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Elmo Said WHAT? Research & Tips for Emotions for Wellbeing
by Patty Freedman
When Elmo asked, LOTS of people answered. Checking in on emotions is a great step, but not enough for lasting wellbeing. Let’s put EQ into action this month! Get ready to make impact for #SELday and join the global movement to bring emotional wellbeing skills to everyone. In this month’s newsletter we explore ways to practice optimism with appreciation. Keep reading for EQ research and resources you can use for you, your faculty and students.
What’s in this edition:
🔴Thinking About: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”
🟠Are You Ready?: #SELday celebration
🟡 Research says: What activates wellbeing?
🟢 Try it Yourself: Appreciation for Wellbeing
🔵 Mark your calendar: Events for educators – will you join us?
🔴 Thinking About: “Elmo is just checking in! How is everybody doing?”
Did you hear what happened when Elmo checked in on everyone’s wellbeing on social media?
209M views, 158k likes, and 20k comments
That’s a viral moment.
Something about a loveable red furry monster checking in touched a sore spot and people responded.
The mainstream news focused on the amount of the response – it’s fantastic that we are in a moment of greater awareness of emotional wellbeing – but even Elmo missed something important.
It’s not enough to just do a checkin: what can people do with their big feelings?
While it’s exciting to see the readiness today for the work we are doing, people are hurting. There are not enough helpers out there to meet the need. We’ve known for a long time there needs to be more non-clinical response to wellbeing needs. That’s where the Six Seconds network comes in! We’ve been preparing for this moment – we have SEL activities for children and families, we have tips for burnout in the workplace, we have a feeling wheel to help name and navigate emotions.
What we need is help from you. Can you share and let people know we’re here? Can you be part of the team to amplify solutions? Let’s get on social media and in the news with our big hearts and offer help to all who need it. Will you share our resources widely on your channels?
🟠 ARE YOU READY?: #SELday Mar 8
Do you agree that young people and adults would benefit from more social and emotional skills? Join educators, youth & parents from around the globe at #SELDAY saying YES to these essential skills. This year we are the official international partner for #SELday and we are excited to get you all involved.
To collectively show the importance of SEL, we want as many people as possible to sign up — this is a way of raising our hands in support of what we want in education. So please encourage folks far and wide to be part of the movement.
Everyone who signs up will also get free resources including access to the official SELday Summit on March 8. SELDAY.org also has a variety of resources to share, and you can earn badges for participating.
5 Ways to Activate #SELDAY
1. Signup to be counted as a supporter on selday.org for lots of ideas for advocacy (plus badges!)
2. Download & share this special gift: three favorite activities from POP-UP Festival in partnership with UNICEF World Children’s Day. Use the #SELDay kit to introduce the value of social emotional learning (SEL) to children, educators & families. Make March 8 fun with POP-UP Festival activities!
3. If you’re with a school, join this webinar on Feb 22 to share ideas
4. Sign up here for a workshop on a justice-centered approach to SEL for educator wellbeing, hosted by Antioch University & Six Seconds
5. Make some noise around the globe on social media to support SELday on March 8. Post a photo or message showing a SEL in action (eg: student work, class meeting, journal post, SEL selfie!) and be sure to add #SELday #EQPOPUP Our goal is to get SELday trending on IG and X platforms!
🟡 Research says: What activates wellbeing?
A recent study published in Personality and Individual Differences (2023) explored the connection between optimism and wellbeing. Researchers wanted to better understand what types of emotional regulation behaviors had an impact on optimism and wellbeing.
The study found that optimism was positively correlated with emotional wellbeing and “appreciation mediated 41% of this relationship, while engaging less in rumination mediated 20% of it.”
Appreciation consists of “focusing on and savoring the positive aspects of life that one might otherwise overlook or rush through,” and it is considered one of the most effective strategies for increasing emotional wellbeing. Rumination consists of, “passively and repetitively focusing on unpleasant events, and is one of the most counterproductive emotion regulation strategies in terms of emotional wellbeing.”
The data suggests that to boost wellbeing, people should savor more positive events and ruminate less about negative events in their lives. When you want to activate optimism, are you taking time to appreciate the good things?
🟢 TRY IT YOURSELF: How to practice appreciation
In the study above on wellbeing and optimism, the self-regulation practice of Appreciation was correlated with improved wellbeing. How can we practice appreciation?
These 4 steps can help you feel appreciative and boost your wellbeing:
- Notice good things around you, look for them, appreciate them.
- Savor, absorb, and really pay attention to those good things.
- Notice the feelings in your body and your heart when you are savoring a special moment. Taking time to register the embodiment of appreciation can help you rekindle that feeling next time.
- Express your feeling of appreciation by writing in your journal or making an effort to thank someone.
🔵 MARK YOUR CALENDAR: Events for educators – will you join us?
Feb 13 See you at the free Antioch University info session on the EdD with SEL Specialization
Feb 15 Register for Livestream with Bestselling NYT author Daniel Goleman in conversation with Joshua Freedman as they explore how EQ can support us in today’s era of uncertainty.
Mar 8 Sign up to participate in the #SELDay Summit selday.org Also help us make global noise on social media with your SELfie #SELday #EQPOPUP
Mar 12 How can we use social emotional learning (SEL) to help educators be and feel better? Join the free Educator Wellbeing course
Starts April 17 Certificate in SEL for Educator Wellbeing, from Antioch University & Six Seconds. Enroll now to save your spot
Looking to this summer – Mark your calendar to plan ahead for In-Person PD with Teachers College Columbia University & Six Seconds…
June 26-28 New Orleans: SEL Educator Institute at Teachers College Columbia University
July 29-30 New York: SEL Leadership Institute at Teachers College Columbia University
Various Dates You are invited to participate in upcoming free EQ webinars to grow and practice emotional intelligence
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