Psychology Professor is More Present with Kids

+Brighter Being Library

Nicky's Story

Psychology professor Leslie Martinez hugging two young children

Nicky is a full time university professor who received her PhD in Psychology while raising three children (all under the age of 8). After her oldest was diagnosed with autism at the age of 3, she became an avid advocate for connecting and supporting families of children with autism. She definitely understands the incredible demands of motherhood and the science behind focus and goal-setting. What’s most important to Nicky? Being the best mom and wife to her family.

Below are a few tips and examples of how our inspiring friend, Nicky, is bringing her intentions to life.

TIP 1. Set one specific point of focus that you can activate in your moment-to-moment.

As a working mom, Nicky’s time with her children is both limited and precious. She wants every moment possible to be fully present with her children and she noticed that too often when one of her babes would ask for her attention she would reply, almost automatically, with “hold on.” Nicky wanted this to change, so she set a very specific intention to respond differently to her children’s request for her care. With this simple shift, she’s able to take a small step to align with what matters most.

Psychology Professor Leslie Martinez' hand resting on a notebook next to pen. There is a gold transform mindful mark on left hand and a teal watch.

TIP 2. Use reminders in easy-to-spot places to stay present to your intention.

Recognizing life is distracting and changing habits takes time without reinforcement, Nicky began using her Mindful Marks to stay present to her intention. When she was at home from work in the middle of chores she was reminded to of her desire to make sure her kids knew how important they are.

TIP 3. Share your experience with others to brighten the path.

When Nicky’s 4 year-old daughter asked about her Mindful Mark, she took the opportunity to share the purpose as a teaching moment. What was initially designed as a way of talking to her child about mindfulness and intentions offered a new way for them to connect. Her daughter actually began noticing and asking about her Mindful Marks. These little visual reminders and her daughter’s encouragement are now a simple and fun way for Nicky to stay focused on what matters.

Nicky is a great example of setting intentions and creating a path to mindfulness. I hope that you’ll join us on the journey. Leading the Lumen Life? We’d love to hear your story and share what you’ve learned along the way!

-----

Hi Bright Beings! Intentionality and mindfulness have been at the core of my life and work. Launching LumenKind has given me the opportunity to deepen my practice and learn even more from others. The stories I’ve heard about how people are living with greater intention have warmed my heart, inspired me, and shined light on my path forward. I hope that these “Brighter Being” posts will do the same for you. I’m excited to share and get your thoughts on our first story below!

❤️ Natalie

Also in Center

Centering - How to Calm Anxiety With These 5 Grounding Techniques

Centering pulls your energy away from outside forces and channels it back into your being. When you are centered, you feel stable and grounded in who you are at the core. By reconnecting to your center of gravity, you move from a place of calm and bring the most focused version of yourself to light. A clear mind ultimately builds confidence and trust in yourself.

How to Stay Focused & Attentive - 8 Tips to Reduce Distractions

One of the most simple yet challenging aspects of living with intention is staying focused. When you fully concentrate on what matters most, you light up what you deem most important – whether it's staying on course at work, growing personally, or completing a project. In other words, staying focused equates to being productive. And it's undoubtedly a muscle that many of us would like to strengthen. These bursts of deep focus invigorate your mind, fill your life with purpose, and remind you of your brilliance.

Power of Process - Learn 6 Practices on How to Trust Yourself More

Sometimes the mission, the task, or the healing we face is so overwhelming that it’s easy to dismiss the power of tiny actions and mighty pauses. There is profound significance in your process and your journey itself, so dissolve thoughts about the past and future – the “should haves” and “must-dos.” When you trust that each step is important, you honor that you are exactly where you need to be.

Follow

Receive monthly notes with suggested intentions and mindfulness tips!

Professor more present with kids