Dealing With Your Emotion
How are you? I mean, how are you really?
Emotions can feel like a roller coaster ride with ups and downs and sudden turns. The uncertainty of COVID and the changing rules require constant adjusting. And not being able to make plans, we can experience a complete lack of control.
We can feel angry, sad and depleted of energy. Often, tempers are short. We can also jump to conclusions or be easily triggered/activated.
Emotions are not actions.
You get to control your actions.
You do not get to control your emotions.
Good news. We do not have to act on our emotions.
We do have to deal with them. Please do not ignore them. Notice them. They can teach you something.
For example, Person A is putting an order of supplies together. Person B says, “There are still some notebooks in the cupboard” (implying they should look before ordering more). Person A reacts, saying, “Don’t tell me what to do!” Silence and withdrawal follow.
Basically, someone says something. It makes you have a strong emotion. Actually, the emotion has nothing to do with what the other person said. They say something that causes you to react. But your strong reaction (stronger than the situation calls for) is from long ago.
Consider this as an opportunity to learn. Look back. When were you feeling this way as a young child? That is the cause of the trigger (stronger reaction than the situation in the present calls for.)
For Person B, above, they realize they get a strong emotional reaction whenever they perceive someone is telling them what to do. When they were young, they remember a parent constantly told them what to do, and it really bothered them.
What can you do with strong emotions? It is a process. Honour them. Notice them. Experience them. Think back and learn. This is hard work. Only at this point do you have a choice, a choice to be controlled by your huge emotion or… you can choose to “give it up.” Give up the anger. After going through the process, it is a choice.
This is not easy to do. It takes practice, and we can become good at it. We do not have to be ruled by our emotions.
How do we Support Students who Lose Control? is a blog explaining how I teach this concept to students. There are some very practical strategies for adults as well.
Opportunity to Support Parents/Guardians
The child, the teacher and the student are a team. I always called these teams, Team Mary or Team Kevin (name of child). On parent-teacher nights the team gets together to support the child.
With many of our students at home, I think one way to support you, the teacher, is to support parents/guardians right now. Ask your parents to join me for a three-day FREE program to help them manage stress, address family drama and build a family culture where everyone thrives. Many parents are experiencing a tremendous burden right now.
You can support your parents as they support our students. Let them know of this opportunity. Here is a short description:
The 3-day Parent workshop called “Forward Momentum” is totally FREE.
I know parents don’t have much time so the program packs a punch. It’s interactive, supportive and provides a practical step by step tools for parents.
And because I spent years teaching, I have valuable resources for your kids that align with the content of the parent program. We will touch on these resources inside the 3-day free workshop.
Parents, you are on a journey and I can help you become super-focused on key concepts that will help you get results quickly. Things like:
Managing Stress & De-escalating a Conflict
Engaging the Power of your Mind
The Thinking-for-Success Rule
People Who Know My Work Are Saying
In her interactions with learners of all ages, adults and children, Margaret Boersma embodies the social-emotional skills she teaches. She is a master of attentive listening and communication, a trainer that values, supports and empowers her clients.
– Cindy Sisti, Teacher, York Region DSB, ON, Canad
Margaret Boersma’s experience and expertise regarding social-emotional literacy/skills are outstanding! She has offered many programs in different places across Canada and the United States as well as in Holland and New Zealand. In these times where so many children are experiencing trauma, we need this more than ever! Anyone who is looking for guidance on how to teach and support children/students, you won’t look elsewhere when you see what Margaret has to offer. She has impacted countless students, educators and parents around the world.
– Lynn McLaughlin, Podcast Host, Award-Winning Author, Professional Speaker, Advocate, Former Superintendent of Greater Essex County DSB, ON, Canada
If you are interested in the 3-day FREE Forward Momentum workshop, I invite you to click the link below.
If you’re open to personal growth and want to lower the stress and overwhelm but you need some practical strategies, I can help.
We’ll do this together and make big things happen for you. Get started now. Please reach out to me through the website creativeeducationinaction.com
Teachers, feel free to send the parents/guardians of your students the information about this opportunity
FYI, after things settle a bit for you, I will offer my program for teachers.
There is also a private Facebook Group called, Parents Thrive. We will be sharing resources and helpful strategies to support parents inside this group. Please invite your parents to join us.
Two Questions for You
Teachers, I invite you to respond to this email with your answer to these questions,
“What is your single biggest frustration when it comes to working with children during the pandemic?”
“What is the dream solution for you in this case?”
I look forward to hearing from you.
Bio:
Margaret uses performing arts and moves audiences to ponder deeply. As an educator, she draws on her passion in the arts and social and emotional learning (SEL) to help both students and teachers thrive. Teachers receive strategies from a cross-curricular teaching model that integrates social and emotional learning (SEL) with whole brain learning. The result is students are emotionally engaged and apply their learning to other contexts.
As a teacher of more than 30 years, specializing in the Arts, social and emotional learning (SEL) and whole brain learning, Margaret has consulted and presented interactive programs across Canada and the United States as well as in Holland and New Zealand.
Margaret and her husband of almost 30 years love boating in the North Channel, Ontario. She is mom to a grown son who also loves learning and teaching.