Frequently Asked Questions

Wellbeing is a state of thriving influenced by both an individual’s wellness (made up of many different aspects) and the communities to which they belong. Wellness is actively caring for yourself to achieve wellbeing, contentment and fulfilment. The wellbeing wheel can help assess the different aspects of your life, and so prompt introspection, self-reflection, and goal-setting.

Jodie: If wellbeing feels a bit woo-woo, take a moment to consider what’s the opposite of wellbeing? According to research it’s anything from: hardship, dissatisfaction, misery & joylessness; through to: wretchedness, distress, despair & pain.  In contrast, synonyms for wellbeing include: health, happiness, success, safety, delight, satisfaction & joyfulness.  Whilst a joyful life may not feel like the next rung for you, what could life be like if you were to reach a place where there were no longer a background hum of anxiety? No longer that persistent encroaching sensation of overwhelm? With just a few tweaks and mindset shift it’s actually not as hard to achieve as you think, so what have you got to lose?

Emotional awareness is about awareness, understanding and identifying your emotions, while emotional regulation is the way you effectively manage and respond to those emotions in a healthy and way. There are no right or wrong, good or bad emotions they are all just fleeting bodily experiences that signpost for you how you are feeling about the world around you in that moment. Emotional regulation is a secret superpower in effective adult/child relationships – be it parents or teachers. If we don’t know what we’re feeling it’s impossible to manage it. How well can your children manage their emotions?

The wellbeing tools and practices that have been selected for The Liiift have been around for many, many decades. They have now amassed a wealth of research, proof and compelling statistics that demonstrate their impact on how fulfilled people feel with their lives. Just try for yourself! If you get into the habit of doing any one of the following just observe how you feel after a day, a week, a few weeks:

1. 1. simply using your breath to check-in with yourself “how am I today?”,
   2. or if you take a moment to consider the different aspects of your life through the Wellbeing wheel;
   3. or if you use the Moodmeter to help you explore and understand your emotions and reactions it creates an awareness that helps shape how you respond with those around you
   4. or even simply building an evolving Feel Good List – it’s surprisingly impactful!
   5. or try keeping a daily Gratitude List – this is one of the most simple and powerful tools: a renowned mood booster that immediately reduces stress, anxiety and depression, enhances sleep, lowers blood pressure and boosts immune system. These include things you have that you are thankful for that create a soft and quiet, warm glow. It creates an abundant and optimistic outlook and greater resilience when challenged. Just from a list about things to feel grateful for each day.

The tools themselves are simple and well proven, but that doesn’t make it easy though. And that’s where The Liiift community of champions and peers comes in – to help with all the motivation, inspiration and accountability needed to help you commit and practice so that this new and improved positive mindset soon becomes second nature.

Glimmers are small moments that spark a sense of joy or peace, which can help cue our nervous system to feel safe or calm. The cues can be different for each of us, eg. One person might have a piece of music that evokes a certain childhood memory, whereas someone else might find the bird on the feeder, or the sunrise or sunset, or a leaf on the floor that is the shape of a heart. Children seem to find this an easier concept than some adults as they can tend to be more mindful so can see “the magic” in a moment more easily. When we understand what activates these feelings we can start to look for more, which can gently open up conversations around glimmers and so spread that serene feeling in the moment. It can also help to build that list daily, so that when you notice an uncomfortable or intense emotion rising eg. stress or anger, the list can be used to help calm the nervous system back down and change how you’re feeling.  Stress counts for over 85% chronic illness in the NHS so if we can manage it better even spending a little more time in the conscious calm moments of a glimmer each day, it can have far reaching benefits for you, your family, friends and your long term health.

If you’re a parent or teacher, you are one of your family’s/class’s greatest assets. I know it can feel impossible to find the time to look after yourself but I also know that more than anything you want to be able to keep on showing up for your child / class.  When you find small ways to take care of yourself you’re more able to support, advocate & parent/teach not only effectively but also sustainably, bringing out the best in them and enjoying the journey more as you go.

But self-care isn’t just an activity, it’s an attitude. You can spend hours lying in a bubble bath or block out a day for a spa, but if you’re lying on the massage table or soaking in the bath & your mind is still racing, that isn’t self-care. Self-care starts with giving yourself a break. It starts with recognising you’re doing the best job you can. It starts with showing yourself the same compassion & kindness you’d show a friend. Self-care can simply be a breath in a moment, or noticing what went well today; it can be deliberately choosing to focus on what worked or went even the tiniest bit better than last time. Self-care is turning down the voice in your head that tells you you’re not enough, not doing enough + must do more, that you’re not a good enough parent/ partner/friend/colleague & creating space to hear the voice that reassures you that you’re doing more than enough & that you are already more than good enough. Now, who doesn’t need a little more of that?

Jodie: If you feel self care isn’t achievable for you right now, or you don’t know where to start, use The Liiift community of peers and champions, nugget tips and workshops to begin to thread a few of those feel good quick wins.

Unfortunately, do a simple online search and you’ll see the compelling stats that the mental health pandemic is already upon us. These mental health issues are already there. The Liiift’s mission is to try to create a foundation of support, education and awareness of the emotions an individual experiences, whatever the age, but starting with children and to better connect them to their adult (at home or school) so they can make sense of it and address it before seed issues become deep rooted MH problems.

Whilst we recognise digital boundaries are vital for balance and wellbeing, The Liiift aims to meet children (the next “touch screen generation” as they’re known) where they like to be, but in the safest, most positive environment we can design. We aim to turn their online dopamine hits into healthy mindful ones that lead to enhancing their biggest superpower against the rising AI world they are growing up in – their humanity.

Through teaching better self check in’s, and how to cultivate a positive mindset and understanding of themselves, The Liiift aims to transfer that digital dopamine to the more natural and innate one of human to human connection and communication with their key relationships.

2 minutes of quiet present calm sitting with them or walking will do wonders. reflecting back to them “I can see you’re struggling with something at the moment, know that i’m here ready to talk if you need it”. Jodie also has a list of questions suggestions to get even the most reluctant characters chatting. Sometimes you might also find leaving it and coming back later or the next day works.

See this as a culture change. At home and at school. Use The Liiift for yourself! The adult section has it’s own adult version of the wellbeing wheel, as well as the breathing check in, so in a few short exercises you could find you lead by example by addressing your own imbalances. Our champs will also be providing regular and updated tips and nuggets for you to try each week to help you get the most out of The Liiift so be sure to save and practice and let us know how it goes.  You have now become the pebble in the pond, when you feel better so it can ripples out to your family/community around you. You are also now modelling the positive mindset practices and self care for your children

Jodie: It’s helpful to consider emotions here as information rather than negative or positive, good or bad. When we think of them this way, we can frame them as comfortable or uncomfortable, high or low intensity (like the Moodmeter) and it helps us see that emotions are fleeting signposts that come and go to give us information about how we feel about the world around us. Sometimes they need action (eg. with anger is often a sign a boundary needs to be put in place) and other times they simply just need accepting space to be seen/heard. In this space, take a breath to ground yourself. Don’t panic. It is good the emotion has come up because now together you can label it, discuss (if needed) and address it.

For some children, as you start to explore how they are feeling, you may recognise a pattern and have some concerns about their wellbeing as they are having predominantly more intense or uncomfortable feelings – in which case some professional support may be required. Use TL to track and monitor the intensity, any triggers, and how long these feelings have been there for. In these instances, it would be good to partner with the school to identify an appropriate medical professional for further support. You may even find the community recommendations helpful (when the directory is up and running) as another parent may have gone through the same experience. Seek the support you / your child needs though – it is out there and you are not alone.

Respect it! It means they have it under control and are learning to be resilient and rely on their own abilities. Keep an eye though and if you notice they are struggling then you could offer an ear {Laura}

Just start every interaction with 1 min of breathing, your full non screen interrupting attention and two mins of silence. If need be you could then play a game but silence is the key.

Just wait for them to lead the conversation and enjoy the connection.

Don’t worry. There is no pressure. You could try different times of the day after school, before school, before bed with the report. You could also try different accents. It’s amazing what a well timed ridiculously bad Scottish accent can do to lighten the mood and encourage cooperation. The minute they get the “wholly present” connection with you, or a sense you understand or have space for their feelings, or even help make sense of a situation, they’ll get that little addictive dopamine hit that will keep them coming back for more. Keep it light and positive and enjoy

As often or as little as you like. We recommend once a week at school and once a week at home as a minimum so you can track how they are getting on in both environments and get a more accurate picture. It also helps embed the positive mindset practice so it soon becomes a habit

No problem pick a different time of day, alternatively you could make 10 minutes to complete the tools, then print the report to discuss at bedtime as a lovely end of day connection. This is what one of our testers does now regularly whether Mum is monitoring an issue or enjoying a happy patch.

It’s all about the connection that comes from the data from the tools on the screen, rather than the actual length of time spent online.

Our wonderful champions are on standby with various workshops and Q&A sessions so join their waiting lists for the events or sign up to receive the recording.

You can also ask the community questions on the “Have a Liiift” section of the community in case one of your peers has an answer from their own experience. We recommend both to help embed The Liiift mindset and to amplify it’s impact.

Neurodiversity is the natural variation between how individuals’ brains are wired. Being “neurotypical” means a person processes the world in a way that is considered neurologically “standard” or aligns with how the majority of society experiences the world. Being neurodivergent means a person processes the world in a way which is outside of this range of “standard” experience. The reality is most of us are neurodiverse in some way!

Being Neurodivergent can lead to differences in, for example, how people think, process sensory information, communicate or respond to different situations. Examples of neurodivergence include ADHD, autism, dyslexia, dyspraxia, Tourettes, and OCD. Some people will also present with a profile that encompasses more than one of these profiles. Neuyrodivergent people experience the world in a way which is different but no less valid that those who are neurotypical. It can however pose challenges and adjustments can be required in order for a child to feel safe and thrive.

You could try a different time, place, day, or you could try leading by example and giving your own answers or even interpreting the tools and asking them in a different way so it becomes a joint activity. If there is still resistance or this happens repeatedly, and you feel your child needs support as a result of difficulties they’re experiencing, speak to your child’s class teacher in the first instance, or the school’s SENCo or whatever their equivalent is in school.

It may be worth reching out to the community for recommendations, or even our champions. The Liiift is here to support.

The aim of The Liiift is to increase children’s awareness of the different feelings they can have whether comfortable or uncomfortable, and to help them understand how different people, activities and experiences can activate some of those feelings. From this point, children can start to recognise and process their own emotions. So, however your child experiences the world, focus on using the tools to meet them where they are and better understand their experience.

Some neurodivergent people may find it harder to complete the tools as they can’t identify the emotions so easily or others may find it difficult to express those feelings, you could try to change how the question is asked, or change the setting where you are online or even help them interpret what the tools are asking of them (see question 20 above). The Liiift community is another source of support, so ask your peers on the Have a Liiift section and see what others have found worked, you could also reach out to our team of Community champions who are here to support as well.

It can feel like everything needs doing, it can feel like everything’s a priority. You’re not sure where to start & no matter how much you do it never feels enough. Here’s the good news: sometimes rather than doing more, we need to do things differently. If we simply stop, take stock & get our balance, then we can work out which next step to take & how best to take it. It’s about responding not reacting {Jodie} if you could curb the stress & reduce that persistent feeling of being overwhelmed how would your life be different? How would your family’s life be different? How differently would you run your classroom?

When we reduce stress & find ways to manage overwhelm, life can start to feel easier, calmer & more in control not only for you but also for your children. It is easy but it’s not simple but The Liiift and our champions are here to help – you are not alone!

There is no right or wrong. Don’t worry or overthink this. Take a breath and calmly and quietly sit with your child. That presence with them while they are going through whatever they go through is enough to start the discussion/connection. And sometimes it’s not what you say but just your presence or a well timed hug.

We strongly believe you will be aware which children need the extra TLC and those that seem resilient enough to just want a little privacy to process it in private but they actually have it covered. For the latter, just regular check ins with some of the suggested questions and positive mindset habits are helpful for you to track for yourself and to monitor if the situation changes. For the former who are scared or timid, The Liiift can provide a fun, impartial, pressure free way to have some focussed 1:1 time to explore different aspects through the tool and to embed some positive thinking habits at home with a favourite adult, or at school with their teacher or TA. Use the power of silence by starting your regular “1:1 time” with 2 minutes of just sitting together or doing a game together and see what they lead with.

Then triangulate the support by parents and teachers connecting together to build a picture about anything that could be going on. Use the reports to track over time.

Take my stress quiz and see.  Consider what impact stress is having on your life, your parenting, your work, your relationships, your health. I totally understand the overwhelm but by doing, & viewing, things differently rather than just doing yet more, it is possible to find your way through. {Jodie}

The Liiift has actually been designed for Parents and Teachers just like you – time short, over run, under resourced, busy, exhausted and overwhelmed. There are more needs than ever! It has been designed specifically to maximise your connection with your children / class on matters that really matter to them in a time effective way whilst also teaching and enabling the children how to better understand and manage their emotions and wellbeing, and give them the communication they need to discuss something when they need to. You don’t have to check in with the whole class each day, or spend an hour at bedtime with your child to try to tease out the niggle you know is there. The reports will fast track your focus, your discussion and your connection in a time effective way to help dig out seed issues before they become deep rooted problems. {Tor}

It’s also worth noting, our own emotional regulation is the foundation of being able to support the child’s. If we don’t know what we’re feeling it’s impossible to manage it or model anything different to the child/children. But with small tweaks to raise awareness, curb the stress, and calm the farm you can help regulate yourself better, respond to the child/children differently, and give them a practical framework of resilience and communication that will set them up for life. {Jodie} It sounds simple which it is but it’s not easy without support, so this is where The Liiift comes in.

I agree, if we can understand and make a clear action plan for our own challenges or frustrations, and start to feel like we have things in balance, we react so differently to those around us. It really does have a knock on effect – whether good or bad – so it’s up to us take accountability with a clear head and choose which of these we want to model. {Laura}