YCMS Counseling through Connections
April Newsletter - 2019
"My Life Matters" May is Mental Health Awareness Month
York Chester Mental Health Awareness Week April 15 - 18
As every student knows, spring is filled with many activities, studying, exams, the pressure of the future, and all of the other stress-inducing things that come at the end of the school year. While they can be easy to just brush off, problems such as stress and anxiety are very real and can damage your mental health. And it’s not just academic stress; stress from family and relationship problems can also take a toll on your school and personal life.
We don’t really ask, “How are you?” anymore. Greetings have been switched to “What’s up?” or “Hey, how was school?” This shifts the focus off our emotions and more onto our activities. And while those are important, many students push their feelings to the side, even when they need to get them out.
May is Mental Health Awareness Month and it’s the perfect time to open up the conversation. Most people have been impacted by mental health in some way, whether personally, through a family member, or through a friend. It’s important for students to be able to recognize warning signs, know where to find resources if you or someone you care about is in need of help, and raise awareness to promote understanding around mental health issues.
These issues are not going to get better on their own, so the most important thing for those suffering is to get help. If you or someone you know is showing signs of any of these conditions, talk to an adult. Stop in for a chat with your school counselor or teacher, or talk with your parents about how you are feeling. Your school counselors are there for you, and they also have resources to help you. While you may look at them and think they specialize specifically in school schedules, they know how to handle situations this serious and can refer you to a specialist.
Optimism - Celebrate Good Times
Optimism is the most powerful mindset you can choose for yourself. It’s empowering. When you are optimistic, you are confident about what is to come in your life and your ability to prevail.
There are really no drawbacks in having a upbeat attitude in life. We all know that being surrounded by people that are optimistic, grateful and see things going wrong as a challenge rather than a tragedy, is a great personal motivator for our own attitude.
"Be positive."
It’s such a simple sentence, but so difficult to put into consistent practice.
With a positive attitude you see the bright side of life, become optimistic, and expect the best to happen. It is certainly a state of mind that is well worth working to develop.
So, where does optimism come from? Is it something we are born with or is it learned? For some lucky individuals, being optimistic comes naturally. The good news is that for most other people, optimism is an attitude that can be learned and practiced.
Without question, optimistic people are a lot more fun to be around. They are genuinely happier, healthier, more attractive people. They have an energetic sparkle that draws everyone to want to be around them. I call this the “Tigger factor.”
If you think back to your childhood days of Winnie the Pooh and his friends Tigger and Eeyore – ask yourself who you would rather spend time around – Tigger or Eeyore? Clearly the answer is Tigger!
After all, Tiggers are wonderful things, plus they bounce and bounce and bounce and bounce… Seriously, Tigger is cheerful and happy and fun. He is a party unto himself. Whereas Eeyore is unhappy, grouchy, and just plain whiny, and there is nothing enjoyable in being around a whiny person. Their negative attitude starts to wear off on you the more you are exposed to it. Fortunately, we are drawn to those people who display the Tigger factor because optimistic people make the good things in life seem more likely.
The best trait of optimists is that they seldom take things personal and generally are very specific to an event. If they experience for example a personal failure, they see it just as a bad day. It’s always a temporary state of being and never something permanent.
The same goes for positive events: positive people don’t make excuses if they succeed in something by feeling embarrassed and saying “oh well, I just got lucky.” They are happy about it and praise what they have achieved. They celebrate each small win.
Optimistic people celebrate good times, while also anticipating an exciting and fulfilling future.
Life can be a life-long celebration. Make it so.
There is always a reason to smile. Find it.
Students of the Month for April
Sometimes your biggest weakness can become your biggest strength
Take, for example, the story of one 10-year-old boy who decided to study judo despite the fact that he had lost his left arm in a devastating car accident.
The boy began lessons with an old Japanese judo master. The boy was doing well, so he couldn't understand why, after three months of training the master had taught him only one move.
"Sensei," the boy finally said, "Shouldn't I be learning more moves?"
"This is the only move you know, but this is the only move you'll ever need to know," the sensei replied.
Not quite understanding, but believing in his teacher, the boy kept training.
Several months later, the sensei took the boy to his first tournament. Surprising himself, the boy easily won his first two matches. The third match proved to be more difficult, but after some time, his opponent became impatient and charged; the boy deftly used his one move to win the match. Still amazed by his success, the boy was now in the finals.
This time, his opponent was bigger, stronger, and more experienced. For a while, the boy appeared to be overmatched. Concerned that the boy might get hurt, the referee called a time-out. He was about to stop the match when the sensei intervened.
"No," the sensei insisted, "Let him continue."
Soon after the match resumed, his opponent made a critical mistake: he dropped his guard. Instantly, the boy used his move to pin him. The boy had won the match and the tournament. He was the champion.
On the way home, the boy and sensei reviewed every move in each and every match. Then the boy summoned the courage to ask what was really on his mind.
"Sensei, how did I win the tournament with only one move?"
"You won for two reasons," the sensei answered. "First, you've almost mastered one of the most difficult throws in all of judo. And second, the only known defense for that move is for your opponent to grab your left arm."
The boy's biggest weakness had become his biggest strength.
~author unknown
Your ATTITUDE determines your DIRECTION
THINK HAPPY THOUGHTS
Every positive THOUGHT propels you in the right DIRECTION
Is Your Glass Half Full?
What’s your outlook on life? Would you consider yourself to be a pretty happy person? Do you take things in stride? When you look at the proverbial glass of water (or diet Mtn Dew!), do you see it as being half full or half empty?
Optimism or pessimism is how you choose to look at the future. Whether you believe the glass is half full or half empty is not just about optimism and pessimism - it's about how you relate to the world and to the people around you.
What I find fascinating is how different people choose to see the same situation in different ways. Here’s a fact, one which I see all around me, people who see the glass as half full tend to be happier.
Which kind of person are you?
Turning Negative Thinking Into Positive Thinking
Is your inner voice positive or negative? What thoughts dominate your mind when you sit down to study?
Positive self talk is very important when it comes to your success in school. If you are always telling yourself that you won’t do well, eventually, you will start to believe that.
It may seem simplistic, but make sure you are thinking positive about what you are studying. Make sure you have confidence that you can get the good grades you want to achieve in your studies. But don’t ever get down on yourself if you get a bad grade. A bad grade (or a good grade) should not define you. Perhaps a not so great grade is sending you a message that you need to try to study a little bit harder. And if you tried as hard as you possibly could, but still did not get the desired grade, you can take pride in the fact that you tried very hard.
Getting an undesirable grade could also mean that instead of continuing with the way you studied, maybe you need to make some changes in your study habits so that you are better able to grasp the material. Never get discouraged though, keep trying, keep making adjustments if needed, and your hard work will pay off.
Here are some examples to help you practice your positive thinking and self talk.
Through an Artist's Eyes: Gaston County School Annual Art Show
Moriah Odom's colored drawing "Splash of Color" is just one of the many fabulous pieces that will be entered an on display at the Historic Dallas Courthouse during the Gaston County School Annual Art Show
Brittany Garcia Barrantes
"Middle School Moments"
Juliet Garcia
"Bleeding Vines"
Zakiyah Evans
"Pineapple"
Camye Fernanders
"Night Owl"
Gabriel Wellman
"Dai Gurren"
Juliet Yasmina Garcia
"Shining Palm"
York Chester Middle Career Day 2019
Students got a glimpse into their potential future careers.
On Thursday, March 21, York Chester Middle School hosted a Career Day for all eighth grade students.
York Chester welcomed over 67 presenters and a total of 88 volunteers from many industries to learn about their careers.
Lawyers, scientific researchers, police officers and counselors filled a middle school gymnasium Thursday, eager to tell eighth graders about their chosen career path.
It was a fun and exciting day of learning!
Upcoming Events
8th Grade Visit to Hunter Huss High School
Spring Dance
3:30 - 5 pm
Book Fair
Hunter Huss Registration
S.T.E.A.M Night
April 10
5 - 6:30 pmSpring Yard Sale
April 13
7 - 11 am"My Life Matters" Mental Health Awareness Week
Band Concert
May 2
6:30 pmYork Chester Sunday at First ARP Church
8:30 am
McTeacher Night
1927 W. Franklin Blvd
Spring Chorus Concert
6:30 pm
Staff/Student Dodgeball Game
Tammy A. Hubbard MA NBCT
Website: https://www.sites.google.com/a/gaston.k12.nc.us/ycmscounseling/
Location: 601 S Clay St, Gastonia, NC, United States
Phone: 704-836-9609
Twitter: @YCMScounseling