Summer breaks are, I believe, for relaxing, reflecting and regrouping. As someone working in school leadership, I find current times challenging in terms of providing hope and optimism for students and staff in a world where environmental pressures and human aggressions spin a web of despair into which it is hard not to get stuck. As educators, we must, however, assist our communities to flourish as best we can, given the circumstances.
Wellbeing and happiness, though nebulous, are the subjects of much consideration. A *Harvard Study of Adult Development that commenced in 1938, has established a strong correlation between deep relationships and well-being. In Australian schools we often cite identity, relationships and community as 3 legs of a wellbeing ‘stool’. If one leg proves wonky, overall wellbeing is compromised. This study looked particularly at relationships and the result were startling.
They considered the flip side of good relationships as loneliness, something that, were told, has physical effects on the body including increased sensitivity to pain, suppression of their immune system, diminished brain function, and disrupted sleep, all of which makes us more tired and irritable, apparently raising a person’s odds of death by 26 percent in any given year! For young people, those who reported being lonelier had a greater chance of facing mental-health issues, partaking in unsafe physical-health behaviours, and coping with stress in negative ways.
The 2018 BBC Loneliness Experiment found the loneliest group were 16-to-24-year-olds, 40 percent of whom reported feeling lonely “often or very often”, with around 35% feeling similarly for those ups to 55 years old\, resulting in the establishment of a U.K. Ministry of Loneliness.
So what can we do? I appreciate the idea that people are only ever ‘lent’ to us and that we should treasure those relationships that leave us energised rather than drained. As educators we are constantly drawn into our ‘world of school’ and often struggle to find the time to emerge. One activity that I know has worked for me is participating in a community such as ACEL. As a cross sectoral body interactions are open, positive, constructive and energising. Events are often free, and I encourage all to not only attend, but to suggest further topics for discussion. ACEL members all contribute and share knowledge freely and willingly, promoting the opportunity for rich discussion and growing positive relationships.
* What the Longest Study on Human Happiness Found Is the Key to a Good Life - The Atlantic
Annette Rome
ACEL VIC Branch President