Emotions
Imagine, you’re playing a competitive game and you lose in a close one!
It is natural to feel….
BONUS: The size of the problem is....
Disappointed, sad, upset… maybe even jealous.
Bonus: usually this will be a tiny or little deal, and we will feel better with time!
What is your FAVORITE yoga pose? Demonstrate for bonus points
ANY yoga pose will do!
You are in a group of kids and all of a sudden all eyes are on you, and you don’t know what to say. Imagine your face is red hot and your heart starts beating fast. You’re experiencing an anxious feeling. What is a coping tool you can try in the moment to calm your body down?
Take a deep breath, use positive self-talk, squeeze your hands together, say you need to use the bathroom to take a quick break.
Your heart is racing, and your face is red hot. You might be feeling...
Embarrassed, upset, or mad.
Would you rather…
Do 10 jumping jacks
OR
Run in place for 30 seconds, if your body needs some movement?
Either answer is correct! It’s a matter of preference!
Your sibling breaks one of your most treasured possessions. When you find out, you feel your heart beating fast.
*What emotion are you experiencing?
*What can you do to calm your body down?
Anger, Frustration or similar.
Take a deep breath, remind yourself that mistakes happen, scream into a pillow, punch a pillow, healthy movement, walk (around the house or around the block if you are allowed to), talk to a trusted adult or friend. When you are calm, you can have a talk with your sibling about how they can help you replace it.
Your breathing is even, and your heart rate is just right (not too slow, not too fast). You feel…
Calm
You decide it’s time to get a little movement in your day. Would you rather…
Go for a 10 minute walk,
Practice yoga for 10 minutes,
or Play basketball for 10 minutes?
All 3 answers are correct, it’s a matter of preference!
There are things we can do in daily life that help our minds and bodies stay regulated. Sometimes referred to as “self-care”. What are some ways you can focus on “self-care”? Give 2-3 examples.
Drinking water or tea, movement, mindfulness, meditation, spending time with family and friends, spending time on your interests: books, TV (in moderation), games, sports, music, and more!
Imagine you just got the exact present you were wishing for, for your birthday!
Your emotional energy might be… running high, running low, or just right?
RUNNING HIGH! Excited!! Elated!!
True or False: Getting some movement in everyday can improve your mood and energy level throughout the whole week!
True
If you had a “toolkit” of coping strategies, what tools would you include?
*Tools are strategies that help you stay calm when emotions are running high. They do not negatively impact others and can even help you have healthy conversations with others about problems.
Breathing strategies, mindfulness strategies, ride the wave, movement, talking to a trusted adult or friend, journaling, etc.
You feel so mad, you feel the urge to stomp and scream.
True or false: You must be experiencing a medium to huge sized problem?
FALSE! Sometimes our emotions take over and lead us to believe a problem is a bigger deal than it really is. This is a good time to take some deep breaths, and come back to try to solve the problem when you are feeling more calm. If it truly is a big or huge problem, talk it over with a trusted adult!!
True or False: When you exercise, your body releases a chemical that is associated with positive feelings.
TRUE! Endorphins!
True or false: Some breathing strategies can increase your heart rate and intensity of emotion rather than calming you down.
TRUE
If your inhale is quick and shallow, this will increase your heart rate and can make your emotions more intense. If you are feeling low energy, this can be helpful. If you are high energy/upset, this naturally happens to your breathing. Imagine what happens when you’re crying really hard. You likely have short, quick inhales between sobs. When you slow down your breathing, especially with a nice slow exhale, a message is sent to your brain that you are OKAY, and you can handle this.