Our Brain
What is the animal name for the PFC (prefrontal cortex)
*bonus 100 points if you can remember where it is in our brains*
The Wise Owl
*Bonus - behind our foreheads
What does it mean to be mindful?
- Paying attention to the present moment
- A non-judgmental awareness of our experience (noticing, not judging!)
What creature on the planet has the largest PFC?
Humans!
What are two examples of random acts of kindness?
- holding the door open for someone
- smiling and saying hello to someone you don't know well
- helping a younger student
- complementing someone
- cheering someone up
**Acts of kindness increase joy and happiness for you AND the person receiving it.
When is Brittany's birthday?
February 29th - leap day!
What is the animal name for the amygdala and where it is in our brains?
Our guard dog, above our ears (but deep inside our brain) - there are two!
What is empathy?
The ability to take on another person's perspective, to try to feel and understand someone's experience and emotions.
*Taking time to understand other's perspective before you act/speak is ACTING MINDFULLY.
When we smell cinnamon and it reminds us of cookies we baked with a loved one, which part of our brain is activated?
hippocampus - memory!
What does it mean to "savour" a happy experience or a happy memory?
(What is a synonym for savour)
to enjoy something with unhurried appreciation
enjoy
relish
appreciate
delight
*Savouring a happy experience or a happy memory can bring us happiness and joy
How many birthdays has Brittany had?
9 (will accept 9 and 1/4)
What is the animal name for the hippocampus and where it is in our brains?
**Bonus - what does it help us do?
The elephant, behind our ears! (deep in the brain - there are 2!)
*Bonus - remember/memory - an elephant never forgets!
What part of our brain do we use for mindfulness?
PCF/wise owl
It helps to keep our attention on the present moment.
What part of our brain is responsible for fight/flight/freeze?
Amygdala/guard dog
Seeing the "glass half full" is called ____________.
Optimism
People who CHOOSE an optimistic and hopeful point of view tend to be happier.
How many kids does Brittany have?
3
What are 2 things that our PFC is responsible for?
- solving a problem
- paying attention and focus
- empathy and perspective taking
- impulse control (not eating all of your candy at once/not hitting someone when you're mad)
- making a choice (deciding which book to read)
- prioritizing (what homework should I do first?)
- organizing your room/your desk
We covered 6 ways to be mindful at the beginning of this program - name 3.
(example: Mindful listening....now you can't use this one!)
Mindful listening (listening to what you hear around you, guessing what a sound is.)
Mindful seeing (focusing on an object mindfully, trying to picture your bedroom in your mind.)
Mindful smelling (smelling a spice and seeing what memories come up, guessing a smell.)
Mindful tasting (eat slowly and thoughtfully and fully experience the taste, texture and temperature of the food, what does it remind you of?)
Mindful touch (explore how an object feels, guess a mystery object by touching it.)
Mindful movement (explore how your body feels when you move and how you feel at rest.)
"Name it to tame it"
When someone is having a big feeling and they are able to find a word to "name" that feeling. What part of their brain are they using?
PFC/Wise Owl - this helps to calm down a reactive amygdala (a barking guard dog!)
___________ is a feeling of being truly thankful for something or someone.
Gratitude
What temperature does Brittany (and Mrs. Page) like her coffee?
Hot
What is one thing that our amygdala CANNOT do?
Think! Our amygdala just reacts. It can't tell the difference between being chased by a tiger or writing a math test. (Our guard dog will bark at a squirrel AND at a burglar.)
This morning, Brittany spilled her cereal, her favourite sweatshirt had a stain on it and she almost missed the bus. By the time she is finally sitting in her seat on the bus, Brittany is in an awful mood. What is one tool that Brittany can use to try to help lift her mood/create a small amount of happiness or joy to try to turn her day around before she gets to school.
- Thinking about or writing down a few things she's grateful for
- Savouring a happy memory/mini movie
- Mindfully picturing a safe space in her mind
- Trying to look at the morning with an optimistic lens (my brother helped me clean up my cereal and was actually pretty kind about it, my grandpa said he could get the stain out of my sweater and I made the bus in time!)
- Helping a younger student put on their backpack and smiling at the bus driver when she gets off the bus (or another small act of kindness.)
Scenario: Brittany is sitting in Mrs. Page's class and realizes that it is her turn to present in front of the class next. Brittany's heart starts beating fast and she feels like running out of the classroom.
Question: What part of Brittany's brain is activated and what is ONE mindfulness strategy that Brittany can use to cope?
Amygdala/Guard dog.
Mindfulness strategies:
Mindfully listening to the sounds she can hear in the classroom (a fan, someone yawning etc.)
Mindfully looking at an object and making a mental list of it's texture and colour OR closing her eyes and picturing her cozy bedroom at home.
Mindfully touching an object and noticing its texture and temperature.
*anything that will activate the PFC/Wise Owl*
What does ALTRUISM mean?
Being kind and helping someone without expecting anything in return.
What local high school does Brittany work at where students can come and see her to talk about health concerns or to ask for help?
West Elgin!