Name That Feeling
What feeling might you have if you just found out you're going to your favorite amusement park?
Excited, happy, joyful
What is one thing that might make a kid feel nervous?
Tests, meeting new people, trying something new
What does it mean to believe in yourself?
Knowing you have value, recognizing your abilities, trusting yourself
Name one activity that can help someone feel calm.
Drawing, listening to music, taking a walk, deep breathing
Your brain tells you that you will fail before you even try something. Is that a fact or a thought?
A thought! It isn't necessarily true.
Your friend makes plans with other people and doesn't invite you. What might you feel?
Left out, sad, disappointed, jealous
What are two things that might happen to your body when you feel anxious?
Fast heartbeat, butterflies, sweating, shaky hands, stomachache
You make a mistake and think, "I'm so stupid!" What is another way you could talk to yourself?
"Everyone makes mistakes," "I can learn from this," "One mistake doesn't define me."
You're getting frustrated because you keep losing a video game. What could you do before getting more upset?
Take a break, pause, breathe, get a drink of water
You make one mistake on your homework and think, "I'm bad at school." What is your brain doing?
Making a generalization based on one experience.
You studied really hard for a test but didn't get the grade you wanted. What might you feel?
Frustrated, disappointed, discouraged
You have to give a presentation tomorrow. Your brain keeps saying, "What if I mess up?" What is your brain doing?
Worrying, predicting the future, imagining something going wrong
Is being good at something the only reason someone should feel proud of themselves?
No! Effort, kindness, courage, creativity, and trying matter too.
You're feeling nervous about something you have to do tomorrow. What are two things you could do to help yourself?
Talk to someone, make a plan, practice, use calming strategies
Your friend doesn't log online to play a game you both agreed to play. Your brain immediately says, "They're mad at me!" What are two other possible explanations?
They're busy, their tablet died, or they're doing something else.
Can you feel two emotions at the same time? If yes, give an example.
Yes! Nervous and excited, happy and sad, etc.
You want to try out for a team, but you're afraid you won't make it. What might happen if you let that worry make all your decisions?
You might avoid trying, miss opportunities, or not discover what you're capable of
Your friend says, "I'm terrible at everything!" What would you say to help them see things differently?
Remind them of their strengths, accomplishments, and things they've improved at.
You're having a really bad day, and someone asks what's wrong. You don't feel ready to talk about it. What could you do?
Ask for space, write it down, use a feelings word, tell someone you need time
You keep thinking about something embarrassing that happened last week. Why might your brain keep replaying it?
Trying to make sense of it, worrying about what others think, or focusing on something uncomfortable.
Someone tells everyone they're fine, but inside they're actually upset. Why might someone hide how they're feeling?
Embarrassment, fear of judgment, not knowing how to explain it, not wanting to worry others
Imagine your worry is like an alarm system. Sometimes it goes off even when there isn't real danger. How can you tell the difference between a helpful alarm and an overly sensitive alarm?
Look at the actual evidence, consider what's happening, ask whether there is a real threat or just uncertainty
What is the difference between saying "I can't do this" and "I can't do this YET"?
"Yet" leaves room for learning, practice, and improvement.
Imagine you are creating your own emergency coping toolkit. What are three things you would put inside and when would you use them?
Personal coping strategies matched to different emotions or situations
Imagine your brain has a mean commentator who constantly points out everything you do wrong. What could you say to challenge that commentator?
"That's not the whole story," "I'm allowed to make mistakes," "I don't have to be perfect," or "I wouldn't talk to a friend that way." (or any other example)