October 12th, 2016
I had a very energizing day in Brockville, meeting professionals who were gathered to learn a new tool. The Sources of Strength training is meant to prepare us to lead teenagers to make a difference in their schools and communities. We have all heard about the rising risk of suicide and the need to foster resilience in our children. This training empowers young people to develop resilience through focusing on the skills and resources available to them rather than on daunting, scary statistics .
The skillful leaders shared the Sources of Strength wheel with us. There are eight categories and the goal is to have students identify all the activities, places and people who are there to support them in times of need. The training is about much more than just this wheel but I would like to focus on this wheel for the purpose of this blog because it is a tool that all of us can use to feel more connected, supported and grateful. It's a also a great way to set goals for our personal development. Once we've assessed the areas that require improvement, we can get to work adding people or activities to our social network.
The first slice in the pie is mental health. You need to be clear for yourself how you would define mental health. What does this mean to you? Is it the absence of illness or constant growth and improvement? It's good to stop and ask the hard questions. How is my mental health? How well am I coping with life right now? Do I need assistance? What kind of help would be most beneficial and how can I access it? Sometimes, we deny our vulnerabilities until we are in crisis.
The second section is family support. Is your home a safe place for you? Do you feel loved and supported by your family members? You may need to have a conversation about boundaries or lessen your contact with certain relatives. If your home is not a safe place, where else can you get your sense of belonging, support and love?
The third part of the wheel is positive friends. Sometimes we focus on the amount of friends we have in our life but it's not the quantity that counts, it's the quality. Are you surrounded by loving, positive people? Do you know people who care about you and would be there for you if you needed them? If not, how can you grow and nurture your social network. There are times in life when fitting in more people is a challenge. However, those are often when we need people the most. Think about your schedule and determine if there are groups you could join, individuals you'd like to reach out to or places you can go to connect with like-minded individuals.
Mentors make up the fourth section. We all need role models, people who have made it out of a situation or phase of life who can help us navigate our own journey. As a teenager, you can approach a teacher, local business owner, coach or neighbour. As adults, we can turn to others in our profession or people who excel in areas of life that we have identified as areas for improvement. We are all here to learn from each other and people in general will be happy to be a mentor.
Healthy activities are my favourite part of the pie. You don't need anyone else to participate in this. You pick activities you enjoy that can help alleviate stress, make you healthier, happier, more connected, that can contribute to your growth and development, bring new people in your life and improve quality of life. For me, these include reading, journalling, creating art, writing books, travelling, going to yoga or Zumba classes and going out for coffee at the local coffee shop. What about you? What activities energize you? What do you love to do?
Generosity is another one of the sections. It is a bit more vague but I can see how giving our time and energy to a good cause would improve our life. When you volunteer or help someone else, you feel fortunate, useful and connected to your community. Using your skills to help people in your community is really rewarding. What are your skills? Who could benefit from these skills? How can you put your skills to good use in your community?
Spirituality is another favourite. There were lots of school Chaplains at today's meeting. We are all here for a reason. If we are just living day by day without any thought about where we fit into the grand scheme of things, we can get quite bored. What does spirituality look like for you? How do you express your spirituality? This is a broad section. You may go to Church, belong to a group, meditate or simply volunteer at a hospice. Whatever helps you connect to and feed your soul would be considered spiritual.
Medical access is a tricky one. It is a valid section because this tool was developed in the U.S. where access to medical services is limited. It may not seem applicable here in Canada but I know from working with families where a loved one is battling cancer or raising a special needs child that there are huge gaps in our system as well. Information is power. The more information you gather about this section, the better equipped you will be to advocate for yourself and your family.
I was thrilled to be a part of this training. As you can see, people of all ages can apply this wheel to their life, to uncover strengths and celebrate resources in our communities.
Anne Walsh
www.artnsoul.org
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