Rise and Shine with Maui!
Use the ‘Maui Method’ to help kids create healthy tiny habits.
In the Disney Animation film, Moana dreamed about becoming a Wayfinder. A Wayfinder is a person who learns from watching the stars, the sun, the ocean swell and follows their inner thoughts and feelings.
Maui was a demigod (a ‘demigod’ is half-god, half-mortal) who liked to play pranks on his family. Sometimes he let his bad temper and emotions get the best of him. He fought with his brothers. He fought with the Sun God, La. He even fought with the mud hens. (Poor, Heihei). And sometimes, his tricks and pranks hurt the people he loved, including Moana.
But, when he focused his emotions on helping others, it became a superpower that made him shine. Hawaiian legend teaches that Maui used his powers to lift the sky, harness sunlight, give humans fire, and create the Pacific Islands.
Just like Maui helped Moana reach her goals, there’s a proven way to help you become a Wayfinder. It’s a simple way to start each morning, and it’s called the Maui Habit.
The Maui Habit is a ‘tiny habit’ that helps you get your day started on the right foot. It was created by a Stanford behavior scientist and surfer named Dr. BJ Fogg. The goal of this tiny habit is to help you shine, and it works like this:
As soon as you wake up, open your eyes, and as your feet hit the floor, begin your day by saying: “It’s going to be a great day.”
Pretty simple, right?
Try it for one week. Then one month. Then keep going. If you forget, don’t worry. Just start over. Set a daily reminder on your phone or putting a sticky note by your bed: Don’t forget Maui Mornings!
It may seem silly at first, but this is a tiny habit that helps your kids set the mood for their day. As Dr. Fogg teaches, your emotions create patterns. And by starting kids’ day with positive emotions will help them feel optimistic and shine.
“Emotions create habits. Not repetition. Not frequency. Not fairy dust. Emotions.” — Dr. BJ Fogg, author Tiny Habits
Making this simple Maui Habit every day create positive patterns that will help you, like Moana, become a Wayfinder of your own emotions and patterns. So tomorrow, start your day by opening your eyes, remembering Maui, taking a deep breath, and declaring: “It’s going to be a great day!”
You’re welcome!
You’re welcome!
And thank you!
