Coping Skills
Name one healthy coping skill
What is deep breathing / taking a break / talking to someone / grounding?
This is a common sign that you are starting to feel burned out.
What is feeling exhausted / unmotivated / overwhelmed?
This is one reason a goal might feel overwhelming.
What is it feels too big / unclear / unrealistic?
This is what self-compassion means.
What is being kind to yourself / treating yourself with understanding?
The only person who will eat a cold hot pocket.
Who is Grace?
The coping strategy that involves your 5 senses
What is 5-4-3-2-1?
This is one physical sign of stress.
What is headaches / fatigue / tension / trouble sleeping?
This is one step you can take toward a goal when you feel overwhelmed.
What is breaking it into smaller steps / starting small?
This is one example of a self-compassionate response to making a mistake.
What is “mistakes happen” / “I’m doing my best” / self-kindness?
Their voice is perfect for the Calm app.
Who is Doug?
This is how you can tell it’s time to use a coping skill, even if you do not always act on it.
What is noticing stress signals / feeling overwhelmed / physical tension / racing thoughts?
This is something people often start to lose interest in when stress becomes overwhelming.
What is hobbies / socializing / things they enjoy?
This is something that helps you stay motivated toward a goal even when progress feels slow.
What is focusing on progress / celebrating small wins / consistency / reminding yourself why you started?
This is one thing self-compassion is often mistaken for, even though it is not the same thing.
What is laziness / weakness / making excuses?
They always bring a half gallon of Wawa tea.
Who is Ashley?
The strategy that involves ignoring a stressor instead of addressing it
What is avoidance?
This is something people often tell themselves when they are stressed, even though it usually makes things worse.
What is “I just need to push through” / “I don’t have time to rest” / “I’ll deal with it later”?
This is why focusing only on the end goal can sometimes increase stress.
What is it creates pressure / feels overwhelming / ignores the process?
This emotion often prevents people from practicing self-care.
What is guilt?
They have a huge sneaker collection.
Who is Marissa?
This is the coping skill you tend to avoid the most, even though you know it would help.
What is setting boundaries / asking for help / resting / slowing down?
This is something that looks like productivity but is often actually a sign of stress.
What is overworking / overcommitting / perfectionism / not taking breaks?
This is what SMART goals stand for.
What is Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Relevant, Time-bound?
This is something you might say to a friend but struggle to say to yourself.
hint: type of talk
What is supportive or encouraging self-talk?
They don't like water.
Who is Rachael?