Optimistic Household

Password - NSSD112!


QUESTION: ARE YOU A PERSON WHO SEES A GLASS HALF FULL?  HOW ARE YOU HELPING YOUR CHILDREN TO BECOME OPTIMISTIC, POSITIVE PEOPLE?
 

First a few thoughts …. Optimism is not actually about the glass being half full as is commonly believed. Optimism refers to your belief system about how successful you think your actions are, and how effectively you can impact on the world. It involves learning to think positively about the future, even when things go wrong. It’s about looking objectively at a situation and making a conscious decision to focus on the good.

This first module will encourage your child to illustrate their understanding of optimism, by reflecting on case studies and personal examples. It is important to build their resilience as optimistic people are happier and more engaged, succeed more often, and are better problem solvers.  Optimists do better academically, socially and have better health than pessimists, so it makes sense to promote the skills of optimistic thinking to children. Optimists look at the flip side of negative events for some good, some hope and some reason to be positive. Recent research indicates that children learn optimism or pessimism from their experiences of success and through their interactions with parents, teachers and other significant adults. 

RESOURCES

• Shawn Achor TED Talk
• A Song of Gratitude
• 4 Ways to Silence Your Inner Critic & Boost Your Self-Confidence

Password - NSSD112!

QUESTION: WHAT HAVE YOU DONE TO INCREASE SOCIAL CONNECTION DURING COVID-19?  

What is social connectedness? Why is it important?
 

Social connection in psychology is based upon the perception of social support. You can have tons of people around you, but still feel alone. You can also be alone but feel supported and connected to loved ones.  It is the feeling of closeness and connectedness to a community. It is rooted in feelings of belonging, love and common values. Humans are innately social creatures. Every person we interact with is forever part of our social network. They are family members, friends, coworkers, teammates, neighbors, and acquaintances. Each has a lasting impact on our physical and mental health.

During this unique time of social distancing, it is imperative that we do not completely disconnect with one another. In fact, it is critical now than ever to “virtually” come together. Ongoing research supports the positive health benefits of social connectedness. 

Engaging with your network and partaking in activities are proven to have the following health benefits:

By making some small positive actions, you can increase your brain's awareness of social support and feel more connected to others. 

• Longer life.
• Stronger immune system.
• Happier.
• Improved memory and cognitive skills.
• Increased motivation for self-care.
• Lower levels of stress hormones.

RESOURCES

• How to keep kids social during a time of social distancing
   
• 10 Ideas for Coping with Loneliness During Social Distancing
   
• Coronavirus: 5 ways to stay (virtually) social and make the best of isolation

• Cómo mantener a los niños sociables durante distanciamiento social
   
• 10 ideas para lidiar con la soledad durante el distanciamiento
   
• 5 maneras de mantenerse (virtualmente) social y obtener el mejor aislamiento

RESOURCES

• The Surprising Benefits of Stress
• How to Makes Stress Your Friend
• 6 Research-Based Ways to Systematically Reduce Family Stress
• What is the secret of happiness? Scientists have found the answer
• Happiness & Health

• Los sorprendentes beneficios del estrés
• Cómo hacer que el estrés sea tu amiga
• 6 formas basadas en la investigación para reducir sistemáticamente el estrés familiar
• ¿Cuál es el secreto de la felicidad? Los científicos han encontrado la respuesta
• Felicidad y salud

Password - NSSD112!

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THREE GOALS YOU WOULD LIKE TO ACHIEVE AS A FAMILY DURING COVID-19?  
 

Sometimes we come across obstacles in our lives that lower our overall level of happiness and disrupt our path to success — we call these mental map hijackers. A common hijacker is a negative boss who tries to drive productivity through intimidation.

There are two parts of the brain called the Jerk and the Thinker. The Jerk is the amygdala, the most primitive part of the brain, which response to threats. The Thinker is the prefrontal cortex, which helps you make good decisions. Fear is a map hijacker because when you activate the Jerk, you shut off the Thinker, wasting your valuable brain resources on avoiding that fear instead of pursuing your goals. Instead of letting your boss’s negativity bother you, look for meaning in your work. This will shut off the Jerk and allow the Thinker to channel your brain’s full suite of intelligence toward accomplishing that goal.

What are your mental hijackers?

Write down five triggers that consistently lead to counterproductive behavior. Are there certain people or places that let good habits slip? Once you know what your hijackers are, you can replace them with positive mental map markers. 

Password - NSSD112!

QUESTION: WHAT’S ONE PART ABOUT THE QUARANTINE THAT YOU HOPE WILL CONTINUE AFTER IT’S OVER?

Your mindset plays a critical role in how you cope with life's challenges. In school, a growth mindset can contribute to greater achievement and increased effort. When facing a problem such as trying to find a new job, people with growth mindsets show greater resilience. They are more likely to persevere in the face of setbacks while those with fixed mindsets are more liable to give up. Parents can also take steps to ensure that their children develop growth mindsets, often through praising efforts rather than focusing solely on results.

For example, instead of telling a child that he or she is "so smart," a parent might commend the child for their hard work on a project and describe what they like the most about the child's efforts ("I really like how you chose the colors for that picture!").

By focusing on the process rather than the outcome, parents can help kids understand that their efforts, hard work, and dedication can lead to change, learning, and growth both now and in the future.

RESOURCES

• How Praise Became A Consolation Prize
• Growth vs Fixed Mindset
• Take the VIA Character Strengths Questionaire
• Simple Ways to Show Gratitude in the Face of Uncertainty
• Developing a Growth Mindset with Carol Dweck

• Cómo la alabanza se convirtió en un premio de consolación
• Crecimiento vs mentalidad fija
• Realice el cuestionario VIA Character Strengths
• Maneras sencillas de mostrar gratitud ante la incertidumbre
• Desarrollando una mentalidad de crecimiento con Carol Dweck

Password - NSSD112!

QUESTION: WHAT ARE THREE THINGS YOU ARE ACTUALLY GRATEFUL FOR DURING COVID-19?
 

Finding Gratitude in the Face of Uncertainty

A decade’s worth of research on gratitude has shown us that when life is going well, gratitude allows us to celebrate and magnify the goodness. But what about when life goes badly? In the midst of a crisis, people often ask if they can—or even should—feel grateful under such dire circumstances. Not only will a grateful attitude help—it is essential. In fact, it is precisely under crisis conditions when we have the most to gain by a grateful perspective on life. In the face of demoralization, gratitude has the power to energize. In the face of chaos, gratitude has the power to heal. In the face of despair, gratitude has the power to bring hope.

In other words, gratitude can help us cope with hard times. But being grateful is a choice, a prevailing attitude that endures and is relatively immune to the gains and losses that flow in and out of our lives. When disaster strikes, gratitude provides a perspective from which we can view life in its entirety and not be overwhelmed by temporary circumstances. Yes, this perspective is hard to achieve—but my research says it is worth the effort.

RESOURCES

• Joy and Gratitude in Difficult Times
• Gratitude in a Time of Pandemic
• Shawn Achor's 6 Exercises for Happiness
• The Benefits of a Gratitude Journal and How to Maintain One
• Why Mindful Mornings Matter During the Pandemic Panic
• Burned Out Working From Home? 10 Practical Ways to Hit the Refresh Button