Resilience Daily

Find a colleague who makes you feel safe and try to briefly connect with them each day.

This might be a friend, your supervisor, or simply a colleague with a particularly grounding presence. When you feel upset or stressed, it's important to share your emotions with someone you trust.

Once a day, remind yourself to remain open to change.

As uncertainty about schooling continues, being open to change helps decrease frustration associated with ambiguity. Science shows regularly reminding ourselves that change is a good thing can actually retrain our brains to handle it better.

When you feel overwhelmed, focus on your breathing instead of reaching for your phone.

We often use our phones to distract us from challenging moments, but this often leaves us more stressed and more disconnected from what matters most. Allow yourself a moment to turn inward instead and focus on your breathing.

Take a one-minute stretch break whenever you can throughout the day.

Stand up, change positions, stretch - anything to get your blood flowing. Frequent movement fuels your body and mind.

Write down your experience of the events this year.

Resilience is linked to making sense of stressful or traumatic events. We write or we express our stories to transform the traumatic memory to narrative memory.

Show someone concern without offering advice.

We may feel the urge to fix, rescue, change, or talk our loved ones out of their feelings because it hurts us to see them in pain. Instead of "How can I solve their problem," ask, "How can I be there for them in this moment?"

Stay in contact with family and friends.

However busy you may be at work and even if you are spending long hours at work, find time to check in with someone who matters to you. Even a quick text can give you a sense of connection and support. Ask them how they are doing and don't hesitate to tell them how you are doing and feeling.

Use a "feeling thermometer" to check-in with yourself.

When we are feeling our best, we are in the green zone. When we are a little uncomfortable, we are in the yellow zone. When we are uncomfortable, we are in the orange zone. When we are extremely uncomfortable, we are in the red zone. Where are you right now?

Identify your top "stressor signals" that remind you that your battery is running low.

Learning how to listen to your own particular signals is an important way to guide your microbreaks throughout your day. Common signals include rapid heart rate, strong negative feelings, and difficulty thinking clearly. When you notice your signal, take a brief pause to reset so you can be your best.

Limit your access to daily media.

Every time we are exposed to information that is stressful, our brains are activated to self-protect and this can throw us into a fight, flight, or freeze response. Disconnecting offers us an opportunity to manage our mental resilience.

Implement consistent routines in the home.

Doing things at about the same time every day makes our lives feel normal and predictable and is a simple way to take care of ourselves and our families.

When you're feeling stressed, remind yourself why you became a teacher in the first place.

Remembering what motivated you to join this field can help you move through challenging moments with more resilience.

Perform one small act of kindness for someone each day.

From holding the door for a stranger to lending a hand to a colleague, these micromoments of giving will make others feel valued and fill you with a sense of purpose.

Find a quote that helps you express gratitude.

Keeping that quote top of mind - or placing it where you can see it - will help you feel grateful and experience the associated benefits.

Reach out to someone you cherish and let them know you care about them.

This will fill their "emotional bucket," and will, in turn, make you feel good too. Appreciation is relationship glue.

Take a moment every week to compliment a coworker on a job well done.

It's one of the best ways to show gratitude, which not only helps strengthen relationships, but helps us cope better with stress and boosts resilience, too.

Write down a list of what you're grateful for before bed.

This will lower stress levels, take your mind off the news, and give you a greater sense of calm at night.

Once a day, take a moment to reflect on what you are grateful for.

In times of challenge or uncertainty, our brain defaults to focusing on our failures. Gratitude helps us both manage stress and give ourselves the credit we deserve.

Reflect on your "emotional temperature" on the "feelings thermometer" right now.

This simple practice helps regulate your nervous system and offers you an opportunity to pause and connect with yourself throughout the day.

Plan one check-in with someone you've been meaning to catch up with.

It can be a socially distanced meet-up or a virtual coffee date, but it's more important than ever to connect with others. Not only does connecting raise our spirits, it also supports immune functioning and helps us manage anxiety.

When washing your hands, think of 3 things you're grateful for.

Taking the 20 seconds to practice gratitude lowers your risk of infection and boosts positivity.

Stay in contact with family and friends.

However busy you may be, find time to check in with someone who matters to you. Even a quick text can give you a sense of connection and support. Ask them how they are doing and don’t hesitate to tell them how you are doing and feeling.

Today, identify a grudge you've been holding on to and let it go as a gift to yourself.

Research shows that forgiving others can reduce our anxiety and stress and improve overall well-being.

Allow yourself to do one thing at a time.

Multitasking has a negative impact on efficiency and concentration. Set clear and consistent boundaries to improve your focus and be at your best for yourself and others.

Prioritize your sleep each night.

Our sleep patterns can change during times of stress or crisis. Honoring our need for sleep helps us think more clearly, improves our mood, and gives our bodies the opportunity to recover and renew.

Take a few minutes to go outside each day.

Even a short walk outdoors will help you recharge. Outdoor light is crucial for resetting our internal circadian clocks. Vitamin D from sun exposure is also necessary for our body.

Choose one calming habit to role model each day for your students.

Children often take their emotional cues from adults. Spend just a few minutes on an activity that brings you calm - it might be meditation, breathing, stretching, or something else - for your own benefit, and theirs.

Paying attention to the sensations that your body experiences in each zone (green, yellow, orange, or red) of the "feelings thermometer".

Simple reflection will help you become more aware of how your body reacts in each zone.

Write or draw about how you are feeling today.

It's okay to notice and accept our feelings (without judgment) and trust that they will pass. Talking, journaling, or expressing our feelings help us process them and builds resilience.

Take a short break at least once a day.

Step away from your computer, even for just a few minutes, and do something that energizes you.  You'll return with renewed focus and purpose.

Turn a sit-down meeting into a virtual walking meeting.

The movement will get the creative juices flowing, and will allow you to sneak some light exercise into an already-busy day.

If you catch yourself in a negative thought pattern or feeling particularly stressed, turn your focus to the rising and falling of your breath. 

Even a few seconds of conscious breathing will help you reduce stress and increase calm and focus.

Identify your stress triggers. 

Focus on adopting any small steps that will help you alleviate your stress. Practicing stress management tools, such as meditation, positive affirmations, being in nature, and reaching out to your community during this time have all been shown to decrease negative stress reactions.

Think about the impact your work has on your students and your community. 

Pause for just a moment will give you a deeper sense of meaning and help you stay motivated.

Schedule a regular check-in with your parent or relative. 

Even a quick call or text will help them feel more connected in an isolating time.

Next time you reflect on a failure, ask what, not why. 

Instead of asking "Why didn't I succeed?", which is unproductive and can lead you to see yourself as a victim, ask what changes you can make or what skills you can develop to succeed next time.

Each day, spend time on someone else, even if you're busy. 

Helping, listening, or simply being present for someone else can benefit both you and whoever you're helping. Research shows that when we spend time on other, our sense of our own time actually expands.

When you feel overwhelmed by a problem you face, identify the smallest possible step you can take to address it. 

As you face complex challenges, practice breaking them down into small, manageable steps by asking yourself, "What's the smallest step forward I can take in this moment?" This increases your sense of control and self-efficacy.

When you're stressed, think of a specific time when you overcame an obstacle.

When you remember that you've made it through challenges before, you'll feel more resilient.

If a colleague is struggling, take a moment to support them.

Research shows that when we spend time helping or even simply being present for others, our sense of our own time actually expands.

Try something you've never done before.

When you break out of your comfort zone in small ways, you’ll build up your capacity to manage the busier, more anxiety-inducing moments in life.

Right now, send a message to a neighbor or friend and ask how you can help them.

This can put our stressors into perspective, and gives us a “helper’s high."

Read a good book.

Add a short story or novel to your reading list. Reading fiction boosts creativity and offers us a great opportunity to recharge.

Make time for tasks that matter by dropping the least important items on your to-do list.

When you give yourself permission to cut loose the things you don't really care about you'll have more time and energy left for what you really value.

Take your dance party to the next level.

Challenge your favorite people to a dance-off! Include judges and prizes :).

Host a dance party for one or more of your favorite people on any platform.

Not only will this provide a fun end to your week but it is also a great opportunity to introduce some exercise into your day.

Treat yourself to some time for relaxation.

You deserve to celebrate your hard work, and use it to do something that brings you joy.

When you come across something that makes you laugh, share it.

Spreading humor and joy is a great way to transcend the challenges of this moment.

At the end of each day, acknowledge one thing that you accomplished.

Focusing on your wins, no matter how small, will pave the path toward a growth mindset.

Indulge in 2-3 things today that are guaranteed to put you in the "green zone."

Treating yourself to a favorite treat or activity is a great way to unwind celebrate what you accomplished this week.

Choose a calming activity before bed.

A warm bath with Epsom salt, a darkened room, chamomile tea, meditation, and avoiding television or caffeine can all support quality R&R.

Reach out to a fellow teacher once a day.

Even a quick hello will let your colleagues know you’re thinking of them, which helps them feel valued.

Think of a person, place, or thing that makes you feel your best.

It can be a positive memory, your favorite place, your pet, your faith, or something that makes you smile.