Can We Take Care of Students if We Don’t Take Care of Ourselves?

A comment from a member of the audience after hearing my presentation “I love your ideas, but I’m too stressed out to use them.”

Features of a stress hardy mindset To develop “stress hardiness” in ourselves rather than becoming stressed out: To reinforce and practice the “3 C’s” Commitment: To involve ourselves in activities that enrich our lives and the lives of others—The need to experience a sense of purpose and meaning

Features of a stress hardy mindset Commitment can be expressed in various ways—for example, commitment to: Exercise on a regular basis Maintain a healthy diet Engage in meditation and relaxation

Features of a stress hardy mindset Commitment to: Focus on nurturing our relationships and connections with others Dr. Dean Ornish offers the following thought-provoking view about the importance of our connections with others:

Features of a stress hardy mindset “Love and intimacy are at the root of what makes us sick and what makes us well. If a new medication had the same impact, failure to prescribe it would be malpractice. Connections with other people affect not only the quality of our lives but also our survival.”

Features of a stress hardy mindset To develop “stress hardiness” Challenge: To appreciate that change rather than stability is the norm so that new or difficult situations are perceived as opportunities for learning rather than as stress to avoid. The importance of thinking outside the box

Features of a stress hardy mindset To develop “stress hardiness” Control (personal): To focus our time and energy on situations over which we have some influence and refrain from attempting to alter situations over which we have little, if any, control—”to be at peace with that which you cannot change”