Copyright © 2022 THE RESILIENCE PROJECT PTY. LTD.
Website developed by Macedon Digital
We want to inspire you and provide you with practical ways you can improve your mental health, feel happier and build resilience.
This is when you think about things you are thankful for (like your friends or a super cheesy pizza!).
Being kind to other people is a special kind of magic — because it makes you feel good too!
When it feels like there are a million things going on and your mind is racing, slowing down and taking big breaths can help a lot.
It’s ok to feel sad, grumpy or scared sometimes. But knowing your feelings will help you feel better quicker.
As we know, if we want to get better at something, we need to practise. Our wellbeing is no different.
Here are some simple ideas to help you practise Gratitude, Empathy, Mindfulness and Emotional Literacy every day. Because the more you practise, the better you will feel.
Our brains work really hard for us all day.
In fact the average brain consumes about 34 gigabytes of data and information each day. To give you an idea of how much this is, a 30GB data plan will allow you to browse the internet for around 360 hours, to stream 6,000 songs or to watch 60 hours of standard-definition video.
Like any muscle in our body if we work it hard we also need to let it rest and recover.
TRY THIS…
• Go for a walk around the block or school yard.
• As you walk look for things you have not noticed before.
• See if you can spot five things that you never noticed.
• You can also try walking and focusing on all the things you can hear.
• As you do these activities you might find your busy mind wanders to other thoughts and focus just pay attention and bring it back to what you are doing. You will get better at this the more you practise.
Humans have mirror neurons. This means that when we see someone else experiencing something we feel it too. It works for positive emotions like smiling and also for pain. Have you ever winced when you saw someone getting hurt?
That’s your mirror neurons.
Its pretty handy as it keeps us from hurting each other and allows us to understand how someone else is feeling.
It is essential for EMPATHY.
TRY THIS…
1 MINUTE EXPERIMENT WITH A FRIEND OR FAMILY MEMBER.
• ‘Person A’ is going to smile and keep smiling for 60 seconds.
• ‘Person B’ is going to look at ‘Person A’ and try to not smile.
How did Person B go? Did they smile? Was it hard to not smile?
The reason that it is so hard for Person B to not smile is that humans have mirror neurons.
THINGS TO THINK ABOUT
When we are online our mirror neurons do not work the same as when we are face to face. We cannot see the reactions others have to the comments we make or the content we display. Therefore, we cannot see their joy or pain and the impact our actions are having.
Do you think comments online are often a lot harsher than what people would do or say face to face?
How might not directly observing other people’s reactions to your comments impact what you say or post?
Think about your behaviour online? Do you need to change anything?
Free resources to help you get through the struggles of life
The Resilience Project delivers emotionally engaging programs to schools, sports clubs and businesses, providing practical, evidence-based mental health strategies to build resilience and happiness.
Copyright © 2021 THE RESILIENCE PROJECT PTY. LTD.
Website developed by Macedon Digital
Everyone is different. But trying to understand how someone else is feeling by being kind and compassionate towards them doesn’t just help them to feel better. When you show empathy or do something kind for someone else, your brain releases a chemical that makes you feel happy too!
Imagine you’re the richest person in the world but you have no friends or family to share it with. You wouldn’t feel very happy, would you? Empathy helps us feel closer to other people and makes us better friends and family members. This makes us feel better about ourselves and gives us more confidence, energy and overall happiness.
When everyone refused to say Voldemort’s name in Harry Potter, it only gave him more power. It’s the same when it comes to feelings.
When you aren’t able to express your feelings, they stay bottled up inside of you until you suddenly explode. But being able to say ‘I am feeling a bit worried at the moment’ means you can do something about it before those feelings overwhelm you. You can ask for help or you can remove yourself from the situation that causing you to worry. Practicing this will allow you to cope better when things get tough in future, such as if you have a disagreement with a friend or try out something new.
