My Wellbeing Journal – Year 5 by learning_curve

YEAR 5 MY WELLBEING JOURNAL

FOCUSING ON ME

TO BECOME THE PERSON I WANT TO BECOME Doing kind things to make others’ lives better is the best way to grow your own wellbeing, so that you can build your best self. A smile, eye contact and saying hello with a smiling face is a great way to start.

My photo

NAME...................................................................................................... MY CLASS.............................................................................................. MY TEACHER......................................................................................... Ask yourself, “what do I want this year at school to be for me?” Write a short letter to yourself about your aims. ........................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................ What could be challenges to you making these things come true? Who could help you? ................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................. ................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................

Strengths weeks

Every five weeks, you and your class can practise using a character strength to create fun activities to build everyone’s wellbeing. Your family will enjoy doing this activity at home too. The order of these weeks are: Gratitude, Teamwork, Curiosity, Kindness, Leadership, Hope, Zest, Perseverance, Love of Learning and Forgiveness. Download these activity sheets and award certificates from the Wellbeing Program > Individual Resources > Strengths Weeks or Wellbeing Awards sections of www.learningcurve.com.au

“Never stop dreaming, never stop believing, never give up, never stop trying, and never stop learning.” Roy T. Bennett

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WHAT ARE CHARACTER STRENGTHS? Building your Health + strengths by learning about your character strengths. Character Strengths are qualities which make up who you are as a person, and have your own special mix of them. You use them naturally in your every thought, word and action to be positive and make others happy too. Your top five strengths are called your Signature Strengths.

CREATIVITY

JUDGEMENT

CURIOSITY

Thinking of novel and productive ways to conceptualise and do things; includes artistic achievement but is not limited to it.

Your VIA No.

LOVE OF LEARNING

Taking an interest in ongoing experience for its own sake; finding subjects and topics fascinating; exploring and discovering.

Your VIA No.

BRAVERY

PERSPECTIVE

Mastering new skills, Your VIA topics and bodies of No. knowledge, whether on one’s own or formally; related to the strength of curiosity but goes beyond it to describe the tendency to add systematically to what one knows.

Being able to provide wise counsel to others; having ways of looking at the world that make sense to oneself/ others.

Your VIA No.

HONESTY

perseverance

Thinking things through and examining them Your VIA from all sides; not No. jumping to conclusions; being able to change one’s mind in light of evidence; weighing all evidence fairly.

Not shrinking from threat, challenge, difficulty, or pain; speaking up for what’s right even if there’s opposition; acting on convictions even if unpopular; includes physical bravery but is not limited to it.

Your VIA No.

ZEST

Speaking the truth but more broadly Your VIA presenting oneself in No. a genuine way and acting in a sincere way; being without pretence; taking responsibility for one’s feelings and actions.

Approaching life Your VIA with excitement and No. energy; not doing things halfway or halfheartedly; living life as an adventure; feeling alive and activated.

love

kindness

social intelligence

Valuing close relations Your VIA with others, in No. particular those in which sharing and caring are reciprocated; being close to people.

Doing favours and good deeds for others; helping them; taking care of them.

Finishing what one starts; persevering in a course of action in spite of obstacles; “getting it out the door”; taking pleasure in completing tasks.

virtues:

Your VIA No.

WISDOM

COURAGE

Your VIA No.

Being aware of the motives/feelings of others and oneself; knowing what to do to fit into different social situations; knowing what makes other people tick.

Your VIA No.

HUMANITY

“Just as we don’t realise we are breathing, we often don’t realise we are using our character strengths.” Martin Seligman

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WHAT ARE CHARACTER STRENGTHS? Building your Health + strengths by learning about your character strengths. For example, for Leadership, you could offer to help younger students enjoy school more by organising lunchtime games for them. What is another strength that you would like to develop in yourself and explain why? ..............................................................................................................................................................................

TEAMWORK Working well as a member of a group or team; being loyal to the group; doing one’s share.

FAIRNESS Your VIA No.

forgiveness Forgiving those who have done wrong; accepting others’ shortcomings; giving people a second chance; not being vengeful.

Treating all people the same according to notions of fairness and justice; not letting feelings bias decisions about others; giving everyone a fair chance.

LEADERSHIP Your VIA No.

prudence

humility Your VIA No.

Letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves; not regarding oneself as more special than one is.

Encouraging a group of which one is a member Your VIA No. to get things done and at the same time maintain good relations within the group; organising group activities and seeing that they happen.

Your VIA No.

Being careful about one’s choices; not taking undue risks; not saying or doing things that might later be regretted.

APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY & EXCELLENCE

GRATITUDE

HOPE

HUMOUR

SPIRITUALITY

Expecting the best in the future and working to achieve it; believing that a good future is something that can be brought about.

Liking to laugh and tease; bringing smiles to other people; seeing the light side; making (not necessarily telling) jokes.

selfregulation Regulating what one feels and does; being disciplined; controlling one’s appetites and emotions.

virtues:

Your VIA No.

JUSTICE

Your VIA Noticing and No. appreciating beauty, excellence and/or skilled performance in various domains of life, from nature to art to mathematics to science to everyday experience.

Your VIA No.

TEMPERANCE

Being aware of and thankful for the good things that happen; taking time to express thanks.

Your VIA No.

Having coherent beliefs about the higher purpose Your VIA and meaning of the No. universe; knowing where one fits within the larger scheme; having beliefs about the meaning of life that shape conduct and provide comfort.

TRANSCENDENCE

“You can be whatever type of person you choose to be. Your habits, your behaviours, your responses, are all your choice.” P.K. Shaw

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PERMAH+ ... GROWING YOUR WELLBEING Thinking about how you are developing each of the elements of wellbeing in yourself, will see your state of wellbeing continue to grow, so that you can build your best possible self. Use the following to reflect on the questions below A – always, B – usually, C – sometimes, D – not yet Then set a target rating you will strive for next term.

POSITIVE EMOTION + gratitude – enjoyed positive feelings by being grateful for good things in your life.

For this element of wellbeing, what went well that you were grateful for? ........................................................................................................................................................................... What positive feelings did you enjoy and what negative feelings did you dislike? ........................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Target Rating

Each morning thought about what you were looking forward to most for the day? Felt hopeful and happy? Each night wrote down good things that happened which you were grateful for? Were able to control your feelings? Understood that it is normal to feel upset, sad and disappointed at times?

ENGAGEMENT + mindfulness – connected with yourself in the moment to notice something different about every day.

For this element of wellbeing, what went well that you were grateful for? ........................................................................................................................................................................... What enjoyable activities did you fully engage yourself in? ........................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Target Rating

Ignored distractions and paid attention in class? Started my school work straight away? Concentrated on doing everyday things slowly and carefully? Focused yourself on listening carefully and enthusiastically to others? Practised mindfulness by noticing something different about every day?

Acknowledgement: Seligman, Peterson & Kabat Zinn

“They can because they think they can.” Virgil

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PERMAH+ ... GROWING YOUR WELLBEING You have a choice in what you think, say and do. It is so easy to get swept away by the busyness of your phone and social media, to spend most of your time watching everyone else’s thoughts and ignoring your own choices. It’s time to tune into you. Use the following to reflect on the questions below A – always, B – usually, C – sometimes, D – not yet. Then set a target rating you will strive for next term.

RELATIONSHIPS + empathy – enjoyed respectful relationships and showed empathy for others’ needs and feelings.

For this element of wellbeing, what went well that you were grateful for? .......................................................................................................................................................................... What special relationships did you enjoy and why were they special? ........................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Target Rating

When listening, asked others to tell you more? Praised and celebrated others’ good efforts when they achieved what they set out to do? Had a number of peer groups to hang around with? Felt joy, gratitude and kindness when with family and friends? Each day looked for opportunities to do kind things for others?

MEANING + purpose – had a passion for something larger than yourself that really mattered.

For this element of wellbeing, what went well that you were grateful for? ........................................................................................................................................................................... What is a special purpose you have? ........................................................................................................................................................................... .......................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term 4

Target Rating

Focused on doing the important things in your life? Did what you knew was the right thing to do? Did you do good to feel good and feel good to do good? Focused on something bigger than yourself to make a difference for others? Looked for good stuff before looking for the bad stuff?

Acknowledgement: Seligman, Peterson & Kabat Zinn

“Excellence is to do a common thing in an uncommon way.” Booker Washington

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POSITIVE VIBES: What are you looking forward to doing and learning most this week?

PURPOSE: Every day this week eat at least two pieces of fruit. ACCOMPLISHMENT + OPTIMISM TIME AND WELLBEING Wellbeing Goal: by learning how to make the most of your time, you will feel positive and grow your wellbeing. Is there anything worse than running out of time to get done what you need to do? To feel in control, use the Musts and Options page in this journal/planner, or the Thinking Tool on the website, to write down how you spend your time at home, with friends, online, enjoying exercise, sport, leisure and the outdoors.

CHARACTER STRENGTHS Use LOVE to explore FAMILY STRENGTHS (page 116) – I will ask my family to do the VIA strengths survey, put their strengths wheels on the fridge, and talk about how each of us use our strengths.

Acknowledgement: Ericsson & Anderson

Discuss with a classmate – using Musts and Options learn how you use your time. Many timewasters? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Optimism feelings – when are times you have felt that you have loved using your time well? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Extra thought – how many minutes are in a week for you to use? ........................................................................ ........................................................................

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MINDFULNESS TIME Tangled Whispers. In a group ask one member to whisper a message to another student, who then passes it on. When it has been passed on to the whole group, how different is the message?

CONNECTING WITH YOU: What do you need to do this week? Anything to start, to finish? Anyone to thank, say sorry to or forgive?

READERS ARE LEADERS

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How did you enjoy reading today?

HOW DID YOU FEEL THIS WEEK? GRATITUDES: What went well that you were grateful for this week?

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POSITIVE VIBES: What are you looking forward to doing and learning most this week?

PURPOSE: Every day this week say “sorry” to someone you need to say sorry to. HEALTH + STRENGTHS FRESH AND ACTIVE Wellbeing Goal: by making the choice to eat fresh whole foods, and exercise every day for an hour, you will give yourself the best opportunity to be physically and mentally healthy. Use your strengths to be determined not to be fooled by advertising that tells you most packaged and takeaway foods are good for you. They aren’t. Also, beware of spending too much time indoors on electronic leisure; it can affect your personal relationships. Acknowledgement: Hassed & Rath

Discuss with a classmate – what are fresh whole foods you love, and what do you do for exercise? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Strengths feeling – what things could you do to use one of your top strengths every day? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Extra thought – who do you like exercising with, and having fun? ........................................................................ ........................................................................

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RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS With a classmate discuss – understanding others’ needs and feelings is called empathy, and reading their body language properly will help you to understand them. What would they do when they felt: 1. Tired? 2. Happy? 3. Lonely? 4. Sad? 5. Hurt? 6. Embarrassed?

MINDFUL COLOURING

CONNECTING WITH YOU: What do you need to do this week? Anything to start, to finish? Anyone to thank, say sorry to or forgive?

READERS ARE LEADERS

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How did you enjoy reading today?

HOW DID YOU FEEL THIS WEEK? GRATITUDES: What went well that you were grateful for this week?

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POSITIVE VIBES: What are you looking forward to doing and learning most this week?

PURPOSE: Every day this week make eye contact and say “hello” with a smiling face. RELATIONSHIPS + EMPATHY SHARING AND LEARNING Wellbeing Goal: by sharing ideas and thoughts with others, which is called “feedback”, both you and they will learn other ways to think about and look at things. When listening, try hard to do just that, listen. Often, you fall into the trap of thinking about your own ideas, rather than what is being said. Giving and receiving feedback is a great way to practise showing empathy, because listening shows you value what others are saying.

HOPE WEEK This week enjoy making a positive difference to other peoples’ lives, by creating activities using the character strength HOPE, to grow relationships with your family, friends and school community.

(Hope for Strengths Week worksheet and Hope Wellbeing Award are in Individual Resources of www.learningcurve.com.au)

Acknowledgement: Ericsson & Anderson

Discuss with a classmate – when are times you have given and received feedback well, and what did you learn? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Empathy feeling – how do you think others feel when they know you are really listening to them? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Extra thought – when is a time you learned something special from feedback? ........................................................................ ........................................................................

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MINDFULNESS TIME The Good Stuff. Describe times in your life when you felt great joy, real pride and total fulfilment in what you did.

CONNECTING WITH YOU: What do you need to do this week? Anything to start, to finish? Anyone to thank, say sorry to or forgive?

READERS ARE LEADERS

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How did you enjoy reading today?

HOW DID YOU FEEL THIS WEEK? GRATITUDES: What went well that you were grateful for this week?

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POSITIVE VIBES: What are you looking forward to doing and learning most this week?

PURPOSE: Every day this week write down one thing you are really proud of yourself for. RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS

ENGAGEMENT + MINDFULNESS BULLYING Wellbeing Goal: by not engaging online with people who choose to bully, you will not allow them to play their cruel game. Unfortunately, many students your age suffer from FOMO, Fear Of Missing Out, and are addicted to opening everything online, meaning that they are handing the power to these people. Use your strengths to use JOMO to beat bullying. If bullied in person, look the bully in the eye and tell him/her that you refuse to accept it.

With a classmate discuss – what are five positive things you could do to build and maintain respectful relationships, and five negative things you might do to ruin and spoil respectful relationships?

BULLY FREE ZONE

Acknowledgement: Csikszentmihalyi & Hunter

Discuss with a classmate – which of your signature strengths could help you use JOMO instead of FOMO to not engage online? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Mindfulness feeling – what distractions could you use to mindfully ignore FOMO? ........................................................................ ........................................................................ Extra thought – how would bullies feel if you didn’t engage with them? ........................................................................ ........................................................................

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MINDFUL COLOURING

CONNECTING WITH YOU: What do you need to do this week? Anything to start, to finish? Anyone to thank, say sorry to or forgive?

READERS ARE LEADERS

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How did you enjoy reading today?

HOW DID YOU FEEL THIS WEEK? GRATITUDES: What went well that you were grateful for this week?

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PERSONAL GROWTH. BODY LANGUAGE Developing your Relationships + empathy by learning to read and send body language messages. The most powerful messages you send to other people are not from what you say, but through your body language. To make sure you send the messages you really want to send to other people, a good idea is to practise the way your face looks, and how you hold your body. Every day, say, Good Morning, with a bright and happy face to others, because they matter. Their mirror neurons will ensure that they will smile back at you. Reflect on your body language for each of the following: » facial expressions – smiling, friendly or sour, sad? » listening – with your heart or not interested? » gestures – confident, relaxed or tense, stiff ? » voice tones – happy, friendly or dull, boring? » eye contact – interested watching or looking away? Teachers teach well when they see positive student body language; show them you are interested. In sport be a humble winner and good loser; accept the umpire’s decision and congratulate others when they do well. In front of a mirror, practise each of the different types of body language below, to gain an understanding of the messages you are sending. It is a fun activity with a group of friends to take turns role playing body language. Shrugging your shoulders

Leaning forward when sitting opposite someone

Sighing when talking to someone

Glaring at someone

Talking with a shaky, trembling voice

Talking with your arms folded

Slumping in a chair

Looking away when someone is talking to you

Looking with eyes down when talking to someone

Arms and hands open when talking to someone

Looking with tight lips and narrowed eyes

Looking with a big smile

Sitting upright on the edge of the chair

Nodding when listening to someone

Yawning when listening to someone

Taking a deep breath when talking to someone

Sitting with arms and legs slightly apart

Lowering your head when listening or talking

Waving your hand at someone

Fiddling with objects while talking

Sitting with arms and legs crossed

Pacing up and down whilst talking

Talking with a loud, assertive voice

Talking gently and softly

Shaking your head when listening to someone

Staring with wide eyes at someone

Leaning back on your chair with hands on your head

Talking or listening with clenched hands

Talking or listening wringing your hands

Standing relaxed and still when talking

Avoiding eye contact with someone

Leaning against a wall when talking Acknowledgement: Fredrickson & Diener

“Most of the shadows in this life are caused by us standing in our own sunshine.” Ralph Waldo Emerson

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PERSONAL GROWTH. FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS Building your Positive Emotion + gratitude by learning about your feelings. Being aware of, and understanding your emotions, will enable you to be in charge of your feelings and the body language you use. Self-awareness and self-control are key resilience skills to build in yourself. Below are feelings and emotions you may experience.

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W Z

abandoned, abused, accepted, accused, adamant, adequate, adoring, affectionate, afraid, aggravated, aggressive, agitated, agonised, alarmed, alert, amazed, ambitious, ambivalent, amused, angry, annoyed, anxious, apathetic, appreciated, appreciative, aroused, ashamed, assertive, astonished, astounded, attractive, awkward. bad, beaten, beautiful, betrayed, bewildered, bitter, blissful, bold, bored, brave, breathless, bubbly, burned out. callous, calm, carefree, careful, cautious, cheerful, clever, comfortable, compassionate, concerned, confident, confused, cornered, content, cowardly, creative, cranky, cruel, curious, cynical. daring, daunted, deceitful, defeated, dejected, delighted, delirious, dependent, depressed, despair, desperate, destructive, determined, devastated, different, dirty, disappointed, disconnected, discontented, discouraged, disgusted, disheartened, dismal, dismayed, dissatisfied, distracted, disturbed, divided, down, dubious, dull. eager, easy going, ecstatic, edgy, elated, electrified, embarrassed, empathetic, empty, encouraged, energetic, enthralled, enthusiastic, envious, evasive, exhausted, exasperated, exhilarated, explosive. false, fantastic, fatigued, fearful, flabbergasted, flustered, foolish, frantic, free, fresh, fretful, friendly, frightened, frustrated, full, fulfilment, funny. generous, gentle, glad, glowing, good, gorgeous, grateful, greedy, grieving, guilty, gullible, gutted. happy, hassled, hateful, heartened, helpful, helpless, high, hollow, homesick, honoured, hopeful, hopeless, horrible, hostile, humble, hyper, hysterical. idiotic, ignored, impatient, inattentive, incompetent, imposed upon, impressed, impulsive, inadequate, independent, infatuated, inferior, infuriated, inhibited, insecure, insincere, inspired, interested, intimidated, involved, irate, irritated, isolated. jaded, jealous, jinxed, joyous, jubilant, judgemental, jumpy. keen, kind. lazy, left out, lethargic, likeable, lively, logical, lonely, lousy, lovable, loved, loving, low, loyal, lustful. mad, manipulated, manic, merry, miserable, misunderstood, mixed up, motivated, mystified. nasty, needy, negative, nervous, nice, nostalgic, numb. oblivious, obsessed, odd, offended, opposed, optimistic, outraged, overlooked, overwhelmed, over the moon, owed. panicked, paranoid, passionate, pathetic, peaceful, peeved, persecuted, pessimistic, petrified, pity, playful, pleasant, pleased, possessive, powerful, powerless, preoccupied, pressured, provoked, pushy, put out, puzzled. quarrelsome, quiet, queasy. rational, ravenous, reckless, refreshed, rejected, relaxed, relieved, remorseful, repulsive, reserved, restless, restrained, revengeful, revolted, romantic. sad, safe, sapped, satisfied, scared, secure, self-confident, selfish, sensitive, settled, shallow, shame, shining, shocked, shy, silly, sluggish, sorry, spiritual, squashed, strained, strong, stumped, stupid, stunned, sulky, sure, surprised, suspicious. taunted, teary, teased, tempted, tense, testy, threatened, thrilled, tired, torn, touched, trapped. undervalued, uneasy, unprotected, unhappy, unsafe, unsociable, unwanted, upset, uptight, used, useless. vain, valued, vicious, violent, vivacious, vulnerable. wanted, warped, weak, weary, wicked, wishy-washy, wonderful, worthless, worthy, worried, wronged. zany, zealous. Acknowledgement: Tal Ben Shahar & Achor

“Your life is what your thoughts make it.” Marcus Aurelius

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