Social-Emotional Learning: Social Awareness

I think "pawsitive" experiences or moments can have a huge impact on our wellbeing. The joy and excitement of our furry friends is very contagious, therefore contributing to our inner explorations about our emotions, identities and assets. Pets can also help us to link our feelings and values and thoughts.

Benefits of pets is also acknowledged in current research about wellbeing, both our mental and physical wellbeing. I have seen therapy dogs in schools, and therapy cats in nursing homes, and the recent research shows that taking care of a gold fish can help people to better manage their own health (link below)

And if we can combine playing with pets (either our owns, or pets trusted to our care) while enjoying the nature, we are getting even more out of the self-care moments in the nature! What could be better? :)

I am strongly advocating for the year 2025 to be the year for Adult SEL and resilience. More information here: NotesFromNina

https://newsinhealth.nih.gov/2018/02/power-pets

Social-Emotional Learning: Self-Management

I blogged in my other blog NotesFromNina about the importance of focusing on adult SEL in 2025. I am a Finn, and I like my old Finnish proverbs, and one of them reads like this: "Ei voi kauhalla ottaa jos on lusikalla annettu".  English translation is pretty much like this: "When someone has been given with a spoon, they can't be asked to give back with a ladle."

The origin is not pretty, because it often was used to point out someone's lack of intelligence. But, the statement is quite true: if we have only received a spoonful (of anything), we cannot give to others with full ladles. 

My point here really is: in order to help others we HAVE TO take care of ourselves. Hence, the importance of Self-Care and Self-Management for everyone who is teaching.

I found this arrangement on the beach in late January and wondered if someone made it as an artistic expression. However, I didn't see too many footprints around it, so I also wondered if waves had just thrown the debris there. No matter how it came to be, there it was on the beach, making me happy and finding some awe in my daily walk. 

For me awe is needed for happiness, whether it is the mountains, or the ocean, or the desert or the forest, there is always something nearly magical in those environments. They are bigger than us. They sustain us.  Here is more about how to find Awe in our lives to find more ways to feel better and manage our daily work. I do believe that in all levels of education we also need more of Hopeful Pedagogy!