Mustang Mindset Review

What is the Mustang Mindset? The Mustang Mindset is a series of lessons covering five topics: Growth Mindset Mindfulness Interpersonal Effectiveness Emotional Regulation Distress Tolerance

Why the Mustang Mindset? Students need social and emotional skills as well as academic skills to be successful in college and career We are “hard-wired” to react to STRESS! We tend to AVOID situations that are uncomfortable. New experiences such as college or starting a job can cause stress Mustang Mindset skills help students succeed even when faced with a new or uncomfortable situation Arleta is following the lead of Google, the NFL and other organizations that are teaching these skills

Growth Mindset A study with middle school students found that how they THOUGHT about intelligence affected their success Fixed Mindset – You have a fixed amount of intelligence Growth Mindset – You get more intelligent with practice

Why Growth Mindset? Growth Mindset teaches us we can LEARN material that seems difficult at first Growth Mindset helps us to stay OPEN to difficult tasks Growth Mindset teaches us that we are building brain tissue and actually getting SMARTER when we learn something new and practice it Growth Mindset keeps us from giving up

Mindfulness Putting your ATTENTION where you want it to be Paying attention in a particular way, on purpose and in the PRESENT MOMENT Letting go of JUDGEMENT about this moment Instead of judgement, getting CURIOUS Learning we are not our THOUGHTS

Why Mindfulness? Practicing mindfulness improves both MENTAL and PHYSICAL health. Studies in education, show mindfulness practice helps students ACADEMICALLY. Helps you make wise choices in the MOMENT Science says Mindfulness has been found to be a key element in HAPPINESS. By focusing on the here and now, many people find that they are LESS WORRIED about the future or upset about the past.

Interpersonal Effectiveness Getting and keeping good RELATIONSHIPS Keeping or improving your SELF-RESPECT and liking for yourself REFUSING an unwanted or unreasonable request Resolving an interpersonal CONFLICT Being able to SELF ADVOCATE for what you want – when it’s a legitimate right

Why Interpersonal Effectiveness? Good relationships with OTHERS are important to success and happiness Having a good relationship with YOURSELF is key to building other relationships In NEW SITUATIONS like college or a new job you might need to self advocate

Emotional Regulation Emotions are a part of being HUMAN and we need to understand them Emotions can SERVE us Emotions can also INTERFERE with our success Emotions only last 60-90 SECONDS, but we revisit them when we remember the “triggering event” We often make up STORIES in our heads about interactions with others that are difficult We can “CHECK OUT THE FACTS” rather than making up a story

Why Emotional Regulation? We need to have an understanding of emotions so we aren’t CONTROLLED by them We can learn techniques to help us when we feel very emotional such as FINGERHOLDS and EMOTIONAL FREEDOM TECHNIQUE We can learn to DELAY GRATIFICATION to help us be successful in our goals We can learn the connection between taking care of our PHYSICAL HEALTH and our emotional health

Distress Tolerance Teaches us what DISTRESS is and how to measure it Teaches us SHORT-TERM and LONG-TERM skills for dealing with a crisis or very emotional situation Teaches us REALITY ACCEPTANCE skills

Why Distress Tolerance? We will all feel distress in our lives and we need skills to help us COPE When we feel distressed or upset we can REACT without thinking about the consequences We can turn to SELF-DESTRUCTIVE behaviors when we are distressed, like over-eating or drinking alcohol We can learn “SELF-SOOTHING” skills that will help us when we are in distress Reality Acceptance skills allow us to experience distress and still stay focused on the PRESENT

Turn and Talk Turn and talk to your partner. Go back and forth and say one thing you remember from each component of the Mustang Mindset Growth Mindset Mindfulness Interpersonal Effectiveness Emotional Regulation Distress Tolerance