May You Have Unquestionable Health and Less Stress
“May you have unquestionable health and less stress” – an excerpt from the song Have It All by Jason Mraz
One positive change that I’ve noticed between the time I posted this image the first time and now, is that people are a lot more aware of the mind-body connection. Back then, it still took some courage to voice my belief that your mental health has a big influence on your physical health. Six years later, it’s not something that people laugh at. Thanks to COVID, a lot of people are more aware of the importance of mental wellness.
My daughter now attends the same middle school that my oldest used to attend six years ago. But if you look at how much focus is on the emotional development of the students, it’s a totally different school! Every morning, the students check in with the teachers using a chart called the “Mood Meter.” They schedule in mindful moments and team building activities several times a week. And visually, it’s different, too. The hallways are covered with uplifting murals.
The youngest also has social emotional learning built into his curriculum too, and I think it’s a great influence on the entire community. To be honest, I’m seeing big differences in the way the teachers treat their students. The teachers who had reputations as being very tough seem a little more gentle now. They themselves appear to handle stresses better.
Some parents do express their wish that the teachers were a little more strict, but I personally hope this trend continues. It’s about time we all recognize how much damage stress is causing to our health. We deserved to learn that when we were children, just as our children are learning now.