Level Two. Wellbeing.
Level Two. Wellbeing.
By Michelle Lloyd.
Lately New One had been given a lot to think about. His routine of school had shifted about, he had gone from doing practically everything at home to back to school again. Any kind of change could bring about disruption but for New One, what was happening in his life at the moment, felt immense.
There had been pros and cons for both ways of working. When at home, New One saw more of his lovely dog Lana and he had many comforts at close proximity but he did miss his social life and of course seeing his friends during that time, had been impossible. Back at school New One felt none of the feelings that he had anticipated. At home, the potential of starting school again after such a long time had not discussed by his family for fear of stressing him out. School work had become the thing of hushed whispers, muted tones and defiant but desperate looks.
New One believed that if he was less tense about it then surely he would do better. That was the idea, but as many good ideas went, they were far easier in thought than practice. New One tried not to think about it, but stress would start to seep in though and before he knew it, how best to go back to his school and meet all the objectives of a conventional day were the only subject of his passing thoughts.
It had started to interrupt his enjoyment of even his favourite moments, the what if scenarios would creep about him and put him off doing his work. Instead New One walked himself through horrific scene after scene in which one he had turned up to class in all the wrong clothes, or missing his bag, in another of his wildest nightmares he had entered the school so late in the day that it was time to go home again. Confused and isolated in his thoughts about what school was going to be like again, every one of these scenarios left him demoralised.
None of this anxiety was helping New One. Seeing his distress his parents decided to do something to aid him.
At first New One did not think it could help at all, he felt talking with his friends could only make him feel worse because after all, nobody probably would be as anxious or distraught as him.
New One always felt like he had to be the strong one but meeting up and talking with his friends actually boosted New One’s spirits no end and it had a good influence on his parents too, both were much happier to see him so more like himself again.
As it turned out all three friends shared in the same anxiousness and they even laughed at how similar their fears were about going back into a class again.
Putting small, simple but significant tips in place meant that New One found his school work quickly got back on track. Techniques such as talking to someone if things got too tough, easing himself gently back into class objectives and sharing important ideas about the process with his friends helped to strengthen his mental and subsequently his physical wellbeing.