Dragons Dig Deep
A Mental Health & Wellness Newsletter from CHS Counselors
November 2020
CHS Counselors are thankful that we are on this adventure with YOU!
Coming Up Soon
Nov. 13 - Early Release for Students 11:12 am.
Nov. 23-27 Thanksgiving Break
Nov. 26 - Thanksgiving
Simple Ways to Practice Gratitude
1. Keep a gratitude journal and add to it everyday.
2. Tell someone you love them and how much you appreciate them.
3. Include an act of kindness in your life each day.
4. Volunteer for organizations that help others.
5. Write a card to someone you haven’t seen in a while and thank them for their friendship.
6. Thank the people who serve you in the community — the wait staff at restaurants, store employees, etc.
7. Say thank you for the little things your loved ones do for you, things you normally take for granted.
8. Post quotes and images that remind you to be grateful around your house.
9. Tell your grandparents or an elderly neighbor thank you for their presence in your life.
10. Be thankful when you learn something new.
11. Make a gratitude collage, cut out pictures of all the things that you are grateful for.
What are you most thankful for?
Mrs. McCoy: three precious grandbabies that light up my life!
Mrs. Coates: a healthy family!
Mrs. Moore: morning walks with my best friend, my dog Hank!
Mrs. Piriano: my kids, husband, and Ali Cat!
Mrs. Cuellar: my family, friends, and good health!
Mrs. Hunt: my husband, children, and furry baby and the fact that we are all healthy; that my precious daddy is still with me at 90 years old; my teammates who have a passion for helping and serving students; for all the soldiers who have fought and continue to fight for our freedom.
The Benefits of Practicing Gratitude
People who regularly practice gratitude by taking time to notice and reflect upon the things they're thankful for experience more positive emotions, feel more alive, sleep better, express more compassion and kindness, and even have stronger immune systems.
Freshen Up Your Thanks
The best way to reap the benefits of gratitude is to notice new things you’re grateful for every day.
Be Social About Your Gratitude Practice
Our relationships with others are the greatest determinant of our happiness. So it makes sense to think of other people as we build our gratitude.
What Grateful People Have in Common
People who experience the most gratitude (and therefore the positive effects) tend to:
- Feel a sense of abundance in their lives
- Appreciate the contributions of others to their well-being
- Recognize and enjoy life's small pleasures
- Acknowledge the importance of experiencing and expressing gratitude
Train Your Brain for Gratitude
Whether or not these attitudes come to you naturally, paying attention to life's positives can train you to see more and more of them, which will help you learn to be more grateful. You might feel blessed that good weather allowed you to get out for an afternoon run, that a stranger lent a helping hand, that you made it to the bus on time, or that your kids offered to do the dishes. Acknowledging these things—on paper, with words, or even in your thoughts—will help you cultivate an attitude of gratitude—and with it, a boost in happiness that will last year-round.
Gratitude and Mindfulness go hand in hand.
Gratitude allows us to notice the many blessings we have and distracts us from the many misfortunes that we face. Mindfulness helps us react to our misfortunes with grace, acceptance, and meditation. Together these two practices nurture the happier self within us.
The Importance of Self-Management for Students
What is Self-Management?
Self-management is an essential component of social emotional learning. Building from the foundation of self-awareness, the Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning (CASEL) defines self-management as, “the ability to successfully regulate one’s emotions, thoughts, and behaviors in different situations.” This regulation is achieved by effectively managing stress, controlling impulses, and motivating oneself. In short, self-management is the ability to set and work toward personal and academic goals without significant deviation.
What Skills are Associated with Self-Management?
- Impulse control – Impulse control relates to the idea of delayed gratification. This refers to the ability to distract oneself from a desire in order to delay that impulse. Impulse control, then, is the ability to not act on immediate impulses, but rather delay that action for a period of time.
- Stress management – Stress management can occur through a variety of strategies. Teachers should expose students to several different methods through discussion and implementation. Having a solid foundation of self-awareness will allow students to determine when they are stressed so that they can implement practiced strategies with more success.
- Self-discipline – Self-discipline requires an individual to control one’s feelings and impulses. Also known as willpower, self-discipline allows us to ignore other stimuli in order to focus on the goal at hand and follow our plans despite distractions.
- Goal setting – Research has found that students tend to find more success when working with individually set goals. These goals, however, need to be SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, Timely) so as to better prepare students to successfully meet them.
- Self-motivation – Intrinsic motivation is a skill that is difficult to teach. Students must develop their own internal push that will keep them moving toward a goal. Having developed a specific goal is a great start to employing self-motivation.
- Organizational skills – Organizational skills can refer to the organization of physical space and materials, mental pictures and information, and time. Keeping our work areas uncluttered, as well as storing materials in a neat and organized manner for easy access, allows for more productive work time. Filtering information to be relevant to the topic at hand with a clear big picture can help to keep us on track. Lastly, keeping track of time and being aware of time commitments can help us to meet expectations.
Angels are coming!
CHS counselors are here for you! View our video to learn more about us and the other counselors in Carroll ISD!!
New in 2020 - Counselor Virtual Offices!
How to log in to Naviance
How to log community service hours in Naviance/X2VOL
College SuperMatch
Researching colleges
Finding your strengths
Tutoring resources
Local counseling resources
The counselors have plans to add more videos and print resources regularly, so check back often to see what is there. Click on the link below for a quick look at your counselor's virtual office!
Carroll High School Counseling Office
A-D Melissa Watson
E-K Sherry McCoy
L-Q Becca Piriano
R-Z Kara Cuellar
Intervention Janay Hunt
Registrar Karen Moore
Office Secretary Jill Coates
Website: https://www.southlakecarroll.edu/domain/690
Location: 800 North White Chapel Boulevard, Southlake, TX, United States
Phone: 817-949-5620
Twitter: @CHSCnslingCrew