JumpStart Candy Corn Day (10/31/23)

Happy Halloween Eve!And let’s be real.  Candy is everything this Halloween (and every Halloween).  Forget about Lewis.  Sales of candy this year is up 16% to a record $3.6B.  You can also check out this site’s other candy-related data, including an interactive map that shows most popular candy by state (might be a cool last-minute class discussion tool!).

Big Idea:  As I travel around talking to educators, I still come across people who don’t believe in trauma.

Remember from last week that trauma is not the event itself.  It’s not productive to be defined by what happened in the past.  Trauma is the changes that have happened in the body due to the traumatic event - changes that the body has held onto as its way of being.

One of the most common and pervasive sources of trauma is when we give up our authenticity in exchange for acceptance.

This is, in my opinion, the most harmful aspect of social media.  No matter what the account is espousing - it could be mindfulness or yoga or a healthy lifestyle - it’s done through images that become our goal for whatever is being communicated.  And a (not so?) small part of us believes that what we see is the way we should be.

When we shift our actions toward acceptance by others, we are giving up the pathway that reflects our true self.  When we shift off the trajectory of our true selves, we put our mind/body/self continuum out of whack, and that’s traumatic.

So, we end up with dysfunctional, dysregulated people leading and teaching other humans who are dysfunctional and dysregulated.

Awareness is the solution.  Now that you’re aware that this is a thing, you’re already better than you were before.  Keep mindful in the present moment, listen to your body, practice gratitude, and continue to do random acts of kindness.  Scientific studies will support your decisions!

This week, try this: Do at least one body scan each day.  Start at your head and work your way down, noticing how each body part feels. Instead of being annoyed if something’s ‘not right’ ask yourself why.

Quote:  "Trauma is when we are not seen and known."  (Bessel van der Kolk)

Educator Resource:  “Just Breathe” - An original film by a filmmaking couple who overheard their son talking about mindfulness activities they were learning in school.  They leaned into their own curiosity, learned more about SEL themselves, and found their own lives transformed. This is a great video to share with your students, especially the younger ones, since it’s narrated by kids.

Dad Joke:  What kind of key opens the door to a haunted house?  A spoo-key.