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Before the tech class even began, my negative emotions thinking about something positive can change your mood
weighed heavily on me. Just thinking about technology and improve problem-solving skills. According to Gielan,
caused my heart and mind to race and palms to get sweaty. “Four-year-olds who were asked to think of a positive vs. a
I had no feelings about mindfulness other than I was wor- negative memory were 66% more efficient at figuring out
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ried about the stamina required to take the class. I had yet games involving shapes.” What a significant difference!
to know how deeply I would be impacted by what I learned
in Dr. Arau’s class.
I recall writing discussion posts in the mindfulness class 2: Set an Intention
about my tech journey. Initially my posts were about how Choosing something as a focal point is different from
stressed (i.e., panicked) I felt as I struggled to complete the as- setting a goal. Setting an intention “affects how we per-
signments and understand the multiple platforms we were ceive our circumstances and impacts the people in our
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using. I remember sharing that each time I was about to lives.” What do you want this day to look like? Visualize
work on an assignment I had to mentally prepare in an ef- it. I choose to focus on moments of joy and gratitude each
fort to convince myself that I could do this. day, even—or perhaps most importantly—the small ones. I
In Dr. Arau’s class I was learning about the roles medita- believe it is the small moments that add up and impact the
tion and breath play in one’s ability to focus, regulate emo- bigger events in our lives.
tions, and be okay, even comfortable, with what is unknown or I remember the start of the 2020-2021 school year. The
out of one’s control. I made it a practice to meditate before heaviness my colleagues and I were all feeling was palpable,
tackling tech assignments. Partway through the semester, and in contrast to typical years where the energy is electric
my posts began to change and eventually I found myself with the anticipation of the students’ arrival. At times, I
enjoying the tech class. What a shift this was for me! I could found myself getting sucked in by the sadness. I decided to
almost feel the neurons growing and the myelin wrapping write gratitude notes to lift spirits, if only for a moment. In
itself around the nerves in my brain, protecting my new- the process of doing this, I was surprised to find I experi-
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found knowledge! enced joy while I was writing, and excitement when I was
I still celebrate my achievements from that summer. I use secretly delivering the notes. I put my intention somewhere
tech daily in all classes and rehearsals to some extent. The I will see it. This reminds me to be aware of those small
beautiful thing is when the technology (or life) does not go moments.
as planned, I am able to breathe and observe, looking for
opportunities and lessons to be learned rather than getting
stuck in what has gone wrong or having a strong emotional 3: Seconds Count!
reaction. Here are nine strategies for shifting our mindsets The first seventeen seconds you are awake greatly im-
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from negative to positive. pact your day, positively or negatively. While it is easy to
get caught up in negativity (our brains are wired for this),
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wouldn’t it be better to focus on the positive? Think about
1: Begin with Positivity someone or something you are grateful for or looking for-
“Think of one word that brings you joy, gratitude, com- ward to each day for at least seventeen seconds in order
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fort, or something you are looking forward to.” Perhaps it to wake up fully energized and be ready to greet the day
is your morning coffee or an unexpected note of gratitude. joyfully.
This was how Dr. Arau started the first Zoom class. I re- On concert day, I am buzzing with excitement and en-
member seeing classmates’ responses: family, friends, mu- ergy and have no difficulty getting out of bed. What about
sic… I am smiling as I think back to this moment. It was you? Maybe it is Saturday, and you are getting together with
the first time I felt a sense of hope since the pandemic had friends at your favorite restaurant. You can make this mind-
begun. It was a lifeline for me. Dr. Arau calls this a “posi- set a regular part of your wakeup. It is even more impactful
tive lead.” if you return to your joy or gratitude four times a day for
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Beginning with positivity can help us to be at our best. at least seventeen seconds each time. You just might find
According to happiness researcher Michelle Gilean, posi- yourself calling out, “Hello, world! Here I am!”
tivity can “prime the brain for high performance.” Just
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ChorTeach Volume 15 • Issue 3 17 Spring 2023