Dear MDECOE community,
Recently I’ve heard story after story not just about how hard this time has been for each of us, but, surprisingly, how many of us are engaging in acts of kindness toward others. It seems, especially in trying times, we find helping others can be a great way to feel better ourselves. Friends are sharing recipes, neighbors are sharing supplies, and many of us now live for that regular zoom meeting with family and friends when we can support each other.
Dr. Mark Stevens in the Department of Educational Psychology and Counseling has written a piece entitled Maintaining (and Promoting) Mental and Emotional Wellness with an Abundance of Kindness. According to Mark, “Research suggests a positive correlation between the number of kind acts and increases in one’s happiness.”
This coming week, we have the opportunity to practice kindness with our students who are missing out on spring hooding and graduation ceremonies. Thanks to all of our departments and faculty for recognizing our completing students in special ways in the coming days.
For other resources to support you during the coronavirus, and find ways to support others, please continue to look at our self-care website at https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
Here is hoping we all find ways to practice random acts of kindness with each other and our students in the week ahead. And thanks to all of you for your kind words recently to me!
Warmly,
Shari and Josh