Don’t “Mind” me!
I am a volunteer for a great Non-Profit Organization on Cape Cod. Calmer Choice is a universal prevention program committed to teaching young people how to effectively and safely manage stress and resolve conflict so that they live happy, healthy and successful lives. Who would renounce a program like that? Don’t you wish you had learned tools that would have assisted you in navigating the pressures of your teen years? Who wouldn’t want to be happy?
If I knew then what I know now…
How many times has this phrase crossed your lips? If I only had the tools necessary to help me reduce stressful situations in my youth, I can only surmise that my life would look very different.
Possibly I would have cared less about the onions of others, and I would have acted according to my own desires. For example, I would have joined the school play. I recall yearning for the stage, however, was scared to death what my friends would think. An opportunity lost, and a regret gained…
When confronted by an angry person I would have been able to detach from their negativity both physically and mentally, and move on. Bullies were everywhere and a magnet for a chubby, awkward girl with freckles.
Upon experiencing a seemingly traumatic life event, I would have focused on the lesson it provided me. Things would have seemed less emotional and all consuming. Such as the time I pulled a fire alarm on a dare at basketball practice and the fire chief came to my house to discuss the repercussions of my actions with my parents and me. Lesson I should have learned, never listen to the older teammates especially when they are laughing as you do what they tell you to do AND that I must always trust my instincts.
The Present of being present…
What a gift it would have been to have had the tools to assist me in “being present” or living in the moment. All too often in my youth, I recall wishing the years away. I couldn’t wait until I was in sixth grade so I could rule the school, and then immediately upon walking through those school doors, I wished them away and couldn’t wait for Junior High. Then there was age 16 ½ so I could drive a car, onto becoming a senior, and finally going off to college. Every year, I looked forward to the next stage of life, never fully noticing and appreciating the stage I was in. Such a waste!
I stand in support of Calmer Choice! It has taken me forty some odd years to figure it all out…how to reduce stress in my life, resolve conflict and be happy. How amazing is it that the youth of Cape Cod are able to learn these life tools! Today, as I write this, Calmer Choice is being questioned for their content and intentions. I trust that a harmonious resolution is on the horizon and the program will be resilient and continue to guide our youth. I do not stand alone in this support, as many have rallied behind this great Organization. As a mother of three daughters who could have greatly benefited from this program, I urge others to show their support to keep this program alive.