Episode Transcript
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Speaker 1 (00:00):
Welcome to another
deep dive, and today we're going
to be doing something a littledifferent, yeah, a little more
introspective, you could say.
Speaker 2 (00:07):
Okay, I'm intrigued.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
We're going to be
looking at 50 journal prompts
that focus on this thing calledsocial emotional learning.
Speaker 2 (00:15):
Ah, so we're going to
be kind of exploring our
feelings and stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:18):
Exactly how to
understand them, manage them,
build relationships.
Speaker 2 (00:21):
All that good stuff.
Speaker 1 (00:23):
And I think this
could be really helpful for all
of us, you know, to kind ofcheck in with ourselves and
learn some new skills.
Speaker 2 (00:28):
Especially in today's
world.
Right, everything's moving sofast it's easy to lose track of
our own emotions.
Speaker 1 (00:33):
So our source
material for this deep dive is a
blog post by Clara Penrose.
You can find it onlistallioncom.
It's called 50 Social EmotionalLearning Journal Prompts and it
was published pretty recently,november 5th 2024.
Speaker 2 (00:48):
Okay, so fresh off
the press.
Speaker 1 (00:50):
Now I know what you
might be thinking Journaling, is
that a little bit?
Speaker 2 (00:54):
It's a teenage diary.
Speaker 1 (00:55):
Yeah, exactly, but
trust me, these prompts are a
lot deeper than just writingabout your day.
Speaker 2 (01:00):
They're designed to
really make you think, analyze
and understand your inner world.
Speaker 1 (01:04):
Exactly, and they're
organized around these core
areas of social emotionallearning.
Speaker 2 (01:08):
So we've got
self-awareness, self-confidence,
empathy, communication,personal growth.
Speaker 1 (01:13):
The whole shebang
Should we jump right in.
Speaker 2 (01:23):
Yeah, let's start
with self-awareness, which I
think is so fascinating, becausesometimes it's like we don't
even know our own emotions thatwell.
It's true.
We go through life reacting tothings without really
understanding why we feel theway we do.
Speaker 1 (01:29):
It's like there's
this whole universe inside us
that we haven't fully explored.
Speaker 2 (01:33):
And these prompts can
help us unlock that universe.
Speaker 1 (01:36):
So let's look at a
specific example here.
Speaker 2 (01:37):
Sure.
Speaker 1 (01:38):
Okay, this one's
about frustration.
It says describe a recentmoment when you felt frustrated,
what caused it and how did youhandle those feelings?
Speaker 2 (01:46):
That's a good one.
I think we've all been thereright.
Speaker 1 (01:48):
Oh yeah, definitely.
Sometimes I just kind of stewin my frustration without really
thinking about it too much.
Speaker 2 (01:54):
But that's where the
journaling comes in.
It forces you to slow down andexamine those feelings.
Speaker 1 (01:59):
To figure out the why
behind the frustration.
Speaker 2 (02:01):
Exactly, and by doing
that you can start to identify
your triggers you know thethings that set you off and then
maybe find some better ways tocope Right Instead of just
reacting.
Speaker 1 (02:13):
You're reflecting
Makes sense, yeah, but how does
actually writing it down help?
I mean, it's just me in anotebook.
Speaker 2 (02:19):
Well, there's
actually a lot of research on
this.
They call it expressive writing, okay, and it's been shown to
reduce stress, improve emotionalregulation all sorts of
benefits.
Speaker 1 (02:28):
Wow.
So it's not just about venting.
There's actual science behindit Exactly.
Kenrose mentioned somethingabout this in her post.
I like this part.
She says embracing youremotions helps you understand
yourself better.
Every feeling you experience isimportant.
Honor each one as it comes.
Speaker 2 (02:44):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (02:44):
Yeah, it's a good
reminder.
But I'm also curious aboutpositive emotions.
Do we need to journal aboutthose too?
Speaker 2 (02:50):
Absolutely.
It's just as important toreflect on the good stuff.
Okay, so there are prompts forthat too, oh yeah, there's one
that asks you to think about atime when you felt really happy.
Speaker 1 (03:00):
So we're reliving
those happy memories Exactly.
Speaker 2 (03:02):
And so we're reliving
those happy memories Exactly.
And the cool thing is it canactually strengthen those neural
pathways associated with joy.
So, it's like training yourbrain to be happier, kind of
like building a mental musclefor happiness.
Speaker 1 (03:14):
I like that.
Sign me up.
The more you use it, thestronger it gets.
Speaker 2 (03:18):
Exactly Like going to
the gym for your happiness.
Speaker 1 (03:21):
Muscles- Okay, I like
that analogy.
But what about self-confidence?
Speaker 2 (03:25):
Ah, good one.
Self-confidence is another areawhere journaling can be super
helpful.
Speaker 1 (03:30):
I think a lot of
people struggle with that.
Speaker 2 (03:32):
For sure.
Speaker 1 (03:33):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (03:33):
And Penrose includes
some really good prompts to help
us explore our strengths andaccomplishments.
Speaker 1 (03:38):
Okay, so what are
some of those prompts?
Speaker 2 (03:39):
Well, there's one
that asks what is one thing
you're really good at, and howdid you get so good at it?
Speaker 1 (03:44):
Hmm, that's
interesting.
Sometimes I get so caught up inmy daily grime that I forget to
even think about the things I'mgood at.
Speaker 2 (03:50):
Yeah, it's easy to
focus on our weaknesses, but
this prompt forces us to shiftour perspective.
Speaker 1 (03:56):
To acknowledge our
successes.
Speaker 2 (03:57):
Exactly and to
recognize all the effort and
dedication that went intodeveloping those skills.
Speaker 1 (04:03):
Makes sense.
There's another prompt thatcaught my eye too.
It says describe a time youmade a mistake, how did you
react and what did you learnfrom it.
Speaker 2 (04:12):
Oh, that's a great
one.
We all make mistakes, right?
Speaker 1 (04:15):
Definitely, but
sometimes it's hard to let go of
those mistakes.
Speaker 2 (04:18):
Yeah, we can be
pretty harsh on ourselves.
Speaker 1 (04:21):
But journaling can
help with that.
Speaker 2 (04:22):
It can be a safe
space to process those mistakes
without all the self-judgment.
Speaker 1 (04:26):
To see them as
opportunities for growth instead
of failures.
Exactly I like how Penrose putsit in her post.
She says confidence grows whenyou recognize your worth.
Celebrate each achievement andremember every step forward is
something to be proud of.
Speaker 2 (04:42):
Yeah, it's all about
being kind to ourselves.
Speaker 1 (04:44):
And that kindness
extends to others too, which I
guess brings us to empathy.
Speaker 2 (04:48):
You got it.
Empathy is so crucial,especially these days when it
feels like everyone's justtalking over each other.
Speaker 1 (04:54):
Yeah, it's like we've
forgotten how to actually
listen and understand otherpeople's perspectives.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
And that's where
these prompts come in handy.
They encourage us to step intosomeone else's shoes.
Speaker 1 (05:03):
To consider their
feelings.
Speaker 2 (05:05):
Exactly.
There's one that asks describea time when someone showed you
kindness.
Speaker 1 (05:09):
Oh, I like that one.
Speaker 2 (05:10):
It's a good reminder
of all the good that's out there
.
Speaker 1 (05:13):
And it can inspire us
to be more kind ourselves.
Speaker 2 (05:15):
Pay it forward.
Speaker 1 (05:16):
Exactly Now.
You mentioned earlier thatreflecting on happy moments can
boost our mood.
Speaker 2 (05:22):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:22):
Could there be a
connection between feeling happy
and being more empathetic?
Speaker 2 (05:28):
You know there might
be.
There's some research thatsuggests a link between positive
emotions and pro-socialbehavior, Meaning when we're
feeling good, we're more likelyto be helpful and compassionate
towards others.
Speaker 1 (05:42):
Ah, so it's like
happiness is contagious.
Speaker 2 (05:45):
In a way yeah, okay
cool.
Speaker 1 (05:47):
So let's move on to
the next category communication.
Speaker 2 (05:50):
Right.
Speaker 1 (05:50):
This one feels
especially relevant in the age
of social media, wheremiscommunication seems to be
everywhere.
Speaker 2 (05:56):
You're telling me.
These prompts can help usanalyze our communication
patterns and develop moreeffective strategies for
connecting with others.
Speaker 1 (06:02):
Okay.
Speaker 2 (06:02):
so for example Well,
there's one that asks what's one
thing you find challengingabout making new friends?
Speaker 1 (06:08):
Oh, that's a good one
.
I've definitely struggled withthat in the past.
Speaker 2 (06:12):
It's a common
challenge and by identifying
those specific challenges we canstart to work on overcoming
them.
Speaker 1 (06:19):
So instead of just
complaining about being awkward,
we can actually do somethingabout it.
Speaker 2 (06:23):
Right.
It's about taking ownership ofour communication and finding
ways to be more clear,empathetic and engaging.
Speaker 1 (06:33):
Makes sense.
And Penrose has this great linein her article.
She says communication is keyto connection.
Every conversation helps youunderstand others better.
So listen, share and supportone another.
Speaker 2 (06:43):
Love that it's not
just about talking.
It's about listening andunderstanding.
Speaker 1 (06:46):
Exactly.
Speaker 2 (06:47):
It's a two way street
and these prompts, they kind of
help us be more mindful of bothsides.
You know our own communicationand the other person's.
Speaker 1 (06:55):
Yeah, makes sense.
Yeah, all right, ready for ourfinal category.
Hit me with it Personal growthand mindfulness.
Speaker 2 (07:01):
Good stuff.
Speaker 1 (07:02):
Always a good combo.
Speaker 2 (07:03):
Definitely these
prompts.
They really encourage us toreflect on our journey.
Speaker 1 (07:07):
Where we're going.
Speaker 2 (07:08):
Exactly Like taking a
step back and assessing.
You know, how can we bridgethat gap between where we are
and where we want to be?
Speaker 1 (07:15):
And there's this one
prompt that I really like.
It says describe one way you'vegrown emotionally over the past
year.
Speaker 2 (07:22):
I love that one.
Speaker 1 (07:23):
It's so easy to get
caught up in the day today that
we forget to even acknowledgehow much we've changed.
Speaker 2 (07:28):
So true, we've got to
celebrate those small victories
.
Recognize those challengeswe've overcome and appreciate
how far we've come.
Speaker 1 (07:35):
It kind of ties in
with another prompt in this
category.
What is something you'relearning to be more patient?
Speaker 2 (07:40):
with oh, patience,
that's a big one.
Speaker 1 (07:42):
Definitely something
I'm working on.
Speaker 2 (07:44):
It's a lifelong
journey for most of us, but
journaling can help.
It can.
It can help us cultivatepatience, resilience.
Speaker 1 (07:50):
Yeah.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
Self-compassion.
Speaker 1 (07:52):
Become more aware of
our patterns, our triggers.
Speaker 2 (07:54):
Exactly.
Speaker 1 (07:55):
Penrose has this
great quote about growth in her
post.
She says growth happens onestep at a time.
Embrace each moment, Be mindfulof the journey and trust that
you're always moving forward.
Speaker 2 (08:07):
It's beautiful.
It's a good reminder that it'sa process, not a destination.
Speaker 1 (08:11):
Exactly yeah, and we
can actively shape that process
through self-reflection,intention, action.
Speaker 2 (08:16):
You got it.
Speaker 1 (08:17):
So we've explored all
these 50 prompts covering all
these different social andemotional skills, but what does
it all mean for our listeners?
Speaker 2 (08:24):
Right, how can they
actually use this stuff?
Speaker 1 (08:27):
Yeah, what's the
takeaway?
Speaker 2 (08:32):
Well, I think of
these prompts like seeds.
Speaker 1 (08:33):
You know they have
the potential to grow into
something amazing, but they needthe right environment.
Speaker 2 (08:35):
Exactly, they need
nurturing, and that comes from
taking the time to reflect, towrite, to really engage with
these prompts.
Speaker 1 (08:42):
And it doesn't have
to be this huge time commitment.
Speaker 2 (08:44):
No, even just a few
minutes a day can make a
difference.
Speaker 1 (08:47):
And there's no right
or wrong way to do it.
Speaker 2 (08:49):
It's your own
personal space to explore your
thoughts and feelings.
No judgment.
Speaker 1 (08:54):
Exactly so.
As we wrap up this deep dive,we want to leave you with a
little challenge.
Speaker 2 (08:58):
Hey.
Speaker 1 (08:58):
Inspired by these
prompts, what small act of
kindness will you try this week?
Speaker 2 (09:03):
It could be anything.
You know, a compliment, helpingsomeone out, just listening to
someone who needs to talk.
Speaker 1 (09:10):
And pay attention to
how it makes you feel.
Speaker 2 (09:12):
Sometimes those small
actions can have the biggest
impact.
Speaker 1 (09:16):
On ourselves and on
the world around us.
Speaker 2 (09:18):
Well said.
Thanks for joining us on thisjourney of self-exploration.
Speaker 1 (09:22):
We hope these prompts
inspire you to grab a notebook
and start writing.
Unleash those inner thoughts.
And embark on your ownadventure of social, emotional
growth.
Happy journaling everyone.