We’re talking about bravery at the end of every class, encouraging students to stand up to things that are scary and/or difficult for them. We’re covering ways to implement bravery into their lives so they don’t miss out on opportunities or quit things if they lose confidence in themselves. We’re asking students to think about some experiences from the past where they’ve used bravery to accomplish something from a presentation at school, to auditioning for a play, trying out for a sport or having a dance or music recital. Students can also share upcoming experiences that they might be nervous about and need some tips to get through.
Some of our instructors have shared their tips for working through something scary.
Mr. Callahan said he makes sure to practice and prepare for whatever it is, then reminds himself that it’s not going to be as scary as he thinks.
Ms. Goding said she always takes deep breaths, but also reminds herself to stand up tall because its easy to slouch when feeling nervous.
Ms. Callahan says she likes listening to her favorite songs and breathing deeply.
Everyone gets nervous at some point or another and we like to remind students that we’ve all been there!
We’re also relating these concepts to our annual Forms Tournament happening this March. We use the tournament as an opportunity for students to practice bravery, by standing up in front of their instructors as judges and demonstrate the Form they’ve been working on. This can be a very nerve-wracking experience for some, so it’s a great challenge to overcome! We always like the saying, “Do what you fear and your fear disappears!”