1. Mustang Mindset Review

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. 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.

8. 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

9. 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

10. 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 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

11. 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

12. 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

13. 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

14. 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