It’s back to school and this is our new normal…nothing’s normal. School is a hybrid or just remote still, we’re on the verge of possibly another lockdown and the pandemic has already stripped away all the creativity and innovation that educators bring to the classroom. So how do you move forward and maintain a positive outlook and take good care of your mental health as an educator post-pandemic, while teaching youth that has gone through it with you?
Let’s recap. Identify and understand what you’re feeling, Have someone that you can be vulnerable and transparent with that won’t judge you, and be intentional about doing the things that fire you up, that fill your heart with only good memories and feelings. And when it’s all said and done, take a deep breath and know that you’re not alone. We’re here to support and uplift you in many ways.
One Voice…One Team.
At One Voice One Team we have a philosophy of “understanding others before being understood”. The first thing you can do as an educator to maintain your mental health is understanding truly what you’re feeling. Identify the feeling and then find out what the stimulus is. Once that is clear the emotions connected to that feeling will be clearer to determine and understand. Being in denial of what you or others are feeling will keep you in a state of high anxiety. So take the time to understand.
Then ensure you have someone you can be completely vulnerable to without feeling judged. It’s going to be key for you as an educator to speak your truth and find the authenticity in your voice. Emotions are made to be expressed but you have to choose someone who has the capacity to actively listen to you and provide support when you need it.
Lastly, and this one is key! You have to find an outlet where you make room for your passions to be expressed. Taking care of your mental health is not just about controlling negative thoughts, it’s also about being intentional and countering negative thoughts with positive experiences. You can develop positive thinking but your feelings will tell you, you’re lying. It’s going to be important for you to experience joy, fun, laughter, love, meaningful moments by yourself and with others so your feelings can shift to a place that helps you destress and fills you up.
Ubuntu