C is for Choice (Primary)
We make choices ALL the time!
We choose what to eat, we choose what to wear, we choose what to do although this might have been a little limited due to these changing times.
Identify the problem with Choice
Our amazing brain - specifically our pre-frontal cortex - is responsible for helping us make choices. Sometimes we’re not really aware of the choices we’re making - are we choosing fruit, vegetables or chocolate, crisps and sweeties? Are we choosing to play outside or to spend time on our screens?
Choices, choices, choices, sometimes there’s so much choice it’s a little overwhelming!
Being able to see all our options and being able to make choices mindfully can really help us take control & make wise choices. Our amazing brains are super flexible and we can strengthen our resilience, our ability to think straight, by concentrating and focussing in these simple ways:
Fun things to practice
1. Name all the choices you’ve made today
2. Ask yourself - how do my choices change when I’m tired? When I’m hungry? When I’m angry & sad or happy & excited?
3. When you’ve got lots of choices ahead of you to make, help yourself focus by pausing. Breathe in. Breathe out. Count up to ten. Count back down from ten. Notice if you’re distracted or if you’re focussed? Ask yourself what choice am I going to make next?
4. Are there some choices you’d like to make that you’re not able to do just now due to CoVid? Notice gently how this makes you feel? Perhaps a little grumpy? Or sad? Remind yourself that we all have these feelings from time to time
5. Ask yourself what do I still enjoy that I can choose to do instead? Remind yourself that there’s still lots of lovely things we can carry on doing!
These practices can help us notice when we’re not focussed and how that might impact our choices.
And also remember that there are many choices that we can still make
The not-so-small small print
There is none! Simply return to this part of the website daily to get the next part of the practice.. No payment or subscription required. This is a resource we are sharing with all of you through the website and aiming to help our youngsters, in the various stages of their lives. This program contains information and practices that are aimed for two different age groups and we intend to mostly post the primary level information in the morning and the secondary level in the afternoon. Please leave us a comment and let us know how you are getting on or get in touch if you require additional support.
Z is for Zebra, Summer Resilience Program Final Entry (Primary) with thanks to Brene Brown & Greater Good Science Centre at UCLA Berkeley Youth for their ‘zebra’ advice & to Education Scotland for their inspiration for this programme x