Inspiring anxiety health awareness and whole child wellness! Today we’ll explore Physio-Logics’ REWIRE pillar. Sharing 3 Tips To REWIRE Unwanted Automatic Responses -enjoy!
REWIRE
The Cognitive Cycle: thoughts create feelings, feelings create behaviors and behavior reinforces thoughts. Our brain is like a super computer! It quickly learns how we typically react and creates automatic responses in order to work faster, or protect us. Sometimes though, a cycle is coded in our super computer that isn’t helpful and it’s helpful to REWIRE that response.
Physio-Logics wellness programs foster healthier thinking, prevent automatic negative thoughts and develop alternative ways to approach problem solving, promoting clarity, resilience and balance.
3 Tips to Help REWIRE Unwanted Automatic Responses
1. Explain What ANTs Are
Automatic Thoughts or ANTs – Imagine you are outside on a beautiful day having a picnic with friends and family. The sun is shining, the birds are singing, and you are feeling happy and peaceful. All of the sudden, you notice a trail of ants interrupting your picnic and eating your food!
Automatic negative thoughts, or ANTS, operate much like real-life ants, except instead of threatening to ruin our picnic, they threaten to ruin our mood, behaviors, and outlook on life. Much like we would brush off those pesky park ants, or find a new spot to enjoy our lunch, we can challenge and overcome our automatic negative thoughts by learning to replace them with new, growth-oriented ones.
2. Teach Growth Mindset vs Fixed Mindset
We all have beliefs about our own abilities and potential. These beliefs are part of our mindset which is controls our behavior and ability to predict our success. Mindset shapes our everyday lives, helping us interpret our experiences and future possibilities. It guides our thoughts, feelings and behaviors, the way we see ourselves and how we make decisions. For additional resources https://biglifejournal.com/
Growth Mindset: The belief that one can expand intelligence, capability, skill through effort . When children believe abilities can be developed.
Carol Dweck states, ” …those with a growth mindset believe that one can always improve, catch up, or even surpass others’ natural talents. This is where teachers (parents) play a crucial role in shaping a child’s confidence and willingness to learn.”
Fixed Mindset: The belief that a person has limited resources of intelligence, capability, or skill. When children believe they are born as is -predetermined personality, athletic ability or potential to learn.
3. Reframe Our Responses
Role modeling statements that continue conversation, versus end further discussion promote new ways of problem solving! We promote growth mindset and emotional exploration. Often, automatic responses are emotionally charged. Offering opportunities to learn emotional tolerance and coping also prevents fixed thinking or automatic responses.
Takehome
Offer your child plenty of REWIRE opportunities throughout the day! You can educate on ANTs and role model growth mindset and reframing.
Thank you!
Thank you for reading today! We will continue to share resources to inspire anxiety health awareness and youth wellness throughout the week. Sending well wishes to you all!