By Jack Neese

Photo credit: Jac Borich.

In a world dominated by constant distractions, unhealthy pressure, and increasing levels of stress and anxiety, some people struggle with poor mental health and overall wellness of body and mind. There are many ways to cope with the emotions and outcomes that everyday challenges bring, and Middle School math teacher and swimming coach Mike Peters has found that through utilizing mindfulness, his outlook and overall well-being have drastically changed, positively affecting his overall mindset. 

Peters was first introduced to the idea of mindfulness at Jackson Davis Elementary in Henrico, where he taught before coming to Collegiate, as part of the 5th grade curriculum, and he was initially intrigued. Peters also knew former Collegiate counselor and coach Alex Peavey, who impressed Peters with his ability to be “unbothered by whatever was thrown at him.” Peters sought to understand how mindfulness could affect his own daily life, saying, “there must be something here that can help me work through my challenges.” 

As a result of practicing mindfulness, Peters has developed an ability to “take a moment and reset,” which always allows him to relax before taking any action. He also says that when he takes a moment to reset, it allows time for him to “understand how he is going to react” and to acknowledge that “is the situation I’m handling worth the emotional output I’m putting into it.” As a Middle School math teacher who works with pre-teens, the tool of taking a moment to reset has proven extraordinarily useful, whether in moments of complete chaos in the classroom, or for simple day-to-day tasks. It has also shown Peters that mindfulness is “more than just practicing breathing,” but instead “ is more about how you react to anything.”

The saying “control your controllables” is a motto Peters lives by daily: “whether I couldn’t run because of pain, or I didn’t get to sleep as long because of grading, I try to find joy in the things I could accomplish, instead of feeling ashamed for the things I couldn’t. I try to find the positive in every way I can.” This optimistic outlook drives Peters to be better each day and to always look for the good in the bad.

Collegiate School Aquatic Center. Photo courtesy of Collegiate School.

Beginning three years ago, Peters implemented mindfulness lessons into swim practices with the Collegiate swim and dive team, teaching swimmers and divers the importance of “controlling your controlables” and having a positive outlook, even during grueling sets and long practices. As a swimmer, Peters understands the dedication and the time commitment competitive swimming requires, as well as the pain an individual endures each day. His hopes for these mindfulness sessions is that swimmers “will benefit from learning mindfulness and have some ways to quiet down the part of your brain that is feeding negative thoughts and focus on the part that will help them succeed.” Peters also hopes that” it would build confidence and lead to athletes trying to use positive thoughts to help succeed.”

Like Peters, I have found mindfulness as a way to escape from the pressure of school and expectations, while also allowing my mind to concentrate on one task at a time. I was introduced to mindfulness as part of the required Freshman class Health and Wellness I at Collegiate. Each day for two weeks, varsity football coach Collin McConaghy taught us the importance of keeping a fresh and optimistic mindset through a variety of exercises and lessons. 

Since then, I have become deeply invested into learning and teaching others about the importance of mindfulness. As a co-president of the Upper School’s Mindfulness Club at Collegiate, I have shared a variety of techniques, such as body scans, guided meditations, and mindful breathing exercise with my peers, hoping to generate individual success either in the classroom or on the field.

Mindfulness has taught me the importance of being in the moment and the understanding that no amount of stress is greater than the feeling of peace of mind and body. Whether it is before I take the field for a lacrosse game, jump into the pool to swim, or before I close my eyes to go to bed, I try to always slow my thoughts and reflect on the positive parts of my day. 

The Buddha said that “we are shaped by our thoughts, we become what we think. When the mind is pure, joy follows like a shadow that never leaves.” I have found great success through practicing mindfulness, both mentally and physically, for almost a year, and will continue to practice and learn from my peers.