May 22nd 2020
Be Kind to Yourself!
We are all human and we are all meant to have human connections. Yet, this is one of the main things that we have all missed during this time of isolation. No matter how much effort we put into WhatsApping our friends, Zooming our weekly quiz nights or GoogleMeeting over a fizzy drink (alcoholic or not!), we have all missed our friends and wider family over the last couple of months.
This can lead us to feeling pretty miserable at times, and I don’t think there are many people who can say that they haven’t felt at least a little ‘discombobulated’, if not properly ‘grumpy’ at some point during lockdown. And do you know what? It’s OK and quite expected in the present situation.
So how do we deal with it?
Firstly, we need to understand that it is normal to feel this way. Almost everyone, (if not everyone) will have similar feelings at some point. I mentioned in my Vlog last week to the boys that Monday for me was not a great day. However ‘tomorrow is another day’ I hear my parents say, and Tuesday was certainly a better day. My escape valve is exercise and a good hour of running put me back in a much better place. Running may not be everyone’s thing (actually it’s not really mine) but there are many things that can help you get back on the front foot.
This week has been Mental Health Awareness Week and it couldn’t have come at a better time to focus the minds of the boys, staff and parents at Moulsford. We are all coping in our own way and there are numerous different things to help us deal with the way we feel.
The message from this week has been about Kindness. I challenged the boys to do Acts of Random Kindness (ARK) at home, as not only does this make other people feel happier, it is proven to make you feel better too. This week has also been about being kind to yourself and this is where we all need to take some time for ourselves. Whether that be doing some exercise, reading a book, doing mindfulness, cooking something new and healthy or even just messing about in the back garden.
Also this week the boys in Years 3-7 have heard from James Shone, a speaker who runs his charity ‘I Can and I Am’ based around the core message of how to respond to set backs and anxiety, by inflating one’s ‘balloon of self-belief’. (The boys in Y8 will have an opportunity to hear directly from James later in the term). If you want to hear about someone who has certainly overcome adversity you can get a flavour of his message from this link to his TEDx Talk.
It has been an unusual Summer Term so far, but the Moulsford Community, including boys, staff and parents, have all pulled together magnificently. It is time to relax a little over half term but do continue to be kind to others and be kind to yourself.
