My Wellbeing Journal – Year 8 by learning_curve

YEAR 8 MY WELLBEING JOURNAL DEVELOPING ME as a Young Person and as a Student.

Your choices shape your life. Choosing to develop your best self is a great first choice.

AS A YOUNG PERSON What do I expect from myself as a young person? ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ • show gratitude to do good to feel good and feel good to do good. • show empathy for others’ needs and feelings.

AS A STUDENT What do I expect from myself as a student? ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ ........................................................................................................................................................................ • use grit to challenge myself to deliberately practise. • develop growth mindsets to stretch my brain’s abilities. Acknowledgement: Sonja Lyubomirsky & Tal Ben Shahar

STRENGTHS WEEKS Every five weeks, the challenge for you and your class is to use a character strength to create fun and meaningful activities to build the wellbeing of everyone’s relationships. It is a great activity to do with your family at home. There are also Wellbeing Award Certificates for each of these weeks on the website. 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

“Enjoy the little things, for one day you may look back and realise they were the big things.” Robert Brault

Growing Your Resilience: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The Wellbeing Learning Intention is for you to learn about and practise the skills that you need to be resilient. Wellbeing Reflection: what you can do to develop each of these skills in yourself. Being able to overcome challenges, setbacks or failures, is something you learn from practising the resilience skills below in your everyday life. Bouncing back or being resilient doesn’t just happen as you get older, you have to work at it. Describe a time you have used each skill. Reflect and self-assess on how you are developing each one using A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When is a time that you were proud of yourself for overcoming a challenge or bouncing back from a setback or failure?

1. Optimism and hope: believing that you can influence your own future through your own efforts. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: writing down goals each term that you want to accomplish, and asking yourself often, “How am I going on them?” 2. Regulating emotions: keeping your emotions under control when you are upset about something. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: self-calming by using coping strategies such as colouring in or breathing exercises. 3. Controlling Impulses: stopping yourself overreacting to things which really get under your skin. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: doing Mindfulness Time Activities from www.learningcurve.com.au to slow down your mind chatter.

“Never give up! Fall down seven times, get up eight.” Japanese Proverb

Growing Your Resilience: your best self as a young person Deliberately doing the Daily Practice and thinking about which is the best way to think using Habits of Mind (see pages 116-118) will see you develop these skills in yourself to become the person you wish to become. 4. Thinking Flexibly: contesting negative thoughts with positive self-talk to look for good things. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: use Thinking Tools, self-talk and Habits of Mind from www.learningcurve.com.au to learn how to change your thinking. 5. Empathy: showing that other people matter by understanding and caring for their needs and feelings. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: consciously looking for opportunities to be kind to other people and yourself. 6. Self-belief: accepting all of you as a person who matters and having a sense of purpose in life. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: doing everyday things as though they matter towards building your best self because they do. 7. Connecting with others: building relationships with others and asking for help when you need it. A – usually, B – at times, C – not yet. When have you used this resilience skill well?

Daily Practice: asking other people RUOK, and pausing to wait and then listening to them. Mean it. Find a short youtube video about being resilient to share with your class. What are character strengths that you could use to be resilient? Acknowledgement: Rievich & Shatte

“Never give up! Never, never, never!” Winston Churchill

Character Strengths: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The Wellbeing Learning Intention is for you to learn about character strengths and discover your top ones. Wellbeing Reflection: what are character strengths and why are your top ones important in your life? Character strengths are your personal best ways of looking at and doing what you do. There are 24 of them and you have your own personal mix of them. Google Tiffany Schlain Character Strengths to watch a great youtube clip, “Science of Character.” Discover your top strengths, called signature strengths, by doing the free Youth Survey at www.viacharacter.org For each strength in the table fill in what number they were on the survey. The 24 strengths bring six virtues to life, which are: • Wisdom ... about your thinking and reasoning • Courage ... about your spirit and confidence • Justice ... about your community being healthy • Transcendence ... about you helping others • Temperance ... about being in charge of you • Humanity ... about your positive relationships

VIRTUES

24 CHARACTER STRENGTHS CREATIVITY

WISDOM

COURAGE

HUMANITY

CURIOSITY

∙ Originality ∙ Adaptive ∙ Ingenuity

∙ Interest ∙ Noveltyseeking ∙ Exploration ∙ Openness

BRAVERY

PERSEVERANCE

∙ Valour ∙ Not shrinking from fear ∙ Speaking up for what is right

∙ Persistence ∙ Industry ∙ Finishing what one starts

JUDGEMENT

LOVE OF LEARNING

PERSPECTIVE

∙ Critical thinking ∙ Thinking things through ∙ Openmindedness

∙ Mastering new skills and topics ∙ Systematically adding to knowledge

∙ Wisdom ∙ Providing wise counsel ∙ Taking the big picture view

HONESTY ∙ Authenticity ∙ Integrity

LOVE

KINDNESS

SOCIAL-INTELLIGENCE

∙ Both loving and being loved ∙ Valuing close relations with others

∙ Generosity ∙ Nurturance ∙ Care & compassion ∙ Altruism

∙A ware of the motives/feelings of self/others ∙ Knowing what makes others tick

∙ “Niceness”

TEAMWORK

JUSTICE

FAIRNESS

∙ Citizenship ∙ Social responsibility ∙ Loyalty

TEMPERANCE

TRANSCENDENCE

ZEST ∙ Vitality ∙ Enthusiasm ∙ Vigour ∙ Energy ∙ Feeling alive

APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY & EXCELLENCE ∙ Awe ∙ Wonder ∙ Elevation

∙ Just ∙ Not letting feelings bias decisions about others

FORGIVENESS

HUMILITY

∙ Mercy ∙A ccepting others’ shortcomings ∙G iving people a second chance

∙ Modesty ∙ Letting one’s accomplishments speak for themselves

GRATITUDE ∙ Thankful for the good ∙ Expressing thanks ∙F eeling blessed

HOPE ∙ Optimism ∙ Futuremindedness ∙ Future orientation

PRUDENCE ∙ Careful ∙ Cautious ∙ Not taking undue risks

HUMOUR ∙ Playfulness ∙ Bringing smiles to others ∙ Light-hearted

LEADERSHIP ∙ Organising group activities ∙ Encouraging a group to get things done

SELF-CONTROL ∙ Disciplined ∙ Managing impulses and emotions

SENSE OF MEANING ∙ Faith ∙ Purpose ∙ Meaning

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

Strengths Wheel: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The Wellbeing Learning Intention is for you to fill in your top strengths in the Strengths Wheel and set a goal for using them. Wellbeing Reflection: what could you do to use each of your top strengths effectively in your life? Fill in your top eight strengths in the Strengths Wheel, and next to each of them write one thing you could do to show that strength. For example, for Teamwork you could contribute enthusiastically to groups you are a part of. The shadow side of a strength is when you overuse, misuse or underuse it. For example, for Social-Intelligence, over analysing every person you meet. Rate how you currently use each strength using NOW 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 and how you would like to be using it in a month’s time using TARGET 0 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9.

YOUR CHARACTER STRENGTHS WHEEL TH NG RE

STR EN G TH 0 1

9 6 7 8 4 5 9 8 3 7 6 5 1 2 34 0 2 W 01 N O GET R TA

NOW 1 2 TA R G E 3 4 T0 5 12 34 6 7 56 89 7 8 9

NOW 0 1 2 TA R G E 3 4 T0 5 1 6 23 45 78 9 6 7 8 9

7 8 9 5 6 3 4 6789 45 1 2 0 23 W 01 N O GET R TA

G TH

STR EN G TH 0 7

N 9 RE 6 7 8 4 5 ST 9 3 678 1 2 45 0 23 W 01 O N ET RG TA

NOW 1 2 TA R G 3 4 ET 0 5 6 12 34 7 8 56 9 7 8 9

9 6 7 8 4 5 89 3 7 6 5 1 2 34 0 12 W 0 O N GET R TA

TH 3

NOW 0 1 2 TA R G 3 4 ET 0 5 1 2 34 6 7 8 5 9 6 7 8 9

STR

TH 5

G REN

When are two times you believe that you used your strengths well, and how did you feel?

1.............................................................................................................................................................................. 2.............................................................................................................................................................................. Acknowledgement: Clifton & Rath

“There are only two ways to live your life. One is as though nothing is a miracle. The other is as though everything is a miracle.” Albert Einstein

Fabulous First 5 Minutes: Looking Forward:

when is a time you have shown yourself to be honest?

what things are you keen to achieve and experience this week?

Engagement + mindfulness YOUR PLASTIC BRAIN Wellbeing Learning Intention: by knowing that your thoughts and experiences cause your brain to never stop changing, you will be able to grow your brain’s abilities in areas and skills you wish to develop. This is called neuroplasticity. Through making the choice to deliberately practise and repeat these things often, you will strengthen existing and create new brain pathways to enable you to do them easier and faster. Make your plastic brain work to become your best possible self. Acknowledgement: Pascual-Leone & Dweck

Wellbeing Reflection: What are three skills or areas of your life which you would like to develop?

Resilient Me: I am enough Describe, draw, discuss or role play... Planning and writing down goals to be optimistic about the shape of my year ahead. What are three other things that I could do to add to my resilient self? Writing Goals: Y or N? Why

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................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. What things will you deliberately practise for each of these to grow your brain’s abilities? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. When have you noticed that when you didn’t practise something that you couldn’t do it properly? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. How could using the resilience skill, flexibility of thinking, help you to do this? (see pages 6-7) ................................................................................. ................................................................................. “Picture your brain forming new connections as you meet the challenge and learn.” Carol Dweck

MAZE

Enjoy the challenge of making it through!

Being Aware:

of the Big Four – are you exercising regularly, sleeping deeply, eating healthy and thinking positively to move towards developing the person who you want to become?

MONDAY /mins

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TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Mindful Colouring In:

Big Four Check In:

Feel in yourself? 2 3 4 5

Eat healthy?

Gratitude:

2 3 4 5

Exercise daily?

for each of your Big Four, colour in how you did this week.

2 3 4 5

Sleep deeply?

what went well that you were grateful for?

Fabulous First 5 Minutes: Looking Forward:

what is a thought that is holding you back from achieving what you want to do?

what things are you keen to achieve and experience this week?

Accomplishment + optimism TIME, FREEDOMS AND RESPONSIBILITIES Wellbeing Learning Intention: by accepting that for all the freedoms you enjoy being a teenager, that there are responsibilities that you need to meet, you will be more likely to design your own home learning timetable. Look at the sample learning timetable for tips that you can use for yours. Write down your musts, options and the suggested number of home learning sessions on the blank timetable to design your own personalised one and then stick to it.

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

Acknowledgement: Sheldon & Adams Miller

Wellbeing Reflection: What could be three benefits to you designing and then following your own home learning timetable? .................................................................................

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

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My Purpose: focusing on and believing in something larger than myself which gives me a reason to get out of bed.

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What is your purpose for doing what you do?

What areas of your life do you now plan what you are going to do? Is school any different?

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................................................................................. ................................................................................. How could using the resilience skill, optimism and hope, help you to do this? (see pages 6-7) ................................................................................. ................................................................................. “If you want the rainbow, then put up with the rain.” Dolly Parton

Gritty Mindset

................................................................................ What are two strengths you will use to do this?

1. 2.

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Being Aware:

of the Big Four – are you exercising regularly, sleeping deeply, eating healthy and thinking positively to move towards developing the person who you want to become?

MONDAY /mins

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TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Mindful Colouring In:

Big Four Check In:

Feel in yourself? 2 3 4 5

Eat healthy?

Gratitude:

2 3 4 5

Exercise daily?

for each of your Big Four, colour in how you did this week.

2 3 4 5

Sleep deeply?

what went well that you were grateful for?

Fabulous First 5 Minutes:

when is a time you were so involved in what you were doing that

you lost track of time?

Looking Forward:

what things are you keen to achieve and experience this week?

Positive Emotions + gratitude GOOD TIMES Wellbeing Learning Intention: by learning that positive emotions build your wellbeing, you will be able to focus yourself on good times you have had, are having now or planning for the future. This is called savouring. You can influence your own feelings of happiness by making the effort to keep positive emotions circulating in you by savouring. You can do this by writing journals, planning things you will do and taking photos to look at later. Acknowledgement: Bryant & Veroff

What Are Your Thoughts? Google “The Australian Guide to Healthy Eating”. What food group quantities are recommended to eat a balanced healthy meal? What things do you need to look out for on food labels and packaging, to make sure that the food is healthy? What is balanced and healthy? ................................................................................ ................................................................................ What to look for on food labels? ................................................................................ ................................................................................ What could you do to improve what you eat?

Wellbeing Reflection: What are past, present or future times which you could start savouring often to feel good?

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Acknowledgement: ACARA 7&8 HPE

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................................................................................. ................................................................................. When are times that you could use savouring to overcome anxious and low moods? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. What is a fun time you have enjoyed with friends and family that you could savour more? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. How could using the resilience skill, optimism and hope, help you to do this? (see pages 6-7) ................................................................................. ................................................................................. “You can be whatever type of person you choose to be. Your habits, your behaviours, your responses, are all your choice.” P. K. Shaw

Have fun drawing yourself!... Either making your favourite meal or thinking about an achievement that you are proud of.

Being Aware:

of the Big Four – are you exercising regularly, sleeping deeply, eating healthy and thinking positively to move towards developing the person who you want to become?

MONDAY /mins

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TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Mindful Colouring In:

Big Four Check In:

Feel in yourself? 2 3 4 5

Eat healthy?

Gratitude:

2 3 4 5

Exercise daily?

for each of your Big Four, colour in how you did this week.

2 3 4 5

Sleep deeply?

what went well that you were grateful for?

Fabulous First 5 Minutes:

when is a time you have been proud of something a member of

your family has achieved?

Looking Forward:

what things are you keen to achieve and experience this week?

Relationships + empathy

What Are Your Thoughts?

FUN AND LAUGHTER

1. 2. 3.

Wellbeing Learning Intention: by being willing to have fun and laugh with other people, you will feel fantastic good brain chemicals such as endorphins, dopamine, serotonin and oxytocin. Human beings have always lived, worked and had fun in groups to achieve things together to be at their best. In the 21st century social media is threatening your ability to do this, reducing time in person together and your abilities to read and send body language. Acknowledgement: McQuaid & Kern

Wellbeing Reflection: When are times recently you had great fun laughing with family and friends? ................................................................................. .................................................................................

What are three expectations, which would help your school, your family and your friendship group work really well? ............................................................................

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What are three strengths that everyone would need to use?

1. 2. 3.

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Acknowledgement: ACARA 7&8 HPE

................................................................................. What do you notice about yourself if it has been a while since you have had fun and laughed? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. What can you do to lighten up if your group of friends tend to be too serious about things? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. How could using the resilience skill, social connectedness, help you to do this? (see pages 6-7) ................................................................................. ................................................................................. “A good laugh overcomes more difficulties and dissipates more dark clouds than any other one thing.” Laura Ingalls Wilder

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Have fun drawing yourself!... Either having fun and laughing with family and friends showing one of the three expectations.

Being Aware:

of the Big Four – are you exercising regularly, sleeping deeply, eating healthy and thinking positively to move towards developing the person who you want to become?

MONDAY /mins

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TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Mindful Colouring In:

Big Four Check In:

Feel in yourself? 2 3 4 5

Eat healthy?

Gratitude:

2 3 4 5

Exercise daily?

for each of your Big Four, colour in how you did this week.

2 3 4 5

Sleep deeply?

what went well that you were grateful for?

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Respectful Relationships: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The Wellbeing Learning Intention is for you to understand what you need to do to feel connected, protected and respected in your relationships. Wellbeing Reflection: what do you do now to create and maintain respectful relationships? You are hard wired to be at your best when working cooperatively in person with others. The group feel good brain chemicals, serotonin and oxytocin, are released when you feel that others value you, think that you matter and that they can trust you. The three factors which underpin respectful and resilient relationships are: Connected – sharing and communicating equally, cooperatively and openly with others. Protected – feeling emotionally and physically safe. Respected – feeling others value all of you as a person who matters. Reflect on the following and journal your thoughts:

Respectful Relationships Perspectives Your thoughts and an example to explain them In what ways do you feel connected when with others?

In what ways do you feel protected when with others?

In what ways do you feel respected when with others?

Think of a great time you enjoyed with others. What emotions did you feel?

What are five relationships you have where you feel valued?

What are five relationships you have where you feel trusted?

Acknowledgement: Youth Research Centre, Melbourne Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne

“Appreciation is a wonderful thing. It makes what is excellent in others belong to us as well.” Voltaire

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Meaningful Screen Time: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The Wellbeing Learning Intention is for you to use some of your screen time meaningfully to be kind. Wellbeing Reflection: which of these activities have you or could you use to be kind? Most of your generation have grown up surrounded by screens, and communicating via devices comes easily to you. You can also use screens to create meaningful and mindful ways to generate positive emotions by being kind to family, friends and yourself. Try the following activities to do this.

Meaningful Screen Time Activity Your reflections did their faces look like and how did you feel when listening Tell Me More – video call a Grandparent What to them?

or a friend and ask them to tell you about a good thing that is happening in their life. Just listen, don’t interrupt. When they start to run out of words, ask them to “Tell Me More” three times to help them to share more.

Photo 7 – this is a week long activity

What did you enjoy most about doing this with your family? Highlights?

Self-Belief Mantras – using the

Why did you choose each of your mantras?

Word Search Share – ask two friends

Was it enjoyable creating and then doing your friends’ word searches?

Caring People – use the online program

What feelings did you have making your photo book? Were your caring people happy?

for your whole family. Each day each of your family is to take a picture or shoot a short video on their device of something they appreciate or are grateful for. Then share these each day at the dinner table together.

program Canva, create ten screensavers, which are self-belief mantras to help you become more resilient. For example, “I am in charge of how I feel and today I choose to be happy” or “I can and I will control my feelings.” Every few days, change your screensaver.

to create their own word search using the free online program Puzzle Maker. Words could be about family and friends’ names, sports, foods, music artists or interests. Then the three of you email your word searches to each other, and have fun doing them.

Canva to make a photo book of the people in your life who are always there for you. Make sure you include those people who you may sometimes take for granted. Then share this caring photo book with each of these people.

Acknowledgement: Fredrickson, Diener & Walsh

“People may forget what you said, but they will never forget how you made them feel.” Carl W. Buehner

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