SUCCESS OVER STRESS: RESILIENCE CHALLENGE ASSIGNMENT: PART 1 Name: Answer the reflection questions below. Be sure to carefully read and fully answer each question; some questions contain multiple components. Demonstrate critical thinking and effort in your answers. Please type all responses into the text boxes provided. Write clearly; complete sentences, accurate spelling, and proper grammar and punctuation are expected. This assignment is worth 10 points. **PART 2 WILL BE DUE IN TWO WEEKS AND WILL DEPEND ON YOUR RESPONSES TO PART 1.** Read this before answering the questions below: In the next two weeks, you will intentionally do something difficult and take a risk; this should be something with a significant chance of failure or a low likelihood you’ll reach the intended outcome. The purpose of this assignment is not to make you feel bad or make you upset. We are not asking you to choose something that will compromise your future, relationships, or academics. We want you to choose something for which the outcome could be amazing, but also comes with risk; the thing you choose should be difficult and should be something you are reluctant to do. It should also be something that can be done/finished/concluded within two weeks; you likely won’t reach the outcome or conclusion of “passing a certain class” or “getting a job” by the time part 2 is due. Make your intended actions specific, not vague. Examples of vague challenges would be, “I need to try not to get injured” or “I’ll be less moody.” Your challenge should also not be something you need to do anyway, like “study for my midterm.” Vague challenges and challenges that are already part of a short-term personal, professional or academic plan will not earn full points. We have included some examples below, but you are encouraged to create your own challenge. Examples of risks or challenges you might choose: • Attend an event or meeting hosted by individuals who are different from you. • If a roommate, coworker, friend, family member, or partner takes advantage of you, practice assertiveness with them. • Ask someone for a significant favor that would really help you. • Apologize to someone to whom you owe an apology. • Forgive someone who has wronged you… really forgive them. • Make an attempt to change or stop an unhealthy or maladaptive behavior. • If you’ve been hesitant to make a needed medical or mental health appointment, schedule it and actually go. 1 • • • • If you’ve been considering asking a particular person out on a date or for their phone number, but haven’t yet, ask them! Raise your hand in class to attempt to answer a question to which you may not know the answer. Try a new fitness class at the recreation center that you think might be difficult. Another personal challenge you design 1. State the risk or challenge you will undertake in the next two weeks and describe why it is important to you. Challenge Check-in: • Is your challenge: • Achievable in two weeks? • Potentially risky and potentially rewarding? • Specific? • Something you’ve been reluctant to do? If you answered NO to any of these, please re-write a challenge that meets all criteria. Further, if it is something you would be completing regardless of this assignment, consider choosing a different challenge. 2. Explain your reasoning behind choosing this challenge over others. How might the outcome benefit you? 3. What is the worst possible outcome of this scenario? This might include both shortand long-term outcomes. 4. If this risk ends in failure or the outcome you hope for is not reached, what would you like your reaction to be? In other words, in an ideal world, what would you do/say/think if things don’t go well? (1 point) 2 5. What is the best possible outcome of this scenario? Include both short- and long-term outcomes. 6. Describe what you believe is most likely to happen when you do this? Realistically, based on the available evidence and your past experiences, what do you think the outcome will be? 7. What could you say to yourself if you feel unsure or nervous as you work toward completing this challenge? 8. Describe a challenge, struggle, or failure you have successfully overcome in the past. Be specific in explaining: • what happened; and • what you did or said to effectively navigate this experience. 3 SUCCESS OVER STRESS: RELAXATION STRATEGY PRACTICE Name: Read the module, “Relaxation Strategies to Try” from the “Adaptive Coping and Application” unit before completing this assignment. Answer the reflection questions below. Be sure to carefully read and fully answer each question; some questions contain multiple components. Demonstrate critical thinking and effort in your answers. Please type all responses into the text boxes provided. Write clearly; complete sentences, accurate spelling, and proper grammar and punctuation are expected. This assignment is worth 10 points. Below are some relaxation strategies included in the lesson. Select one of the following to try before completing the reflection questions. Choose a relaxation strategy you haven’t tried before. You may need to seek out additional information, resources, or guidance to try out your chosen strategy. This may include finding an audio track, YouTube video, service on or near campus, class, or knowledgeable friend. Take time to prepare and thoroughly engage in your chosen strategy. You should not rush through a relaxation exercise. Although many can be done in a shorter amount of time, we encourage you to spend at least 15 minutes on your chosen strategy. Some will take even longer than this. Complete your chosen relaxation exercise before answering the reflection questions below. Relaxation Strategies List: • Mindful breathing • Another mindfulness exercise • Meditation • Progressive Muscle Relaxation (PMR) • Autogenic Relaxation (AGR, Autogenic Training) • Massage • Stretching • Visualization • Biofeedback • Tai Chi • Restricted Environmental Stimulation (REST) • Ecotherapy • Artistic expression • Musical expression 1 • • • • Movement or dance Aromatherapy Another form of physical activity Other 1. Which relaxation strategy did you choose? Explain why you chose it over the others. 2. Why had you not tried this relaxation strategy before? (there are no right or wrong answers to this question) 3. Describe your experience with this strategy. Include details about any resources (videos, audio tracks, websites, classes, etc.) you used in preparation or during this activity. Also include details about the steps taken from beginning to end. Include enough detail so someone else could replicate your process if they read your response. 4. How did you feel during the exercise? Was it challenging or easy? Comfortable or uncomfortable? Be specific about both the physical and mental experience. 5. How did you feel after the exercise? Describe both the physical and mental experience. 2 6. Would you use this strategy again? • If YES, when might this strategy be most helpful? Describe stressors, times, or situations in which it could be useful. • If NO, describe why or what you might do differently next time. 7. Which other relaxation strategy or strategies have you’ve tried in the past? Describe how and when you use each. 8. Which other relaxation strategies are you interested in trying someday in the future? 3 SUCCESS OVER STRESS: A LETTER OF GRATITUDE AND REFLECTION Name: Please read the module “Outlook and Social Support" from the “Adaptive Coping and Application” unit before beginning this assignment. PART 1 Pick a person in your life whom you’d like to thank, someone who has meant a lot to you. Write this person a letter of gratitude. You should pick a special person in your life that has made a big impact, perhaps a bigger impact than they were aware of, and whom you never adequately thanked. Thank this person for something very specific that they have contributed to your life. Feel free to read or send this letter to the person you are thanking. Gratitude works best when shared. ☺ PART 2 Once you have written your letter, reflect on your letter by responding to the question prompts. Demonstrate critical thinking and effort in your answers. Write clearly; complete sentences, accurate spelling, and proper grammar and punctuation are expected. Please submit both parts. Please type all responses into the expandable text boxes provided. 1 PART 1: YOUR LETTER Write a letter to a specific person in the space below; address this person directly. Include what this person did and why you are grateful. (2 points) Dear PART 2: REFLECTION 1. Describe why it was important to write a letter to this particular person. How would your life be different without them? 2. How did this person’s actions, words, or presence impact your life? What do you believe changed as a result of their influence? 2 3. Describe how you felt when deciding on a person to write to and reflect on the process of writing this letter. What was this experience like for you? 4. Explain how gratitude and stress are connected for you personally? 5. People tend to interpret others’ intentions and behaviors as similar to their own 1. Therefore, performing selfless acts without expecting personal gain can lead us to believe others’ actions are selfless. Describe one selfless act you can see yourself engaging in during the next week? 1 Markus, H., Smith, J., & Moreland, R. L. (1985). Role of the self-concept in the perception of others. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 49(6), 1494–1512. 3 SUCCESS OVER STRESS: RESILIENCE CHALLENGE ASSIGNMENT: PART 2 Name: Answer the reflection questions below. Be sure to carefully read and fully answer each question; some questions contain multiple components. Demonstrate critical thinking and effort in your answers. Please type all responses into the text boxes provided. Write clearly; complete sentences, accurate spelling, and proper grammar and punctuation are expected. IF YOU DID NOT SUBMIT PART 1 TWO WEEKS AGO, YOU MUST SUBMIT IT NOW ALONG WITH PART 2 TO EARN CREDIT ON PART 2. Read this before answering the questions below: In the last two weeks, you were asked to intentionally do something difficult and take a risk. Resilience comes in-part from experiencing—and successfully navigating or surviving—failure. Consider the challenge you extended to yourself and answer the reflection questions below. 1. Describe the risk or challenge you chose for Part 1. Then describe the outcome or what happened. Include details about what you did or said and what the outcome or response was. 2. How did the outcome or your response differ from what you had expected to happen (question 6 on part 1)? Explain. 3. Describe how you felt leading up to the challenge, during it, and afterward. How do you feel now? 1 4. What did you learn about yourself or your own resilience as a result of enduring this challenge? How might this experience contribute to your resilience? 5. Up until this point in your life, what life event(s) has/have contributed most to your resilience? How are you a different person as a result of this/these event(s)? 6. Think of a challenge or risk you will likely encounter in your future. Answer the following questions • What is one challenge or risk you’ll likely face in the near future? • How can you prepare for this challenge or risk ahead of time? • What are both the best- and worst-case outcomes for this experience? • How would you ideally like to handle it if you fail or if it doesn’t end as hoped? Be specific about your plan. 2 7. In the course, we discuss different ways individuals can build resilience. They include: • Discover mastery in something. • Try new hard things. • Set realistic goals and expectations for yourself. • Celebrate progress, not just achievements. • Form a bond with at least one caring person. • Give yourself a sense of purpose. • Identify your threshold for asking for help. For this resilience challenge, we asked you to try a new hard thing by pushing yourself to step outside your comfort zone. If you wanted to build resilience even more, describe the steps you might take in the next three months that could have lasting effects on your resilience (consider the resilience-building ideas listed above). Then explain how you think these steps might contribute to your resilience. 3
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