Good morning, Prep School family,
I hope you are all well and have had a good weekend? Mine was lovely. . .I didn’t do much except sleep, catch up with friends over a cream scone and watch a Christmas (yes Christmas) film. It was very relaxing and a chance to recharge those batteries, something that is so important of us all to do once in a while.
As I am writing this, I am listening to the radio, its talking about how today (Monday) is now called ‘Blue Monday’. According to researchers, the third Monday in January is the most depressing day of the year and this got me thinking. In my mind, any day can be a little bit depressing if we let it or if external circumstances out of our control make the day hard to face but we do usually have some control over our mood. This is where our resilience and our ability to change and tackle our feelings comes into play. Its days like this when I take the ‘small wins’ and celebrate this, it doesn’t take much to change a bad day into an ok day and then into a good day. Ms Kenny and I were talking about this last week and we both said that this time of the year is all about those ‘small wins’. These wins can be anything that make you smile. Nothing big or expensive, just things that make us smile. Some of my ‘small wins’ last week included coffee with a friend, the beautiful bright moon, finding some ‘teacher fruit’ hidden in my desk, a thank you card that arrived in the post, a surprise text and the dishwasher being unloaded. Try it, it really does work!
‘Blue Monday’ also got me thinking about all of those people who are alone today, for whatever reason. Some people might be surrounded by people but might still be feeling lonely. I loved hearing on the radio that The Samaritans have changed ‘Blue Monday’ into ‘Brew Monday’. The Samaritans are trying to burst this myth about Monday being ‘blue’ and instead are promoting us starting a conversation over a brew! It’s a chance for us all to reach out to each out and connect with family, friends, colleagues and loved ones. However, we can always make time for a cuppa and a catch-up. It doesn’t matter if it’s a Monday morning, Wednesday afternoon or Saturday night, or if you’re drinking green tea, black coffee, wine or orange juice. If you’re sharing a cuppa something and listening, you’re doing it right. Just sitting and listening to a person can make so much difference. You don’t need to have any pearls of wisdom to offer, listening and being there is enough.
In honour of A A Milne’s birthday today, I thought I would share this Winnie the Pooh story with you – one of my favourites and so pertinent this week.
It occurred to Pooh and Piglet that they hadn’t heard from Eeyore for several days, so they put on their hats and coats and trotted across the Hundred Acre Wood to Eeyore’s stick house. Inside the house was Eeyore.
“Hello Eeyore,” said Pooh.
“Hello Pooh. Hello Piglet,” said Eeyore, in a glum sounding voice.
“We just thought we’d check in on you,” said Piglet, “because we hadn’t heard from you, and so we wanted to know if you were okay.”
Eeyore was silent for a moment. “Am I okay?” he asked, eventually. “Well, I don’t know, to be honest. Are any of us really okay? That’s what I ask myself. All I can tell you, Pooh and Piglet, is that right now I feel really rather sad, and alone, and not much fun to be around at all. Which is why I haven’t bothered you. Because you wouldn’t want to waste your time hanging out with someone who is sad, and alone, and not much fun to be around at all, would you now.”
Pooh looked at Piglet, and Piglet looked at Pooh, and they both sat down, one on either side of Eeyore in his stick house.
Eeyore looked at them in surprise. “What are you doing?”
“We’re sitting here with you,” said Pooh, “because we are your friends. And true friends don’t care if someone is feeling sad, or alone, or not much fun to be around at all. True friends are there for you anyway. And so here we are.”
“Oh,” said Eeyore. “Oh.” And the three of them sat there in silence, and while Pooh and Piglet said nothing at all; somehow, almost imperceptibly, Eeyore started to feel a very tiny little bit better.
Because Pooh and Piglet were there.
No more; no less.
Quote of the week: “A day without a friend is like a pot without a single drop of honey left in it” – Winnie the Pooh
Well-being tasks for this week: These tasks for are for a happier January. The best way to try to handle our difficult emotions and experiences is by focusing on what we can control. This month focus on small steps to try to boost happiness – for ourselves and others around us – to spread kindness and hopefully inspire others to do the same
Tuesday 18 January – Get back in contact with an old friend
Wednesday 19 January – Focus on the good today, even if it is tough
Thursday 20 January – Go to bed early and give yourself chance to recharge
Friday 21 January – Try something new today
Saturday 22 January – Meet up with a friend and have some fun
Sunday 23 January – Put away devices and focus on the moment
Monday 24 January – Take a small step to achieving your goal
Jokes of the week:
What do you call a bear with no teeth? A gummy bear!
Where do cows go for entertainment? To the moo-vies!
What do you call a pig that knows karate? A pork chop
Sleeps til Santa: 340 and counting
5 things that I am grateful for or looking forward to this week:
Can you try this simple exercise in gratitude and positivity?
- I am looking forward to a week/weekend of birthdays
- I am looking forward to going to Norfolk
- I am looking forward to seeing the sea
- I am grateful for the frosty mornings
- I am grateful for the last of my Christmas treats!
Have a wonderful week and enjoy each day,
Take care of each other,
Love from
Mrs Bennett
