Now, more than ever, we all need a dose of grit. Not the small sand that you put in the bottom of bird cages, but passion and perseverance to pursue long term goals, to stick at something even when experiencing set backs and disappointments, to “fall down 7 times and get up 8”(Japanese Proverb). Studies have suggested that grit is linked with your levels of achievement, resilience and wellbeing. It involves:

Setting meaningful goals to guide your efforts
Cultivating hope by telling yourself stories based on what you can control
Practising a growth mindset and self-compassion
Surrounding yourself with ‘gritty’ people who will encourage you
Building knowledge and skills that will give you the best chance at achieving your goals

I can imagine that right now you may be thinking ‘stop being so positive and talking about hope and long-term goals’ and I understand that this may be where people are at right now. But this mindset is exactly linked with the story that we tell ourselves. If we tell ourselves that there is nothing positive in our lives and things are hopeless, we will continue to feel defeated and the way in which we interact with others around us will demonstrate this. If we however remind ourselves that our current circumstances are for a time and that we can do things to connect with others and focus on our goals, this will impact everything that we do.

The above information relates to the ‘Accomplishment’ pillar of the PERMAH Framework. For more information click here or here . During this time, I encourage you and your children to think about things that you can accomplish on a daily basis: jumping on the trampoline, school work, walking/riding bikes, encouraging someone by calling/Facetiming them, sending a letter to someone etc.

You could also look up some Olympians and Paralympians to learn about their journeys and be inspired by their accomplishments, remembering that they all started out just like us. Although not loving boxing, I have particularly been inspired by Harry Garside. Why? Because he went to the Primary School that my children attend and played for the domestic basketball club that by son plays for. He graciously joined a WebEx assembly from Tokyo and when a Grade 6 girl mentioned that she could never do what he was doing, he emphatically told her that as long as you set goals and work towards achieving them, you can do anything. I think that we all need to hear that right now.

We are here for you

I know that a lot of families are doing it tough at the moment. Please reach out to Carol Wyatt, classroom teachers, or other staff if you need any support. We are here for you.

For further information and guidance on how you can support the wellbeing of yourself and your children, visit: https://www.coronavirus.vic.gov.au/mental-health-resources-parents-and-families

Just for a bit of fun, here is a photo of my son’s calculations during his online Year 9 Maths class yesterday. When you can’t find a piece of paper, use paper from your fish and chip special treat lunch! What an accomplishment!

Until next time,

Julie Reid, on behalf of the Wellbeing team

P.S. Thanks Seb from Prep for being so creative and accomplishing your goal with the Nudel Cart the other day (see pics above).

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