My Wellbeing Journal – Year 11

YEAR 11 MY WELLBEING JOURNAL INSPIRING MY BEST SELF TO BECOME THE TYPE OF PERSON I WANT TO BECOME

The main purpose in senior schooling is to find a sense of purpose. When you find that, you will have the motivation to do what you need to do to inspire your best self to become who you want to become.

NAME...............................................................................................................CLASS ........................................

MY CHOICES What is my purpose for being at school this year?

What type of person do I want to become?

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What type of life do I want to live? .................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................

What challenges will I have to overcome to achieve this? .................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................

Who can help me to learn what I need to learn to overcome these challenges? .................................................................................................................................................................... ....................................................................................................................................................................

Acknowledgement: Dweck & Duckworth

CHARACTER STRENGTHS WEEKS

ZEST WEEK them with zest and in your life will come from approaching Nearly everything that you will achieve motivating positive emotions skills and abilities to life, by creating enthusiasm. Zest brings your talents, and want to attitudes. feeling the energy of having can do and growth mindsets in you. Enjoy class and your family to write your classroom and at home for your This week make Zest Walls both in through having zest and enthusiasm. down or draw things they achieved felt full of week write down or draw times you This Week’s Zest Gratitudes: This or by yourself. striving to achieve as part of a team

zest and enthusiasm in what you

were

There are eight Character Strengths Weeks spread throughout this journal.

They provide you and your class with opportunities to practise using your strengths to build your wellbeing. They are also fun to do at home with your family. The order of these weeks are: Gratitude, Curiosity, Teamwork, Love of Learning, Kindness, Perseverance, Leadership, Zest.

From the website www.learningcurve.com.au download the Strengths Weeks sheets from Wellbeing Program/Individual Resources/Character Strengths Weeks.

Saint-Exupery creating things new.” Antoine de joy of deeds well done, the zest of “True happiness comes from the

“Why fit in when you were born to stand out?” Dr. Seuss

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PERMAH+: Term Reflections Believing in yourself as a person who matters, is a wonderful launch pad to creating the type of life you want to live. Avoid comparing yourself with others, because every person on the planet is special in some way; each of us is unique, expect it and respect it.

A

CCOMPLISHMENT + optimism

Self-generating positive emotions to broaden your attention to be grateful for what you have.

What is something that went well that you were grateful for and how can you make them happen again? ............................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term Target 4 Rating

Did you set three goals this term that you were optimistic about accomplishing?

Self-expectation......................................................................................

Did you set three goals this term that you were optimistic about accomplishing?

Self-expectation......................................................................................

How does Competence relate to this element of wellbeing? ...............................................................................................................

What is something that you want to do that will fill you with positive emotions? .................................................. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

H

EALTH + strengths

Connecting consciously and purposefully with yourself to notice your thoughts coming and going.

What is something that went well that you were grateful for and how can you make them happen again? ............................................................................................................................................................................. .................................................................................................................

Last Year

Term 1

Term 2

Term 3

Term Target 4 Rating

Daily, did you make the effort to go outdoors to exercise briskly and get a dose of vitamin D? Self-expectation......................................................................................

Did you use your strengths to do the daily and weekly Big Five Check In to monitor your health?

Self-expectation......................................................................................

How does Autonomy relate to this element of wellbeing? ...............................................................................................................

What is something that you want to do to become healthier? ............................................................................. ...........................................................................................................................................................................

Acknowledgement: Seligman, Costa, Ericsson, Peterson & Kabat Zinn

“Forget all the reasons why it won’t work and believe the one reason why it will.” Abdelnour

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M.A.R.B.L.E.S. PATHWAYS This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to build keystone habits by deliberately practising the behaviours for each of the letters in M.A.R.B.L.E.S.. PERMAH+ Reflection: what can you do for each of the MARBLES to make them habits?

MARBLES stands for: M for Metacognition E for Effort S for Smile Do you use M.A.R.B.L.E.S. regularly?

A for Attitude

R for Respect

BL for Body Language

What can you do to practise them to make them habits?

M for Metacognition Using Habits of Mind to change your thinking for different situations.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet

A for Attitude Using growth mindsets to develop your brain’s abilities by deliberately practising.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet

R for Respect Believing and showing that both you and other people really matter.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet

BL for Body Language Sending and receiving meaningful messages through using your body.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet

E for Effort Deliberately learning and practising new approaches to overcome challenges.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet

S for Smile Spreading ripples of positive emotions and kindness through smiling and saying hello.

Usually

Sometimes

Not Yet Acknowledgement: Rita Pierson

“Don’t ask yourself what the world needs. Ask yourself what makes you come alive and then go do that. Because what the world needs is people who have come alive.” Howard Thurman

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Character Strengths: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to learn about Character Strengths and do the VIA Survey to identify your top strengths. PERMAH+ Reflection: what could you do to use each of your top strengths?

The twenty-four Character Strengths are valued personal traits which make up who you are as a person and what you unconsciously use to make sense of the world. Everyone has all of them in different amounts depending on their life experiences. Discover yours 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.

CREATIVITY

CURIOSITY

JUDGEMENT

Coming up with original and novel ways to think Your VIA about, design and do No. things. Can be applied to nearly every human pursuit and your role as a senior student.

Finding fascination in exploring and Your VIA discovering more about No. things that interest you.

Can be extended to learning more about how you can perform your role as a senior student better.

Being open minded to consider and examine things from all angles to arrive at logical conclusions. Can include changing how you perform your role as a senior student by learning new approaches.

LOVE OF LEARNING

Your VIA No.

LOVE Seeking and valuing close social connections and relationships with others, particularly those students and teachers who you work closely and cooperatively with.

Being able to make Your VIA sense of your role as No. a senior student, be open to new ideas, and share your thoughts wisely with other students and your Circle of Champions.

HONESTY

PERSEVERANCE Pushing through obstacles to finish what you start, and following through on what you say you will do, particularly when it involves practising more difficult tasks.

BRAVERY

PERSPECTIVE

Thriving on mastering new Your VIA skills and competencies No. in your role as a senior student, whether from your own curiosity to develop yourself or from being part of a cooperative and sharing team.

Being truthful and presenting yourself as someone who is sincere, sticks to what you know is right, and takes responsibility for your words and actions.

Being able to overcome a setback or Your VIA challenge, and acting No. on and speaking up on what your mind tells you is the right thing for you to do, even when unpopular.

ZEST Your VIA No.

KINDNESS Your VIA No.

Your VIA No.

Doing good to feel Your VIA good, and feeling good No. to do good. Being prepared and wanting to give of yourself to do little kind things often for others.

Approaching your role as a senior student with energy and enthusiasm, and enjoying every day as an exciting adventure to challenge your best self.

Your VIA No.

SOCIAL INTELLIGENCE Being aware of the Your VIA reasons behind what No. make other people do things, and then adjust what you do to enable cooperative working relationships to support each other.

Acknowledgement and thanks to the VIA Institute. © 2014 VIA Institute. All Rights Reserved.

“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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Character Strengths: your best self as a young person Have fun doing the strengths weeks to make character strengths key pillars in your school. To learn more about Character Strengths, google the enjoyable 8 minute Tiffany Schlain youtube clip, called, “Science of Character.”

Character strengths bring the following virtues alive;

Wisdom, Courage, Humanity, Justice, Temperance, Transcendence.

The colour of each virtue aligns with strengths of that colour.

TEAMWORK Cooperating well as a member of different teams, feeling valued by them, and contributing your fair share to achieve what the team set out to do.

FAIRNESS Your VIA No.

Choosing to treat all people with respect, kindness and integrity.

Be consistent to use the same courtesy and show that you value them all.

LEADERSHIP Your VIA No.

HUMILITY

Being strong to accept Your VIA that making mistakes No. is part of being human, and forgiving people who do so, and give them a second chance.

Letting your Your VIA achievements speak for No. themselves, and quietly and efficiently go about how you perform as a senior student to contribute to the teams you are part of.

Being self-aware of the emotions you are feeling, controlling your impulses, and being self-disciplined as a senior student. Having grit to stay focused.

Your VIA No.

HOPE Believing that through your own efforts, you can influence your own future as a senior student, and achieve the goals you have set for yourself and as part of teams.

APPRECIATION OF BEAUTY & EXCELLENCE

Noticing and appreciating beauty, excellence and outstanding efforts.

Valuing nature and everyday experiences.

Enjoying laughing and having fun with people, and bringing smiles to their faces. Sharing the light and bright side of life to generate positive emotions in yourself and others.

Making considered and Your VIA careful choices to avoid No. taking undue risks and not saying or doing things that you might later regret.

GRATITUDE Your VIA No.

Being aware of and Your VIA thankful for the efforts No. of people and the good things that happen every day; avoiding being on autopilot and taking things for granted.

SPIRITUALITY

HUMOUR Your VIA No.

Your VIA No.

PRUDENCE

FORGIVENESS

SELFREGULATION

Encouraging and enabling people to enjoy cooperating together to practise and achieve shared goals, while maintaining respectful expectations and relationships.

Your VIA No.

Having something bigger Your VIA than yourself as your No. life purpose and which brings you meaning to understand where you fit in the big scheme of things.

Acknowledgement and thanks to the VIA Institute. © 2014 VIA Institute. All Rights Reserved.

“Always be a first rate version of yourself, instead of a second rate version of someone else.” Judy Garland

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Fabulous First 5 Minutes:

when is a time that you were thrilled to be asked to participate

in something?

Inspiring You:

what is a self-determined choice you can make this week to move you towards achieving your goals?

Meaning + Purpose IKIGAI WHY: by understanding that your intrinsic motivation comes from your sense of purpose in life, your ikigai, you will be more likely to focus on something larger than yourself.

HOW: be optimistic and hopeful that you can influence your own future by, writing down goals, doing things you love to do, giving of yourself to make a positive difference in others’ lives, and having empathy for what our world needs. A major cause of low moods in students, is lacking a purpose and forever seeking instant gratification from social media.

Acknowledgement: Frankl & Nakanishi

DO: what is something larger than yourself and which the world needs, could this be your purpose in life. ................................................................................. ................................................................................. .................................................................................

What is something else that you need to do to influence your own future? ................................................................................. .................................................................................

What is a little thing that you do or could do every day to make a positive difference to others’ lives? ................................................................................. .................................................................................

Which character strength could help you with Ikigai? (pages 10) .................................................................................

“Ikigai, my purpose for living.” MW

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Resilience Builder People tend to like or dislike qualities in others which they like or dislike in themselves. Choose to be optimistic to look for good in others first. What are five qualities you like in yourself and others?

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

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Acknowledgement: Building Social Emotional Resilience, Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne

Mindful Colouring In

GRIT and PASSION:

what do you need to do to be focused on your goals, to ask for feedback on your efforts, and learn new approaches to fix your mistakes.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Big Five Check In: Colour in how well you went.

Gratitude:

Feel positive

Exercise daily

Sleep well

Eat healthy

Drink water

what went well that you were grateful for?

Who was I kind to?

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Fabulous First 5 Minutes:

who is someone who you upset recently who you need to say sorry to?

Inspiring You:

what is a self-determined choice you can make this week to move you towards achieving your goals?

Positive Emotions + Gratitude CIRCULATING POSITIVES WHY: by thinking about special experiences that you enjoyed in the past, or are enjoying now, or are looking forward to enjoying, you will self-generate positive emotions in yourself.

Should your self-awareness lapse, your negative mind chatter, if not contested with positive I can and I will self-talk, can become your beliefs. When are two times you were conscious of contesting negative thoughts?

1.

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HOW: doing this is called savouring, which has proven uplifting benefits for your state of wellbeing.

To savour, take photos, journal about your experiences, be in the present moment at events and enjoy planning upcoming events in your life, such as socialising and holidays. When you feel a little flat, savour times you are grateful for to lift your spirits.

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Acknowledgement: Bryant & Veroff

Acknowledgement: Building Social Emotional Resilience, Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne

DO: what is a special memory, something good happening now and something you are looking forward to? ................................................................................. ................................................................................. .................................................................................

What are you are looking forward to most this week? ................................................................................. .................................................................................

What is a special achievement of a family member or friend that you could savour ................................................................................. .................................................................................

Which resilience skill could help you with Circulating Positives? (pages 112&113) .................................................................................

“Ultimately, time is all you have, and the idea isn’t to save it, but to savour it.” Ellen Goodman

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Resilience Builder

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2.

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Mindful Colouring In

GRIT and PASSION:

what do you need to do to be focused on your goals, to ask for feedback on your efforts, and learn new approaches to fix your mistakes.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Big Five Check In: Colour in how well you went.

Gratitude:

Feel positive

Exercise daily

Sleep well

Eat healthy

Drink water

what went well that you were grateful for?

What did I ask for help with?

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Fabulous First 5 Minutes:

what are foods and drinks to avoid that are laden with sugar and fats?

Inspiring You:

what is a self-determined choice you can make this week to move you towards achieving your goals?

Accomplishment + Optimism REVISING FOR GROWTH WHY: by understanding that your brain looks for patterns to retrieve information, and that revising creates these, you will be more likely to revise daily.

HOW: revisit your Cornell notes to answer your questions from class at home, use more intelligent approaches to organise what you learn, such as Thinking Tools, and make colourful posters of important points for your bedroom. Avoid distracting your brain’s attention with phones, TV and loud music; no learning will occur. At home have soft lighting, comfortable seating, warm and well ventilated, quiet and neat.

Acknowledgement: Wade & Anderson

DO: what do you currently do at home to revise what you learn?

Wellbeing@School Every day spend at least 15 minutes chilling out in a place away from home and school, called your Third Space. You can journal your thoughts, enjoy nature and watch your thoughts coming and going.

What are two places that could work for you?

1.

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2.

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Acknowledgement: Ryan, Deci, Seligman, Peterson, Shatte, Rievich, Frankl, Fredrickson, Emmons & Bandura

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Mindfulness Time

What could be benefits of revising your Cornell notes every night?

Choose one of these resources to explore selfcalming and mindfulness activities.

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When you don’t read over your subject notes every night, how much do you forget by the end of the week? .................................................................................

www.au.reachout.com

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Which resilience skill could help you with Revising for Growth? (pages 112&113) .................................................................................

“To avoid criticism, do nothing, say nothing, be nothing.”

Elbert Hubbard

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www.smilingmind.com.au

GRIT and PASSION:

what do you need to do to be focused on your goals, to ask for feedback on your efforts, and learn new approaches to fix your mistakes.

MONDAY

TUESDAY

WEDNESDAY

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SAT / SUN

Big Five Check In: Colour in how well you went.

Gratitude:

Feel positive

Exercise daily

Sleep well

Eat healthy

Drink water

what went well that you were grateful for?

What did I improve?

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Circle of Champions: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to ask for trusted adults to support you by being in your Circle of Champions. PERMAH+ Reflection: in what ways can each of your champions support you?

Draw a picture of or stick a photo in of each of your champions.

CHAMPION 1 What feelings do you want to have after asking for help?

CHAMPION 4

What do you notice about yourself when you start to not cope?

Picture of you or draw yourself

CHAMPION 2

CHAMPION 3 What is a worry you have that you can share with them now?

When is a time you asked one of your champions to help you?

Acknowledgement: Rita Pierson, Seligman & Fredrickson

Empathy is seeing with the eyes of another, listening with the ears of another and feeling with the heart of another.” Alfred Adler

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Respectful Relationships: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to learn the necessary ingredients to enjoying respectful relationships. PERMAH+ Reflection: to feel connected, protected and respected in your relationships what do you need to do?

RESPECTFUL RELATIONSHIPS NOT RESPECTFUL

RESPECTFUL

For your relationships to be respectful and healthy, you and other people need to feel: » Connected – feeling a sense of belonging and communicating openly and equally. » Protected – feeling emotionally and physically safe. » Respected – feeling that you are valued by others because you make a positive difference.

Be aware that you may not feel these three things when you are exposed to situations which include risk taking, drinking, drugs, not being prepared to seek help, body image, anxiety, eating disorders, bullying, unsafe, violent and power play relationships.

Reflect and self-asses on the following questions in terms of feeling connected, protected and respected.

Reflect and self-assess on

Your thoughts and experiences

When out socialising with friends, what attitudes and behaviours make you feel safe, and which make you feel unsafe?

What is a goal that you can choose to build your sense of competence as a senior student?

What are three challenges that you and your friends will need to overcome together as senior students this year?

Self-talk is a powerful coping strategy. Create a positive I can and I will selftalk statement that you can use for each of the above challenges.

What are positive effects that social media has on your relationships and also negative ones? What are the greatest?

What are five possible situations that you and your friends would benefit from discussing before you go out socialising to keep yourselves safe?

Acknowledgement: RRRR, Graduate School of Education, University of Melbourne

“To value and enjoy others are the greatest natural highs we can have.” MW

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Body Language: your best self as a young person This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to build your abilities to both read and send body language messages. PERMAH+ Reflection: what body language messages show that you are prepared to inspire your best self?

You have one chance to make a good first impression when you meet people. While many of your generation prefer to communicate electronically, the reality is that in the world of work you will need to communicate effectively in face to face situations with others. Remember that others’ mirror neurons will kick in positively when they see you intentionally being welcoming and interested. Explore the messages being sent in the following table and suggest at the bottom of the table three pairs of welcoming and unwelcoming body language.

Messages that you want to send to others

Describe the body language you would use to send each message

You want to be assertive to let your friends know clearly that you don’t want to participate in something.

You have just met a new student to your school and want to let them know that you’ll assist them to settle in.

You want to show that you are interested in listening to someone share a story about an experience with you.

You want to let younger students know that they can rely on you to follow through as a trusted role model.

You want your teachers to know that you are keen to learn with them and put in solid efforts.

Types of body language

Describe the messages being sent to others for each of these

Making eye contact and nodding while listening

Playing with your phone while someone is talking to you

Smiling, laughing and looking happy with others

Standing too close to someone you are talking with

Interrupting someone who is talking

Acknowledgement: Gable, Fredrickson & Diener

“Body language is leadership at first sight” Janna Cachola

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Preparing for Exams: as a senior student This Lesson: The PERMAH+ Learning Intention is for you to learn an exam preparation process which will optimise your efforts. PERMAH+ Reflection: what preparation process will you follow to be well prepared for your exams?

Being confident in your abilities to successfully negotiate exams is dependent on you following tried and proven processes to prepare yourself. Don’t fall into the trap of choosing not to follow an exam preparation process by thinking that you have your act together; be smart and realise that this won’t work for you.

THE LEAD UP –

every exam/assessment is an opportunity to reward your good efforts by performing well. Selfregulation is the key strength to prioritise what’s important to you. Use positive family teamwork to support you and spend more out of class time with teachers to clarify your understandings. Following are proven lead up strategies:

Social life –

reduce your social media activities to one hour daily and arrange for friends to call or visit at an agreed time.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Sleep – sleep for at least 9 hours and turn off your mobile at 9.00pm.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Exercise – exercise for an hour daily to clear your mind, create positive emotions and increase your oxygen

intake.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Diet – eat healthy fresh foods for brain energy, avoid excessive caffeine, junk food, sugar and fats and drink around 2 litres of water daily.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Travel time – listen to study recordings on your phone and plan what you will focus on when you arrive home.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Timing –

design an exam study timetable for revision 8 weeks before the exams and avoid late night studying and cramming.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

3F’S EXAM PROCESSES – to become a senior student who will flourish during the exam period, you need to be doing more intelligent things, not just knowing about and thinking about them.

Focus – pay attention to the challenge ahead of you and avoid distracting yourself by allowing your own thoughts to hijack your thinking. Look at past exams to identify question types – short answer, multiple choice, essay. In your bedroom put up key points, formulae, quotes and recite them loudly every morning and night.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Feedback – ask students who studied your subjects last year for feedback on your approaches. Ask teachers

what are the best way to prepare for their subjects, including what content will be assessed. Also, ask them what questions they were actually asking you to do. Often students misunderstand questions and don’t answer what has been asked.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Fix It – there is no substitute for deliberate practice to build your memory. Identify what you can’t do, and seek

help from your teachers to fix it. Practise better things to grow your abilities, including working at exam pace to get your timing right and studying in blocks of time equal to the duration of the exam.

Self-determined action: I will ...............................................................................................................................

Acknowledgement: Ericsson, Anderson, Walsh

“Do not wish to be anything but what you are and try to be that perfectly.” St Francis de Sales

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