Alyssa Milano is all about mindfulness practices. Even at the beginning of a recent Instagram Live, Milano shared that she begins each work day by choosing intention cards that help keep her present throughout the day. It’s no surprise then that the actress has teamed up with Goldie Hawn’s charity to promote a book that teaches children how to mindfully love themselves.
Even though mindfulness practices have increased in recent years, mental health for children can still be overlooked. While more people are becoming aware that mental health is important for people of all ages, there are few organizations who focus solely on supporting children’s mental wellness.
Thankfully, Hawn’s charity MindUP is doing just that. The organization is dedicated to providing the tools children need to manage stress and regulate emotions so that they can be resilient and compassionate. With such an important mission, it’s no wonder that a book about self-love for kids, You Are You by Brian Klugman, is supporting the charity.
The author recently joined Milano on Instagram to discuss his children’s book and why mental health is so important to him. Klugman shared that 15 years ago he was diagnosed with bipolar disorder, a mental health condition that impacts about 1 in 40 Americans. After receiving the diagnosis, the author became a mental health advocate and help children accept themselves.
An Important Message To Embrace Yourself
For Klugman, writing the book was a way for him to “deliver a very elegant, simple message about self-love” to kids. His book promotes self-acceptance, self-worth, and mental health for children. As he shared with Milano, “The core of the message [of the book]…it’s this idea that you are enough.”
In fact, the simplest message in the book is from one of the verses: “You may want to change you, you’ll go to great lengths, but the things you could change may be your great strengths.”
Klugman explained more about this passage. “We all have things about ourselves that we don’t like. But once you embrace those things,” the author continued, “they become very powerful. They’re the things that make you stand out. And when you embrace them, they can unlock your superpowers.”
Milano reflected how she sees this in parenting. The actress shared, “The things that I find challenging about my daughter … are all the things that are going to make her an incredible woman.” From her daughter’s power, strength, determination, and being opinionated, Milano admitted that she realizes these will be her daughter’s strengths as she ages.