Make Better Decisions Without Emotional Bias

This is for anyone who gets scared or anxious about things in life, like school tests, making new friends, or trying new stuff.

Imagine feeling so worried about something that it makes you feel upset or angry.

Maybe it’s about money being sick, or even arguing with people you care about.

These things can make life feel tough sometimes…

What's the Deal?

• Learning ways to calm down when things feel too big.

• Asking for help from friends or grown-ups when you need it.

• Make plans that are not too hard and celebrate when you achieve them.

• Feeling good about yourself, even when things don’t go as planned.

•  Knowing that being nervous is okay and learning how to handle it.

• Seeing mistakes as ways to learn and grow.

Why Does This Matter?

It’s important to know that feeling scared or worried is normal. But guess what?

We can learn how to deal with those feelings so they don’t stop us from doing what we want to do.

What’s Hard for Us?

• Sometimes we feel worried about money or not having enough time for fun.

• Health problems or sudden sickness can make life tough.

• Sometimes we argue with family, friends, or even people we like, which can be really sad.

• Balancing school, chores, and playtime can make us feel like there’s too much to do.

I just drew a picture for you about these two actions you can use every time you have a "problem" to solve and when you need to use associate or dissociate.

What Do We Say No To? 

When we feel scared or worried, we might say:

• "I don’t have time to fix this."

• "I can’t pay for help."

• "I’m scared to try something new."

• "I’m not good enough."

• "I’ll fix it later."

What’s Awesome? 

When we figure out how to feel better and do the things we want, it can help us learn new things, feel braver, make more friends, and feel healthier and happier.

How I Feel About It: 

Sometimes when I get really worried about stuff, I can’t think straight and it makes me really mad…

Other times, I feel like I just don’t care about anything and that’s not good either. 

But when I’m with someone I love, like at a birthday or a party, I try not to be on my phone too much so I can really enjoy the moment. 

When I feel really angry, I go exercise to calm down, and that helps me feel better.

How it works…

Steps to Feeling Better:

1. When I Need to Focus (Positive Association):

   • Imagine you have a big test.

 Close your eyes and see yourself sitting quietly, reading your test questions carefully, and writing down the answers with a big smile.

 Thinking about doing well can make you feel excited to study!

2. When I Need to Chill Out (Negative Disassociation):

   • Imagine you want to stop doing something bad, like overeating candy. 

Picture yourself putting the candy away and feeling proud because you know you’re doing something good for yourself.

Recap:

 So, it’s okay to feel scared or worried sometimes. But remember, you can always learn how to handle those feelings.

 When you know when to focus and when to relax, it can help you feel better and do the things you want to do.

Next time you feel really worried or upset, try taking a deep breath and thinking about your problem calmly.

Talk to someone you trust, like a family member or teacher, and ask for help if you need it. (it’s a MUST).

You can do it.