COMPETITION
A GOOD START
When the leaves fall outside the window, the world becomes colorful and cozier, and the evenings are getting longer – it is worth taking a moment to reflect on your well-being.
If you’re looking for ways to take care of yourself this fall – we’ve got something special for you! From 11 to 18 October, we invite you to read the essays – competition entries “Well-being in Autumn”. It will be an opportunity to draw on the experiences and wisdom of others, find out what practices they put into practice to feel better.
But that’s not all!
You are our expert – so we encourage you to leave
and to vote for the most interesting essay.YOUR ESSAYS
The “Good Start” competition was an interesting experience for me – it became not only a chance to gain knowledge about well-being, but above all an opportunity to discover my inner Peace.
I would like to share with you my discoveries related to the practice of meditation, daily walks and chi gong.
After reading the materials on the platform, I decided that finding time for daily practice will be extremely difficult due to my professional and family commitments.
The materials were However, so encouraging that I decided to find something that I could effortlessly implement into my daily schedule .
Meditation was my first choice – it didn’t require space, no tools, just a little time and willingness.
I decided to start my mornings differently than usual – I got up 15 minutes earlier, I drank a glass of water, opened the window and sat in silence.
It was a challenge – my head Initially, it exploded with a carousel of thoughts, arranging a daily schedule, etc.
The first two days I struggled with myself, the next one I decided to let my thoughts flow.
And it was a shot in 10.
I focused I was breathing and gradually silence began to appear in my thoughts.
After a few days, instead of
I would stand with a cup of tea at the window and just watch the peace for a few minutes of my neighborhood – after all, it was 6 a.m. and the city was just waking up.
I was surprised how small it was The thing can change my whole day.
After a dozen or so minutes, I usually woke up the children and it started daily turmoil, but I… I was smiling, calmer, I didn’t rush the children, no I was running.
Our morning has completely changed its character, which my daughter emphasizes strongly – saying that Now it’s nicer and calmer. Such an effect with such little effort surprised me a lot.
I decided to take it a step further.
I was fascinated by Qigong and its effects on the human body and health.
So I tried to include a few movements for my morning meditation, but they seemed to me to be clumsy, uncertain, that I’m limited by space.
So I decided to go out for 15 minutes to a nearby park and There, at the local gym, I will try to practice the sequences of movements.
I watched videos on my phone and I tried to repeat the movements.
Nothing worked out for me.
I had the impression that Even the pigeons in the neighborhood stopped and cooed at me with laughter.
Disappointed by the defeat, I decided that if there was a stationary Qigong course in my city, I would sign up for it – I still have plans to do it.
However, I included a walk in my morning routine.
I don’t meditate anymore at window, but I march through the small streets.
Sometimes I meditate, sometimes I listen to music.
I do not comply with So perfect for the recommendations, but I created my morning ritual, which wakes me up in a very positive way and puts me in the mood for the challenges of the whole day.
What do morning walks give me?
First of all, they teach me to be present in the moment, to notice small moments, like a colorful leaf, a flower, a bird’s song – I appreciate the small everyday Wonders.
This makes the world seem better, and the person becomes relaxed, the posture straightens, Smiles.
And as a whole – I just feel better and in my place – in balance, harmony with yourself and your surroundings.
It is also easier to face everyday tasks, without forgetting about himself.
Participating in the competition taught me that well-being is more than the absence of stress or worry.
That it is A sense of harmony, balance, and they are not on the outside, but inside ourselves.My little morning routine didn’t require much effort, and it taught me a lot.
Each of the activities gave me peace of mind, showing how important it is to take care of myself on many levels.
It was A journey that continues and I hope that even the approaching autumn and winter will not disturb it.
I wish you each to find a few minutes every day for himself.
KASIA 46 votes
The “Well-being at school” project and the series of trainings carried out as part of it allowed me to systematize my existing knowledge, showed new possibilities and tools that will translate into better quality of work and have a positive impact on development children.
The most inspiring for me were the self-regulation classes, which made me realize that every teacher must first of all take care of their own emotions and mental well-being in order to properly take care of their pupils.
School is not only a place for children to acquire knowledge, but also an environment where they enter into social relationships, which are often stressful.
The ability to cope with stress, determine the mental state in which we find ourselves, allows us to regain balance and reduce the accompanying tension.
The most difficult challenge when introducing the self-regulation method was the stage of working on oneself.
As I wrote earlier, only conscious of his emotions, the teacher is able to properly influence children and guide their proper development.
AGNIESZKA 28 votes
Participation in the competition and materials on the platform prompted me to practice selected yoga and qigong exercises.
I’m a definite fan of moderate exercise, i.e. at most daily walks with the dog.
This is the only way I can relax, relieve stress and tension, or calm down the rush of thoughts in my head.
That’s why I decided to choose a few undemanding exercises: jumping and shaking, arm swings, exercises for relaxing the neck and shoulders with qigong, and a tree, a peacock and a dog that came out of the water from yoga.
In the daily rush, numerous duties at work and at home, I tried to find some time for daily practice.
It didn’t always work, but I tried to do the exercises I chose quite systematically during an afternoon or evening walk with the dog.
After a month, I noticed a physical and mental improvement.
I’m impressed by how regular practice has helped me improve my overall physical condition.
Thanks to various asanas and exercises, I strengthened my muscles, restored flexibility and balance.
Strengthening the body is especially important to me because teaching can be physically demanding, especially if you have to stand or walk most of the day.
The work of a teacher also brings with it many challenges and stressful situations.
Yoga and Qigong taught me stress management techniques, including breath control.
These tools are invaluable in times of pressure and help you stay calm and focused on teaching.
Exercise also increases my vitality.
Before starting the school day or after school, they help me increase my energy and performance.
This gives me more resources to work with students and allows me to work more effectively.
I think I have developed a greater awareness of my body, which is useful not only in the physical context, but also in working with students.
This awareness helps me better understand what signals my body sends and what emotions accompany these signals, which is useful in working with children and adolescents.
My physical and mental health can also be an inspiration for students.
I will certainly try to encourage them to move and spend their free time outdoors.
I will share with them my experience and knowledge about yoga and qigong exercises, a healthy lifestyle.
This builds a bond and positive relationships with students.
MONIKA 35 votes
The “Well-being at school” training is primarily an eye-opener for teachers and encourages them to reflect.
In our work, we usually put children – students, their needs, Requirements and well-being come first, completely forgetting about yourself.
I myself lived in the countryside for a long time, close to nature and in its bosom I usually rested after work, relaxed.
Even when the weather was not favorable to us Until the end, we tried to draw from nature every day.
We practiced walks calming in the forest, listening to the relaxing sounds of nature.
We tried to be close it: to touch, listen, watch, sometimes taste, feel a connection.
I tried to make every lesson contained elements of this method.
We collected natural material found in the forest or in the garden and tried to use it in math and language classes, natural and even musical.
Physical education lessons took place in the forest or in the garden.
The children practiced their perceptiveness by observing the changing Nature.
They tried to solve problems that arose in contact with nature themselves.
Not all students wanted to from the beginning collaborate.
Some of them were afraid of getting dirty, they were afraid that soiled clothes will anger the parents.
However, as time passed, most of them broke through and She took joy in what she was experiencing.
They assimilated the rules relatively quickly, which they had to observe in the forest: maintaining relative silence, not disturbing nature, using only those elements of it that are on the ground.
Learned respect for nature.
By being more relaxed, they absorb knowledge better.
I went for walks in the forest or park more often, I tried to listen to sounds of nature: the sound of trees, birds singing, the sound of water.
During these walks, I tried to concentrate on what I see and hear, even out my breathing and relax.
Not always It was possible.
Initially, it was difficult to put the problems behind and concentrate on nature.
However, it has become easier over time.
I also started to practice spending a short break from work not on browsing the phone or completing documents, but on observing clouds, sky, trees, the view of our garden.
Quite quickly I noticed that This way of spending a break relaxes me a lot.
Although it is relatively short, allows you to regenerate, calm down, calm your thoughts and return with new energy to your students and responsibilities.
I recommend them to people who like contact with nature, who do not insects, insects and getting your hands dirty are in the way.
I will definitely continue to introduce and practice them.
JOANNA 146 votes
My goal was to improve my well-being in any way, to move on and feel an improvement in some way area, even a small one.
To take the first step and I succeeded 
Positive psychology, that’s where I started.
I gave myself time to reflect on the level of my well-being, I found elements that definitely build it and I decided to use them regularly practice and improvement.
I asked myself a basic question: What makes me happy?
And I found it a few specifics. 
I decided to surround myself with them more and more often, making them my “habits” happiness.”
It required me to change some rituals, the rhythm of the day, sometimes also these changes had an impact on my household members and students, fortunately they accepted my innovations and also They began to reflect on their sources of happiness.
The most noticeable positive changes in the My well-being was given by the morning practice of kindness and gratitude, especially the one done on the way to work. In a natural way, I moved from this gratitude to noticing and eliminating pessimistic thoughts.
Oh, I cleaned up my house a bit.
As if I washed a very neglected windows and let a lot more light into her life…
MARTA 47 votes
The “Well-being at school” project is a great initiative that has helped me make classes more attractive for students.
The training was conducted substantively, and the knowledge was passed on in an accessible way – used in practice.
In my daily work, I noticed that we spend a lot of time indoors, so I implemented more outdoor activities.
On the premises of our facility there is a large school playground surrounded by green areas, which I decided to use for this.
We found a convenient place full of various types of vegetation – we started spending time there, if only the weather and work plan allowed it.
The students approached these classes with obvious enthusiasm; Apparently, the change of the environment from a school bench to a small park was something completely new for them, and therefore also attractive.
Lessons were held in a friendly atmosphere; It is impossible not to notice that they strongly correlated with the well-being and creativity of children.
We used various types of natural resources found in art classes – in and out of the classroom.
Contact with nature has a fantastic effect on students, it is also associated with stress regulation.
Daily lessons, noise, and other stimuli are stressors for each of us, which is why it is so important to regain energy and strive for balance.
In my classroom, we learn to self-regulate every day by identifying stressors and then silencing them.
We use deep breaths, countdowns, short meditation, as well as other calming exercises.
All this reduces the level of tension and helps us in everyday functioning.
The knowledge taken from the “Well-being at school” project has awakened in me and in the students previously undiscovered layers of creativity.
We are now more empathetic, less stressed, and cooperative.
I will definitely practice these techniques in the future.
WIOLA 61 votes
