The Onward Workbook: Daily Activities to Cultivate Your Emotional Resilience and Thrive

An empowering journey that keeps great teachers in the classroom The Onward Workbook is a collection of tools and strategies that help teachers banish the burnout and cultivate true resilience. Keyed to the framework presented in Onward, this companion piece augments the text with practical exercises, coaching, and step-by-step walkthroughs of beneficial practices. Deep introspection allows you to verbalize your feelings, name your challenges, and identify the tools you have and the tools you need—from there, you’ll explore each of the 12 Key Habits and learn how to put them into practice every day. In cultivating resilience within yourself and your teaching practice, you improve your health, your outlook, and your relationships while building an environment in which every child succeeds. This workbook takes you on a journey of specific self-discovery that changes your perspective, renews your confidence, and empowers you to make the much-needed changes that allow you to continue inspiring young minds.   Dig deeper within to discover what you’re truly made of Decode complex emotions, body language, and nonverbal communications Challenge your beliefs, build community, and navigate difficult interactions Learn more, feel more, play more, and practice effective self-care Resiliency is an underrated skill—one that can make all the difference in our schools. Challenges will always arise, but it is your response that dictates the outcome. Can you think of a more important lesson for your students? When some 70 percent of teachers quit within their first five years, it is clear that changes must be made. The Onward Workbook equips you to make the changes that you can, and flourish into the future. While this book can be used by individuals, it is also designed so that groups, teams, departments, or an entire staff can take up the learning together. There are specific suggestions in the workbook for using this with a group, and educators will reap even more reward from discussing the practices and experiences with colleagues. 

Table of Contents:
Preface xvii Introduction 1 Put On Your Hiking Boots 1 Hopes and Goals 2 Current Challenges 3 What’s in Your Toolbox? 4 Create a Treasure Chest, or Just a Pocket 5 1 Know Yourself 7 Know Yourself: Resilience Self-Assessment 8 How Well Do I Know Myself? 10 The Wise Words of Martha Graham 13 Whom Do You Know Who Knows Who They Are? 14 I Am 15 Purpose: Why I’m Doing This 16 Myers-Briggs Personality Types: Part 1 17 Myers-Briggs Personality Types: Part 2 21 Pablo Neruda and Purpose 23 What Motivates Me When I Speak? 24 Core Values 25 Purpose: My Legacy 28 Crafting a Mission Statement 30 I Am a Leopard, or a 33 Aptitudes and Interests 34 Aptitudes: An Inquiry Experience 40 Spiritual and Mental Ancestors 45 The Paths We’ve Taken 46 Values: At School 48 Sociopolitical Identities 50 Signature Strengths 52 Make a Values Jar 53 Astrology, Enneagrams, and More! 54 Behavioral Change: In the Past 55 Who Am I? Who Do I Want to Be? 57 Behavioral Change: Reflections on Past Experiences 59 Behavioral Change: Identifying Grain Size 62 Making Plans for Behavioral Change 64 Aligning Values to Actions 67 A Letter to Vulnerability 69 Artistic Depictions of Vulnerability 70 Destination Postcard: Self-Knowledge 71 Chapter Reflection 72 2 Understand Emotions 75 Understand Emotions: Resilience Self-Assessment 76 KWL: Emotions 78 Beliefs About Feelings 79 Examining Coping Mechanisms 81 Movie Time! 82 The Cultural Construction of Emotions 84 The Core Emotions 86 Naming Emotions 88 Exploring the Intensity of Emotions 89 Anger: Meditations and Reflections 92 Get to Know an Emotion Cycle 94 A Day of Observing Your Emotions 97 Relaxing Your Body: The Body Scan 98 Where Emotions Live in Your Body 99 Muscle Relaxation 100 Nonverbal Communication: The Interviews 101 The Biography of My Emotions 102 Reflecting on Regrets 103 Invite Your Emotions to Tea 104 Lessons About Strong Emotions 105 Thanking Your Emotions 107 Thanks, but No Thanks 109 Exploring Moments of Emotional Intensity 112 How to Breathe 114 RAIN: Dealing with Uncomfortable Emotions 116 Noticing Physical Cues 118 Assessing Your Stress 119 Quick Calm: Grounding 120 Recognizing Cognitive Distortions 121 A Letter to Anger 124 Artistic Depictions of Anger 125 Destination Postcard: Understand Emotions 126 Chapter Reflection 127 3 Tell Empowering Stories 129 Tell Empowering Stories: Resilience Self-Assessment 130 Three Good Things 132 Intention Setting 136 Start a New Habit 140 Reflect on Thoughts 141 What Einstein Says About Stories 149 Exploring the Impact of Cognitive Distortions 150 Catch That Distorted Thought 154 Visually Depicting a Life Story 156 Affirmations 158 Authoring Your Life 159 Take Apart That Thought 160 Try This Thought 164 Optimism: Choices 165 Challenge That Thought 166 Interrupting Distorted Thoughts 172 Problematic Core Beliefs 174 Rilke on Love 178 Challenge That Core Belief 179 “The Optimism of Uncertainty” 181 River and Rut Stories 182 The Life-Defining Moments 184 “Want To” and “Get To” 187 The Untold Story 188 Memory, Mood, and Story-Crafting 189 “The Danger of a Single Story” 190 Using Empathy to Expand Stories 191 Examining Organizational Stories 193 Love 194 The Pessimism-Optimism Scale 197 Think Like an Optimist 199 A Letter to Love 200 Artistic Depictions of Love 201 Destination Postcard: Tell Empowering Stories 202 Chapter Reflection 203 4 Build Community 205 Build Community: Resilience Self-Assessment 206 Community Mapping 208 Planning for Professional Community Building 209 Develop Cultural Competence: A Plan 211 Trust: Reflecting on Experience and Assumptions 213 Relational Trust: Among Staff 216 How to Build Trust 220 Body Language: Reflecting on Myself 224 Body Language: Reflecting on Others 227 Body Language: Fake It Till You Become It 229 Body Language: Rewiring Your Brain 230 What Does Community Mean to You? 232 Sixty Ways to Build Community at School 235 How to Address Conflict 239 Neighborhood Exploration 240 An Anthropologist in the Lunchroom 241 Research Community Outside of School 242 A Corsage of Community 244 Building Your Social Network 245 Storytelling 247 Listening to Your Own Listening 248 Expansive Listening 250 Listening: The Interviews 252 Am I in a Toxic Culture? 253 What to Say When People Don’t Talk Nicely About Kids or Their Families 257 How to Ask Questions 260 A Letter to Fear 262 Artistic Depictions of Fear 263 Destination Postcard: Community 264 Chapter Reflection 265 5 Be Here Now 267 Be Here Now: Resilience Self-Assessment 268 The Raisin Meditation 270 The Joy Collage 272 Right Here, Right Now 273 Blowing Bubbles 274 Morning Messages 275 Mindfulness on Yard Duty 276 Mindful Eating 277 The Myth of Multitasking 278 Mindful Walking 280 Tagore on Joy 281 Ice Cube Meditation 282 A Tree in a Storm 283 Project Silliness 284 Identify a Choice Point 285 Treasure Chest of the Ordinary 286 Mindful Breathing 287 The “Not-Right-Now” Shelf 289 Sixty Seconds 291 Meet Your Telomeres 292 The Zen of Coloring 293 Do Something Already 294 Walk a Labyrinth 295 Soaking In the Satisfaction 296 Project Humor 297 Drawing Your Breath 300 Kale Is Not Required 302 A Letter to Joy 303 Artistic Depictions of Joy 304 Destination Postcard: Be Here Now 305 Chapter Reflection 306 6 Take Care of Yourself 309 Take Care of Yourself: Resilience Self-Assessment 310 Listening to Your Body 312 What’s My Gap? 313 Dream 315 Self-Care Origin Stories 316 When You Are in Self-Care Crisis 317 Tracking Exhaustion 318 Keep a Food Diary 319 Reflecting on Martyrdom 321 If Your Body Could Talk 322 Inside World and Outside World 324 Try Something New 326 Charting Your Self-Care Story 329 Reduce Your Sugar Intake 330 Planning for Better Sleep 333 How to Get More Exercise 337 Movie Time! 338 Self-Esteem Reflection 339 How Do I Perceive Myself? 341 The Best Homemade Chai 343 How Do Others Experience Me? 344 Exploring Self-Confidence 345 Fake It Until You Make It 348 Healthy Eating Reminders 350 Loving Your Adrenals 352 Who Needs to Yell at You? 355 Reflecting on Perfectionism 357 A Week of Self-Care 358 Sixty-Five Ways to Care for Yourself 361 A Letter to Perfectionism 364 Artistic Depictions of Perfectionism 365 Destination Postcard: Self-Care 366 Chapter Reflection 367 7 Focus on the Bright Spots 369 Focus on the Bright Spots: Resilience Self-Assessment 370 Find the Bright Spots 372 Savor the Little Moments 374 Share What You Savor 378 Feel the Feelings 379 Energy Check-In 380 Stop and Smell the Roses 383 Tuning in to the Positive 384 Create a Remember-lutions Jar 385 The Words of Others 386 Joyful Anticipation 388 Repurpose Your Pain 389 Joyful Recollection 390 THINK Before You Speak 391 Don’t Worry, Be Happy 392 The Joy of Making Lists 393 Reflecting on Sadness 395 Five Years in the Future 396 Learning to Settle Your Mind 397 Light a Candle 398 Gaining Perspective on Difficult Events 399 Uncovering Silver Linings 401 Watch Your Thoughts, Again 403 Photographing What Matters 405 In Search of Ordinary Good 406 Reflecting on the Search for Ordinary Good 407 A Letter to Sadness 408 Artistic Depictions of Sadness 409 Destination Postcard: Focusing on Bright Spots 410 Chapter Reflection 411 8 Cultivate Compassion 413 Cultivate Compassion: Resilience Self-Assessment 414 New Year’s Activities 416 Make Those Resolutions Stick 417 Lovingkindness Meditation 418 An Intention for Today 420 Acknowledging Your Teachers 421 Six Ways to Forgive Someone 422 Bridging Differences 426 It’s Not Personal 428 How to Apologize 429 The Self-Compassion Break 431 How Would You Treat a Friend? 432 Self-Compassion Letter 434 Exploring Cynicism 435 The Quest for Good 436 Just Like Me 437 The Fly on the Wall 438 Your Future Self Speaks to You 440 Learning from Envy 442 Recognizing Bids for Attention 443 The Self-Compassion Journal 445 Cultivating Compassion for Difficult People 448 “The Awesome Anthem” 449 Nonviolent Communication 450 Nonverbal Communication of Compassion 453 The People Who Support Me 454 Four Minutes of Eye Contact 455 Thirty-Six Questions to Fall in Love with Someone 456 Eat Together 459 A Meditation to Boost Equanimity 460 Preventing Empathic Fatigue 461 A Letter to Envy 462 Artistic Depictions of Envy 463 Destination Postcard: Compassion 464 Chapter Reflection 465 9 Be a Learner 467 Be a Learner: Resilience Self-Assessment 468 How Writing Helps You Learn 470 Ask a Question 471 Super-You 472 The Million-Dollar Question: What Can I Learn? 473 Action Research: What and Why 474 Mini Inquiry Cycle 476 Lessons on Learning from Merlin 477 Get Rid of Uncomfortable Clothes 478 Get Rid of Some More Things 479 Piggyback Behaviors 480 Parker Palmer’s Words on Learning 481 Whom Do I Want as a Mentor? 482 How to Find a Mentor 483 How to Receive Feedback 484 How to Give Feedback 485 The One-Sentence Journal 487 Indicators of a Learning Organization 488 The Power of Yet: A Musical Interlude 491 Expanding Your Learning Community 492 Cultivating Curiosity: The Art of Noticing 493 Growing Brains 494 Cultivating Curiosity by Knowing More 495 Three Kinds of Curiosity 496 Cultivating Curiosity: Backwards 498 Beliefs and Assumptions About Time 499 Tracking My Time 500 What Else Could This Mean? 501 A Letter to Shame 502 Artistic Depictions of Shame 503 Destination Postcard: Being a Learner 504 Chapter Reflection 505 10 Play and Create 507 Play and Create: Resilience Self-Assessment 508 Your Play Personality 510 Six Ways to Water Your Creativity 511 The Closet in My Classroom 513 Create a Logo 514 Thank You, Courage 516 Sisu, Ikigai, and Gigil 517 How to Be Courageous 520 Street Interviews 521 Create Your Alter Ego 522 Play Hide-and-Seek 523 Create a Monster 524 Nondominant Hand Monsters 526 The Four-Minute Diary 528 Making the Familiar Strange 529 Discovering Creativity in Your Community 530 A Play List 531 Elevate the Ordinary 532 Map Your Day 533 Create a Community Sketchbook 534 Ai Weiwei’s Shoes 535 Create Your Cheerleading Squad 536 Ice Cube Street Art 538 A Collage of Student Voices 539 Banksyfy Yourself 540 Transforming the Ordinary 541 A Family Tree of Courage 542 On Creative Resilience and Resistance 543 A Letter to Courage 544 Artistic Depictions of Flow 545 Destination Postcard: Play and Create 546 Chapter Reflection 547 11 Ride the Waves of Change 549 Ride the Waves of Change: Resilience Self-Assessment 550 Make a Vision Board 552 The Roots of Our Attitude Toward Change 553 Face Your Fears 554 Reflecting on Hope and Change 555 Which Changes Do You Desire? 556 Reflecting on Perseverance 557 “Maybe,” Said the Farmer 558 The Monster in the Closet 560 Honoring What You’ve Lost 561 Keep a Promise to Yourself 563 Detachment Meditation 564 Reflecting on Energy 565 Transformation and Decay 566 Metaphors for Patience 567 How the Light Gets In 568 Silence 569 Scream and Yell 570 Patience 571 Accepting Fragility 572 It’s All Right to Cry 573 Strengthening Your Intuition 574 Inspiration to Fight the Good Fight 576 Tackle Your Complaints 577 How to Worry Less 580 Plan for Change: Observe Others 581 Crisis and Opportunity 582 Dragonflies 583 Your Own Change Management Model 584 A Letter to Patience 585 Artistic Depictions of Patience 586 Destination Postcard: Riding the Waves of Change 587 Chapter Reflection 588 12 Celebrate and Appreciate 591 Celebrate and Appreciate: Resilience Self-Assessment 592 Gratitude Journals 594 A Visual Gratitude Journal 595 Everyone I’m Grateful For 596 A Flurry of Appreciations 597 Honoring the Ancestors 599 Deep Gratitude 600 The Power of the Positive Phone Call Home 601 Exploring Attitudes Around Celebration 603 Talk About People Behind Their Backs 604 One Little Thought: My Life Is Very Blessed 605 The Heartbreak of Teaching 606 A Gratitude Letter 607 What Sets Your Soul on Fire? 608 Enlisting an Accountability Buddy 610 Time Traveling to Deliver Appreciations 611 Today, I Am Grateful For 612 What’s at Risk? 613 Awe Boosts Your Immune System 614 Strengthen a Friendship 615 The Awe Narrative 616 Movie Time! 617 Live as If You Liked Yourself 618 Thank You, Elbows 619 Capture Awe in Nature 620 My Yearbook Page 621 I Would Like to Be More Grateful For 622 An Awe Walk 623 Look Around You 624 A Letter to Awe and Wonder 625 Artistic Depictions of Awe 626 Destination Postcard: Trust 627 Chapter Reflection 628 Conclusion 629 Reflecting on a Year of Cultivating Resilience 630 Symbols and Metaphors for Dispositions 631 Choosing Dispositions 637 Create a Poster 638 Now What? 639 Appendix: Resources for Further Learning 641 About the Author 650

About the Author :
ELENA AGUILAR is the founder and president of Bright Morning Consulting, an educational consulting group that works around the world supporting educators to meet the needs of children. She is the author of The Art of Coaching and The Art of Coaching Teams and has also been a longtime contributor to Edutopia and EdWeek.