Stepping back into our schools at the beginning of term felt like a big step. After six months of remote learning and limited contact, we regained face to face contact with colleagues and children alike. There’s been a familiarity about being back in; reconnecting with people, places and routines that we know well. Yet, there’s also a lot that’s different. Bubbles, endless handwashing routines and the colleague whose got a new haircut. It all reminds me of the infamous quote associated with Star Trek, ‘It’s life Jim, but not as we know it’.
I wonder how it’s felt for you to be back in?
A tweaked landscape provides a unique opportunity to become aware of ourselves in a way that we wouldn’t be able to if we were just carrying on as normal. As we notice our internal reaction to our external realities, we start to learn what’s good for us and what’s not.
I want to encourage you to take a strengths based approach to this, by inviting you to ask yourself some questions about what’s going on when it’s working well for you. If you can understand what’s going on when it’s working well, you can actively choose to do that thing more often. This will create a ‘virtuous circle’ for you.
So grab yourself a cuppa, a piece of a paper and a pen and stow yourself away somewhere that’s distraction free for ten minutes. You may want to start by taking a few deep breaths, breathing out any tension that’s with you from your day so far, and setting aside any immediate concerns or worries. When you’re ready, start to engage with these questions:
I wonder…
….at the times you’ve felt most positive about being back in school, what has your internal voice been saying? What have you felt most excited, positive about? What does this tell you about what motivates you?
…at the times you’ve felt most positive about being back in school, what external voices have you been listening to you? Who has brought you encouragement, made you feel strong and positive? What does this tell you about who your cheerleaders are?
…at the times you’ve felt most positive about being back in school, what perspectives have helped you to feel calm and grounded? Has taking a perspective of a few weeks, months helped? Has seeing things from the perspective of others in society helped? Are there spaces you have retreated to that have felt free from the challenges of school? What will help you to keep returning to these places as you continue to face challenges?
You can find more of our resources to support your wellbeing here.