I think if I were to say that the last year has been easy for everyone, I would definitely be reminded very quickly, by multiple people that it certainly has not. The world around us has changed dramatically to say the least and we have been forced to suddenly adjust to a new norm and although we are slowly adjusting, there is still a level of uncertainty moving forward into the future.
Recently documented in the news, there has been an influx of children as young as 12 being prescribed antidepressants and grappling with depression and anxiety. Although this is describing students mainly in Victoria and was a result of the lockdown that is currently implemented, the news was alarming and concerning.
There has been so much hardship for everyone this year and it can be extremely difficult to focus on the positives. I know personally that if I was feeling overwhelmed and stressed, the last thing I want to be told by someone is to calm down and focus on the positives, but really this is something we need to start doing to ensure that we look ahead with optimism and to great an Attitude of Gratitude.
Practicing Gratitude is a powerful way to help stay enthusiastic in life, even when everything around you seems to be crumbling. Melissa Dinwiddie recently published an article detailing 13 tips that helped her to stay enthusiastic for life, even when she was crazy busy. The first one that I found helpful was the concept of practicing self-compassion. This is the practice of noticing what you are feeling and remembering that you are human.
You are entitled to feel emotion and react to events that are occurring. It is important that you don’t punish yourself for feeling emotion, but rather you treat yourself the same way as you would a friend. This is really close to home for many of our students, as we need to encourage them to identify how they are feeling and how they can help themselves.
Another tip that I found helpful was the concept of focusing on what is going well around you. Quite often as humans, we are almost wired to focus on the negative. Not only is this draining, but it can also block your perception of what is actually going well. At Emmanuel at the moment, we have so many exciting things happening; The courtyard is on the home stretch to the finish line and other new projects are starting.
We can focus on the longer walk that it takes to get around campus currently, or we can get excited for what is ahead! The final tip that I wanted to share was remembering to practice spontaneous acts of kindness.
Have you ever noticed how good it feels to do something for someone else? It may not be a huge act but even something as simple as giving a kind word of encouragement and a genuine smile. You never know the day someone is having and your gentle act of kindness may just make their day.
Practicing an Attitude of Gratitude is an amazing way to help you turn your negative mindset into one that focuses on the future with optimism and enthusiasm. Let’s encourage one another after a massive year, being encouraged by John 15:12 - "This is my commandment, that you love one another as I have loved you.”
Laura Ferguson — Head of Teaching & Learning