dominating and dictatorial, it’s not good for your child’s self-esteem. Inspire and motivate them instead, it’s a much more effective strategy.
7. Value their dreams whatever they may be. Never ridicule, or criticize what your child dreams to be. With time, it will probably change anyway.
8. Encourage your children, don’t discourage them. If they wish to do something, encourage them to take actions in that direction, along with your support.
9. Avoid labeling your child in any way. Labels such as ‘you’re slow’, ‘you’re so dumb’ etc. are toxic to their self-belief.
10. Never ridicule or laugh at your children in front of others.
11. Support your child’s strengths and desires, and if they are naturally good at something, encourage them to do more of it.

Positive self-esteem in children helps them to become happy and successful.

SoulKids is an award-winning life skills program for children. Send your children to SoulKids and we will help them develop a strong and stable self-belief.