Wellness and Resilience Strategies: Mindful Self-Awareness

“Radical Reflection: You are not your thoughts! That said, avoiding your thoughts will not help you train your brain to think new ones. You must look at them with gentle kindness and say, “Thank you for sharing.“ And with love, release them.” – Sonya Renee Taylor

Sections 8-11 build upon a model called the Wellness Compass developed by the Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation. The four sectors – Mindful Self-Awareness, Core Values, Physical Wellness, and Healthy Relationships – not only contribute to our overall wellness, but also provide guidance on strategies to help build our compassion resilience. Before delving in further, you may want to take a self-assessment of your current wellness and resilience practices. Hold onto this and notice if any that you marked as “this never occurred to me” change as you encounter the next four sections of the toolkit.

Mindful Self-Awareness is the first sector we will explore. Participants discover the impact of one’s sense of organization, meaningful work, and being present on well-being. Mindfulness is a contemplative practice of being intentionally aware in the present moment. Mindfulness is a key skill used in this section, as well as those that follow: Core Values, Physical Wellness, and Healthy Relationships.

Facilitator Materials for Section Eight

Facilitator Agenda, Section Eight

Supplementary Activities/Handouts

Wellness and Resilience Strategies Reflection

Power of the Positive Word (15 minutes-30 minutes)

Practicing Mindfulness – The Body Scan and Pause (3-10 minutes)

Appreciative Inquiry Reflection on Competence (15 mins-45 mins)

Links Specifically for Leadership

Name and Celebrate Staff Competence

Showing appreciation to your staff and fellow co-workers is a part of a healthy, productive, and encouraging work culture. Here are some options to encourage appreciation and focus on the specific competencies of staff or staff teams that combine to produce your school’s positive outcomes.

1. Create a process where staff can nominate each other for staff appreciation
2. Create and maintain an ongoing list of assets of your team or workplace — Something everyone can add to and see in the teachers’ common gathering space
3. Develop a gratitude board, or employ other strategies to foster a workplace attitude of gratitude

Leadership Considerations specific to Individual Wellness – Youtube
The four sectors of the wellness and resilience strategies, Mindful Self-Awareness, Core Values, Physical Wellness, and Healthy Relationships, not only contribute to our overall wellness, but also provide guidance on strategies to help build our compassion resilience. This leader talks about how they utilize the four sections with her team to help build individual wellness.

Additional Resources

Link to resources, videos, and tools to learn more about and develop a growth mindset.

Short video on using mindfulness in teaching practice.