Our parents send us to school to learn math, science, history, and many more amazing subjects in the hopes that we will have a successful and happy life. But where are the courses that teach us how to strengthen our emotional well-being? The definition of a positive sense of emotional well-being, according to the Mental Health Foundation, is the following: “People in good mental health have the ability to recover effectively from illness, change or misfortune. This enables an individual to be able to function in society and meet the demands of everyday life.”
So how do we build resilience? How do we stay focused on our strengths instead of our weaknesses? How do we get rid of that critical voice that loves to steal our dreams by making us doubt?
Learning how to master our emotions will help free us from our own mental prison. So lets pretend that we have a class in resiliency. Our homework is to monitor our actions, as well as our reactions, on an hourly basis for one day. If for some reason you have trouble sleeping that night, include this information with your homework.
So what did you discover? Did your mind wander? Did you focus more on your strengths or your weaknesses? Did doubt ever enter your mind? Was someone able to make you angry? How did you react? Becoming more self-aware is the first step in building resilience.
In my children’s program, The Magic of Think®, I use visual, audio and tactile learning to help children build resilience. Through stories, songs, and activities, children have the opportunity to strengthen their emotional well-being while at the same time have fun!
“Men are not prisoners of fate, but only prisoners of their own minds.” Franklin Roosevelt
- written by - Janyse Jaud
Janyse Jaud is an award-winning singer/songwriter, voiceover actress, author, and thinkologist working with clients such as Hasbro, Warner Bros., Marvel, Discovery, and The Cartoon Network. Check out Janyse's website at www.themagicofthink.com
