How does stress affect us? Some things we experience in life can knock us off balance, but there are many things we can do to cope, recover, and thrive.

Activity Time: 20 min - 60 min

Handouts:

Activities:

Themes:

problem solving

Being resilient means not only surviving stress but thriving in the wake of tough times.

Activity steps
  1. Watch the Stress and coping strategies video. 
  2. Work in pairs or small groups on one or both sets of the following questions:
Reflect and discuss

Stress

  • Brainstorm a list of stressors and identify the ones you feel you can control and the ones that seem out of your control or too big. 
  • Choose one or two from each list to work through.  Identify the specific steps, skills and people needed to address or manage the situations.

Coping

  • What are some of the things you do to take care of yourself? Why? 
  • What are you most likely to ‘go overboard’ about? Why?
  • What are some things you can do to ‘catch yourself’ before you go overboard?
Get Creative!
  • What does resilience look like to you?
  • Draw an animal, object or scenario that reflects surviving and thriving.