TODAY is the last day of Learning From Home. Yes. You made it. Great job. Enjoy your weekend and I look forward to seeing all of you for REAL at the end of the month!
As a reminder, this site will still be up and running all summer. The Resource page can help direct you to places you can reach out to for support at ANY TIME. I'll continue to update it as needed but please use the contacts if you or a loved one need them. Last post of the school year! ASMR or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is not well researched, but many people report the visual and auditory stimuli feel like a brain massage. It’s a tingling sensation that can increase positive feelings for some viewers. I have included a sample video below. Make a note of your favorite. Which ones did you like better and which ones did you not enjoy? https://youtu.be/sHLvsboM8I4
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The positive psychology field summarizes happiness with the phrase “other people matter.” The Dalai Lama considered a divine Buddhist monk, has said, “Our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
In fact, social distancing is an act of human kindness. By staying home, we are putting the health and well-being of others ahead of our own hardships. Some ideas to think of others: *send a playlist to a friend you think they would enjoy. *make get well cards for people in the hospital or personal care home A few weeks ago, the "Cookie Fairy" left some cookies and treats on our door step. It was my neighbour from a few doors down and left a note letting me know that we were "cookie Fairy'ed" and who it was from just so we knew they were safe. It was so nice to be thought of like that and receive something so unexpected. And yes, the treats were delish! There are 8 dimensions of wellness. 1.Emotional 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Physical 5. Environmental 6. Financial 7. Occupational 8. Social One idea about the 8 dimensions of wellness is if you can change your habits, you can change the quality of your life. Today we will focus on physical wellness. Take some time to relax and try something new: “Gratitude is one of many positive emotions. It’s about focusing on what’s good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. Gratitude is pausing to notice and appreciate the things we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends, family, and even computer access. It’s taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are when something good happens-- whether it’s a small or big thing.” Making a habit of attitude doesn’t just make us feel good it’s also good for us.
You can build a habit of gratitude by just paying attention each day to things you’re glad to have in your life. Slow down and notice what’s around you. “Wow, the sky is beautiful today! “ “It was so nice of mom to help me yesterday.” “Look at the beautiful star-filled sky.” So, let me ask you, what’s good about his moment right now? Mindfulness is the ability to be fully present and aware of where we are and what we are doing and not overreacting or feeling overwhelmed by what’s going on around us.
We know certain things can help us keep our sense of calm. Things such as keeping normal eating and sleeping patterns, finding time to exercise. De-stress, find things that decrease your stress. Call a friend, go for a walk, try something new. Learn a new recipe, take up sewing, do something you’ve put off for a long time. Clean your room! Use the gift of time and space to do somethings that will give you a sense of accomplishment. For more ideas visit mindful.org at https://www.mindful.org/meditation/mindfulness-getting-started/ Try a digital escape room!
A digital escape room uses technology (smartphones, tablets, computers) to run through different scenarios, riddles and questions to solve a puzzle. ESCAPE THE SPHINX HELP CINDERELLA ESCAPE ESCAPE FROM HOGWARTS STAR WARS JEDIS ESCAPE FROM THE REBELLION For more ideas visit: DIGITAL ESCAPE ROOMS As things begin to open again it's important that we take a minute to reflect on the last two months. I'm sure everyone has had their ups and downs. Think of the ways you got yourself through it along with what strategies you used for support. Give yourself some credit and make time to do something for yourself today. If you had someone that was supportive and was a good ear for you to talk to, let them know you appreciated it. I think everyone appreciates being recognized for something positive. Enjoy the sun today!
There are 8 dimensions of wellness: 1.Emotional 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Physical 5. Environmental 6. Financial 7. Occupational 8. Social One idea about the 8 dimensions of wellness is if you can change your habits, you can change the quality of your life. Today we will focus on physical wellness. Physical wellness is not just about exercise, it is also about incorporating activities that improve your physical health overall. This includes learning about nutrition, eating healthy food, moving our bodies, and avoiding tobacco, drugs, and alcohol. Here are some steps for improving your physical wellness: * Exercise three times a week for 20-30 minutes * Walk whenever possible * Get consistent sleep * Limit or reduce sugar What is one way you would like to improve your physical wellness, even just a little bit? For more ideas, visit the National Institutes of Health at: PHYSICAL WELLNESS TOOLKIT What is gratitude and why is it important?
Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation. You recognize that something is valuable to you which has nothing to do with its monetary worth. It’s looking for the good in our lives. Even when times are tough, there is always something or someone to be grateful for. Here are some prompts to help you get started: I’m grateful for three things I hear: I see: I smell: I touch/feel: I taste: I’m grateful for these three blue things: animals/birds: friends: teachers: family members: things in my home: TAKE IT UP A NOTCH Leave a note or text a person and tell them what you are grateful for! How to feel less out-of-control when facing the unknown can be achieved through “effortful optimism” Reframing
adversity in a healthy and realistic way and taking ownership of finding solutions. Three things to tell yourself: 1. This will not last forever. 2. This is not changing everything 3. My efforts will make a difference. Here is a quick video about exercising optimism: Since it's been a bit colder out, why not spend a little time in the kitchen! Although I am not a huge pizza fan, my family is so we often do have homemade pizza night here.
Try out some new topping combinations on homemade pizza. Making your own dough is easy to master. Here’s our own super easy dough recipe: Ingredients:
Today, Thoughtful Thursday is about you and utilizing skills that we've worked on the in the last few weeks to take care of your own well-being.
Shifts in our self-awareness and self-growth do not normally occur in day to day activities but are challenged in times of crisis. We have time to reflect on our inner beliefs and coping strategies. One way to do that is through IMPROVE and ACCEPTS. Both of which summarize all the skills we have been working on these past weeks. Use IMPROVE to relax: Imagery- Imagine relaxing scenes. Meaning- find some purpose in your feelings. Prayer(in a reflection type way, not necessarily religion)- contemplation, reflection Relaxation- relax your muscles One thing- focus on the present moment Vacation- take a break Encouragement- Be your own cheerleader Use ACCEPTS to distract: Activities- do what you enjoy Contribute- be of service to others Comparisons- practice gratitude Emotions- use respectful humor Push away- move, do something else Thoughts- challenge yourself to let go Sensations- utilize your 5 senses There are 8 dimensions of wellness:
1. Emotional 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Physical 5. Environmental 6. Financial 7. Occupational 8. Social One idea about the 8 dimensions of wellness is if you can change your habits, you can change the quality of your life. Today we will focus on social wellness. Social wellness refers to the relationships we have and how we interact with others. Our relationships can offer support during difficult times. Making connections with others improves our well-being and can even extend our lives. Think of creative ways to get involved with others during social distancing using technology to help! For ideas and tips, click on the National Institute of Health link: Social Wellness Toolkit What is gratitude and why is it important?
Gratitude is a feeling of appreciation. You recognize that something is valuable to you which has nothing to do with its monetary worth. It’s looking for the good in our lives. Being grateful for what we have or certain people in our lives can help make us happier and change our brains, although it might take some practice. Good thing we have some time on our hands :) Good Morning! As things begin to open up, you might be experiencing a bit more anxiety. This is completely okay to feel what you feel. Here's a reminder of some coping strategies that you can use:
Short Video on Coping Strategies Try an ASMR Video! ASMR or Autonomous Sensory Meridian Response is not well researched, but many people report the visual and auditory stimuli feel like a brain massage. It’s a tingling sensation that can increase positive feelings for some viewers. I have included a sample video below. Make a note of your favorite. Which ones did you like better and which ones did you not enjoy? For me, I really liked the bubbly drink one and could barely stand the one with mayo! Hope you found it fun! Usually, Thoughtful Thursday is about focusing our attention on others… but today I want to focus on you and your self-esteem.
We can be our own worst critics. Most of us carry around negative thoughts about ourselves and repeat them over and over which in turn can lower our self-esteem. What if you were asked to say aloud your self-criticisms and repeat them to someone else? Watch an experiment in the video below that is an important reminder to be kind not just to others, but to ourselves as well. https://youtu.be/mHoAV3FMQxI For every negative self-thought you think or write, take a moment to write a positive comment or find someone who will do it for you! Who loves you and knows you and sees the good in you? Share something positive about yourself today! There are 8 dimensions of wellness:
1.Emotional 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Physical 5. Environmental 6. Financial 7. Occupational 8. Social One idea about the 8 dimensions of wellness is if you can change your habits, you can change the quality of your life. Today we will focus on occupational wellness. Occupational wellness is the ability to find a balance between work (school) and leisure time (free time.) It involves knowing how to manage our stress and getting along with our co-workers or fellow classmates. Some ideas: 1. Find the positive. Try not to let the bad parts of your day impact your entire day at school. Every school and class has its challenges, so try to focus on the things you do well and what you can do to make your experience better. 2. Plan for the future. Remember your long term goals while you get through your day. Graduating from high school, choosing a good job, college, university-- have an idea of your long game to help be successful in the short game. 3. Know to ask for help. Reach out to friends that are supportive, ask your teachers for help when you are confused, find other adults (like me!!) who can help you navigate the rough spots. There are many career explorers and interest inventories available online. Find a few links below: My BluePrint is by far my favourite- if you're interested email me and I will send you login info. These sites are from the USA but are good: https://www.onetonline.org/ https://www.cacareerzone.org/ https://www.smartfutures.org/
JuGratitude is one of many positive emotions. It’s about focusing on what’s good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have.
A scavenger hunt is a game where multiple objects must be found and the first person to find them all wins the game. Want to play a gratitude scavenger hunt? How many grateful things can your check off today? One point for each for a total of 8 points -Something you love playing with. -Something that makes you laugh -Something soft & Snuggly -A picture of a friend, family member or pet you love -Something you enjoy doing in the morning -Something that reminds you that you are loved -Something that makes a beautiful sound -Something delicious to eat Print your own checklist in the link below. https://tinyurl.com/GratitudeCheckList Reminder.... I will be at the school making check in calls on Friday this week. Please email me if you'd like me to call you! Emotionally exhausted and frustrated with social isolation? Now that weeks have turned into months, we have to come to terms with some complicated emotions and let ourselves feel. Our feelings are just information and trying to ignore them shuts down mindfulness. “When you numb one feeling, you numb them all.” -Brené Brown. So there is a cost to ignoring our feelings. We lose the wisdom of what we are experiencing now. In fact, getting in touch with our emotions helps us have more empathy and allows us to connect better with others. Take a few minutes to view a video about emotional exhaustion and emotional intelligence, feeling our feelings, whatever they are. Just a reminder, I am at the school today! If you'd like a check in call- email me! The Corona-Norco Unified School District has created a virtual calming room. What’s in a virtual calming room? Online puzzles and games, live animal cameras, coloring, visual relaxation sounds and music, guided meditations, yoga, text lines and hotlines. Try an activity by viewing the calming room below. Virtual Calming Room Have a great long weekend everyone! The weather looks great! The positive psychology field summarizes happiness with the phrase “other people matter.” The Dalai Lama considered a divine Buddhist monk, has said, “Our prime purpose in life is to help others. And if you can’t help them, at least don’t hurt them.”
In fact, social distancing is an act of human kindness. By staying home, we are putting the health and well-being of others ahead of our own hardships. Some ideas to think of others: *send a playlist to a friend you think they would enjoy. *make get well cards for people in the hospital *leave a cheerful or inspiring note on three random cars For more ideas see the Random Acts of Kindness Calendar below: RAK Calendars There are 8 dimensions of wellness:
1.Emotional 2. Spiritual 3. Intellectual 4. Physical 5. Environmental 6. Financial 7. Occupational 8. Social One idea about the 8 dimensions of wellness is if you can change your habits, you can change the quality of your life. Today we will focus on financial wellness. Financial wellness is learning how to manage financial expenses. Financial stress is common for many adults. Learning how to manage money now can help us better prepare for our future. You might be thinking, I’m not old enough to work and earn my own money yet. However, many teens are given money as gifts, an allowance, and money for lunch and snacks. You can start tracking and budgeting that gifted money now. Here are a few ideas: How to cut spending and still get to do and buy cool things The Lunch Tracker app helps users track how much they spend on food. See how all that snack spending can add up! This might be helpful to keep in mind anyone heading to the Comp next year! Lunch Tracker App Try setting a spending budget with the money you have now. Oh My Cost For more ideas, visit: https://www.opploans.com/oppu/articles/middle-school-financial-literacy/ “Gratitude is one of many positive emotions. It’s about focusing on what’s good in our lives and being thankful for the things we have. Gratitude is pausing to notice and appreciate the things we often take for granted, like having a place to live, food, clean water, friends, family, and even computer access. It’s taking a moment to reflect on how fortunate we are when something good happens-- whether it’s a small or big thing.” Making a habit of attitude doesn’t just make us feel good it’s also good for us.
You can build a habit of gratitude by just paying attention each day to things you’re glad to have in your life. Slow down and notice what’s around you. “Wow, the sky is beautiful today! “ “It was so nice of mom to help me yesterday.” “Look at the beautiful star-filled sky.” So, let me ask you, what’s good about his moment right now? |