By Liz Fox, HS ELA and Collaborative Teacher I know many of us are immersed in researching ways to alleviate stress in our students’ lives. Recently I had the opportunity to participate in a round table discussion with other certified facilitators of Real Colors® about stress related to our current challenges. (Real Colors® is a company that uses temperament theory to help people learn about themselves and learn how to apply their strengths to real life situations.)
I came away from our discussion realizing that it’s important for us adults to consider the toll this new reality is having on us. Here’s some of what we talked about; I hope some of it will be of use to you. We are absolutely leading lives differently as our country has come to a virtual halt. We are dealing with, working with, living with, and even loving others in ways that may be foreign to us. According to one of the staff of Real Colors®, the four main reasons people experience stress are as follows:
This person continued with what I took away as a huge a-ha moment: **Perception plays a big part in how we personally process stress. What is a big deal to someone may not be to someone else. We cannot discount how someone is feeling just because it doesn’t match our own reality. Doing so brings disconnect. It’s important to get to the root of what’s going on with that other person without judgment. So what can we do to mitigate stress in these inherently stressful times? Well, that may depend on your temperament.
Everyone is an amalgam of all four temperaments (of different degrees), so perhaps something from each temperament resonates with you. And remember your students will have different needs based on their temperaments as well. Finally, when we serve others, we release chemicals, including oxytocin, which help us feel better. That alone might help us survive these challenging times! None of this is earth-shattering news, but maybe something here will be of help to some of you. Hang in there and be assured you are doing the best you can dealing with our new reality. Here are some memes and quotes that may help you destress: Words to help center teachers.
14 Comments
Sarah
4/29/2020 07:47:03 pm
Thank you for your post, Liz! It is very timely! I resonate with each of these......
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Sarah Zbornik
4/30/2020 06:09:30 am
Thank you, Liz. It is a timely reminder that we all deal with stress differently. Also, thank you for being a Real Colors facilitator. I know it has had a great impact for many in our district, and now it is helping me understand how people are dealing with this situation.
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Toni
4/30/2020 06:52:23 am
Thank you for your post. I'm so lucky to have taken a class with you. Reading your post, made me go back and look at my color book to see what types my family are, so I know how to work with them during this time. Again, Thank You!
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Jenn
4/30/2020 07:53:26 am
Oh Liz! I have learned so much from you through both Colors courses I have taken from you. This post is a wonderful reminder that we all have each "color" within us. We might be surprised to feel some colors more now, than we have felt them in the past. I love the part in your post about getting to roots without judgement.
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Ann
4/30/2020 10:35:59 am
Thank you Liz. I enjoyed reading your post and bringing to mind what I learned in the Colors class. The 4 main reasons people experience stress and our personal perception of what is stressful, gave me pause to reflect. We need to consider the temperaments of the people we are in contact with or living with. They may have a different perception of what is stressful and how they react to it. Thank you for your words of encouragement.
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Nicolle Korsness
5/1/2020 09:10:26 pm
Thank you. We all deal with different kinds of stress. These pass few weeks, have added new stressors that we never expected. Thank you for the tips and strategies that may help us get through this time of uncertainty and sadness of not being able to be in the classroom with our students and knowing the kids are missing out on so much end of the year activities and closure.
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Dale
5/3/2020 08:34:01 pm
Thank you for your comments through the blog. Reading the post helped me focus on the issue of stress in me and in others. You are right we all don't handle it the same ways. I worry and wonder about how are students are doing in this time
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Stephanie Radloff
5/4/2020 07:47:08 am
Thank you for this blog! I have been struggling with not having my usual routine and seeing the students on a regular basis. The study hall I help out in has been a great help and has helped to relieve some stress. I have gotten things done off my bucket list which has helped me feel accomplished like I am getting something done here at home when I'd prefer to be at school with everyone doing the normal. This has put into perceptive for myself to not be hard on myself and to take a deep breath and find a new normal for each day. I have gotten to Zoom more with students and co-workers and been able to spend more time Facetiming with my grandchildren who live out of state so this has been a positive for me during this time and helps keep things in line. Thank you again for sharing this and helping me to understand myself and others better.
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Mary Winger
5/5/2020 09:07:11 am
Each of those 4 bullets spoke to me loud and clear. Utilizing those tips has improved my daily life during this difficult time.
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Greg Murphy
5/5/2020 05:03:11 pm
Thanks for this article. Much food for thought on the subject of stress which is of course something we can't see but sure can feel. But everyone feels it in their own way, so they have to deal with it in their own way. The tips you gave as ways to deal with stress are helpful and can be adapted into our own needs and styles.
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Clarissa Einck
5/7/2020 06:53:07 pm
Stress is always so very important to understand since everyone handles it so differently. I appreciated the suggestions/explanations. Great blog given this uncertain time in our lives. Thank you for this.
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Andrea Knaack
5/15/2020 03:24:55 pm
I appreciate this post at this point in time Liz! I continue to try to process the "new normal" and have felt a wide range of emotions with each week that comes and goes. At the beginning of the school closure, I really struggled with separating school and home since it all seemed interconnected/smashed together. I have definitely gotten better at this balance as time has gone on through the implementation of a schedule that separates work time and family time. I have also used exercise (on new trails!) as a way to stay mentally and physically challenged. I have learned a lot about managing my life as a whole, which I believe will allow me to be more successful in the long run!
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Shanna
5/17/2020 05:23:21 pm
Thank you for the great tips! I was able to make connections with a lot of the training I do for PBIS and the importance of validating the feelings of others (even if they do not much our own). We often have the best intent when we say things like, "It's okay," but statements like that can dismiss the feelings of others when they are trying to tells us it is not (or they are not okay). Especially during these challenging times, it's important to support each other and realize that we are all being impacted differently. It's essential that we have grace for others as well as ourselves!
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Carmen
5/19/2020 08:06:08 am
Thank you Liz for always being so positive and helpful. I took the Colors class many moons ago. I have been surprised at the way different colors have shown through for me during these uncertain times. I am a very outgoing people person. I have found myself antsy at home and missing people. In the beginning, I found myself cleaning and organizing, which is not my norm. I needed to stay busy. I have appreciated the quality and meaningful time I have had at home with my family. When life resumes, I know I will miss that. I have found ways to help elderly neighbors and others in need. I love the quite Shanna used: "we rise by lifting others up!"
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