Wellness Basics
What does wellness mean?
Wellness involves multiple areas of our well-being not just physical health
What breathing technique focuses on taking deep breaths using the diaphragm?
Diaphragmatic breathing.
Name one physical sign that you might be experiencing stress.
Examples include tense shoulders, headaches, rapid breathing, muscle tension, or an upset stomach.
What does self-awareness mean?
Recognizing and understanding your own thoughts, feelings, reactions, and behaviors.
You feel overwhelmed before a test. Name one strategy from today's lesson that could help you manage your stress.
Examples include diaphragmatic breathing, mindfulness, progressive muscle relaxation, or recognizing and observing stressful thoughts.
True or False: The goal of stress mastery is to eliminate all stress from your lfie
False. The goal is to learn how to recognize and manage stress effectively.
What is mindfulness?
Paying attention to the present moment without immediately judging your thoughts or feelings.
A student feels nervous before giving a presentation. Is this a physical, emotional, or behavioral sign of stress?
Emotional.
What is negative self-talk?
Negative or discouraging thoughts we tell ourselves, such as “I'm not good at anything” or “I'm going to fail.”
Your shoulders are tense, your breathing is quick, and you feel nervous about an upcoming presentation. Name two things you could do to manage your stress.
Students might practice diaphragmatic breathing and progressive muscle relaxation, or use another combination of appropriate techniques from the lesson.
What is the mind-body connection?
Our thoughts and emotions can influence our physical bodies, and our physical condition can affect how we feel mentally and emotionally.
What happens during progressive muscle relaxation?
You systematically tense and then release different muscle groups to help reduce physical tension
A student feels overwhelmed by an assignment and keeps putting it off. What is this behavior called?
Procrastination. It can be a behavioral response associated with stress.
What does it mean to use a witnessing stance when you experience a negative thought?
To notice and observe the thought instead of automatically believing it or judging yourself for having it.
your inner voice says, “Everyone is going to laugh at me when I present.” How could you use self-awareness and a witnessing stance to respond?
Recognize the thought, understand that it is not necessarily a fact, and consider a more balanced thought, such as “I feel nervous, but I can prepare and do my best.”
Name two areas of wellness that can influence one another and how do they connect?
physical and emotional wellness, mental and physical wellness, or social and emotional wellness. (
What is one difference between active relaxation and simply distracting yourself from stress?
Active relaxation involves intentionally practicing a technique to manage stress, such as controlled breathing or mindfulness. Distraction may temporarily take your attention away from stress without necessarily addressing your stress response.
Name one physical sign, one emotional sign, and one behavioral sign of stress.
Answers will vary. For example:
A student thinks, “I'm going to fail this test, so there's no point in studying.” Rewrite this thought in a more balanced way.
Answers will vary. One example is: “I'm worried about this test, but studying can help me prepare and improve my chances.”
Two students have the same difficult assignment. One immediately thinks, “I can't do this,” while the other thinks, “This is challenging, but I can take it one step at a time.” How might their thoughts influence their stress responses?
Their interpretations may influence how they feel and respond. The first student may feel more overwhelmed, while the second may feel more capable of taking action. Their thoughts do not determine everything, but they can affect how they approach a challenge.
A student is constantly worried about school and begins experiencing headaches and trouble sleeping. How does this situation demonstrate the mind-body connection?
Stress and worry can affect the body, contributing to physical symptoms and sleep difficulties.
You have a major exam tomorrow, and you notice that your breathing is becoming quick and shallow. Describe a relaxation technique you could use and explain how you would practice it.
Students may suggest diaphragmatic breathing by slowing their breathing and focusing on deep, comfortable breaths. Other appropriate relaxation techniques discussed in class may also earn credit if students explain how to use them
A student becomes irritable, struggles to concentrate, and experiences tense shoulders during testing week. Identify two signs of stress and explain why recognizing them matters.
Possible answers include irritability, difficulty concentrating, and muscle tension. Recognizing stress signals early can help someone choose a helpful coping strategy before feeling more overwhelmed.
Why is it helpful to recognize a thought as a thought rather than automatically treating it as a fact?
It allows us to question unhelpful assumptions, consider other possibilities, and choose how to respond instead of reacting automatically.
You have three assignments due, an important test, and an extracurricular activity this week. Explain a plan using at least two strategies from today's lesson to help you manage your stress.
Answers will vary. A strong response might include identifying stress signals, using diaphragmatic breathing to calm down, observing negative thoughts without automatically believing them, and breaking assignments into manageable steps.