Auesome News August
This summer we had the pleasure to host our first Auesome summer camp workshops. Perhaps you are wondering what have motivated us. Well, the starting point was being aware of our community’s needs. A simple question from one of our friends brought to our attention the absence of spaces suitable for kids with different abilities during the summer holidays. Our summer camp was a result of collaboration between professionals, families, and students, who committed their attention and time to promote mindful activities. Based on this experience, we would like to use this article to discuss the long-lasting emotions and memories flourishing then and how it all worked.
Kindness, respect, collaboration, mindfulness, patience, and adaptation were and are all part of the Auesome’s approach. Adaptation is a key element in making new things happen and it follows a FLOW, which helps us embrace every moment with an open mind and an open heart. The comprehension that there is no ready-made recipe[1] that works for everyone is a pillar in everything we do.
Fit into the environment
Lend ourselves in meeting individual learner needs
Optimize understanding for each person
Work flexibly and well with activities designed[2]
This pillar promotes the ripple effect of our intentions, which brings the best of all experiences, gratitude. What is it? Why is it so important? How can we cultivate gratitude?
Gratitude has many different meanings. Positive psychology defines it as more than feeling thankful; it is also strongly associated with greater happiness[3]. It deepens our appreciation for someone (or something), which leads to longer lasting positivity.[4] Gratitude is in itself also a complex social emotion and a cognitive process.
At the level of the brain, being grateful increases grey matter volume, changes brain chemistry (oxytocin), enhances neural sensitivity in the medial prefrontal cortex (an area associated with learning and decision making[5]), and improves social bonding[6].
Scientists define it as both a state and a trait. As a state, gratitude is an affective-cognitive state that promotes empathy and the recognition of positive external outcomes. As a trait, it orients life wider towards noticing and being grateful for the positive in the world[7]. For us, our Auesome workshops work both ways, as a state (building prosocial skills), and as a trait (being thankful for our experiences)[8].
This generates a powerful e-motion (energy + information flow) which moves us towards inclusive attitudes like a conduit. The activities in our camp take us beyond ourselves. They expand our attention to the present moment as a gift, and renew intentions for fostering future events, which benefits the overall well-being of the community.
Moving the learning experience around different spaces and groups allows our Auesome community to grow healthier and stronger. It stablishes new perceptions and diminishes bias. The Auesome approach is supported by scientific research, which establishes that practicing gratitude consistently benefits physical, psychological, and social well-being[9], while leading to better satisfaction by living a good life.
In summary, one of the main differentials of our activities is to be a gift-giving accessible space where learning opportunities arise for and from everyone. A place where social support enriches connectedness – which is essential for one’s success in a productive and meaningful social life[10]. Mixing abilities maximize the grateful outcomes!
Dear readers,
In this article you will find a few numbered passages. These additional references are for those who want to know more about the specific topic.To access them, you may wish to copy and paste the reference below. We hope the additional resources is helpful to you.
[1] Tomasevski, Katarina. Manual on rights-based education: global human rights requirements made simple. Bangkok: UNESCO Bangkok, 2004. 60p.
[2]Inspired by: Curriculum Accommodations and Adaptations
<http://www.rehabcouncil.nic.in>
[3]https://www.health.harvard.edu/healthbeat/giving-thanks-can-make-you-happier
[4]https://positivepsychology.com/gratitude-appreciation/
[5]https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/how_gratitude_changes_you_and_your_brain
[6]Neural correlates of gratitude <https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/fpsyg.2015.01491/full>
[7]Lilian Jans-Beken, Nele Jacobs, Mayke Janssens, Sanne Peeters, Jennifer Reijnders, Lilian Lechner & Johan Lataster (2020) Gratitude and health: An updated review, The Journal of Positive Psychology, 15:6, 743-782, DOI: 10.1080/17439760.2019.1651888
[8]Sansone, R. A., & Sansone, L. A. (2010). Gratitude and well-being: the benefits of appreciation. Psychiatry (Edgmont (Pa. : Township)), 7(11), 18–22.
[9]https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/why_gratitude_is_good
[10]Armenta Christina N., Fritz Megan M. & Lyubomirsky Sonja (2017). Functions of Positive Emotions: Gratitude as a Motivator of Self-Improvement and Positive Change. Emotion Review. V. 9, 183-190