Teach · Coach · Mentor
I AM READY
Curriculum
I AM READY
Unit 4: Are You Aware?
Guiding Questions:
- What are my Rules for Living?
- How do Rules for Living become distorted, and how can I challenge these distortions and create positive changes in my thinking?
Unit Description:
On a daily basis, we use mental shortcuts to help us make decisions. Our Rules for Living (RFL) allow us to make decisions quickly and with little conscious investment. There are two types of Rules for Living. Daily RFLs help us make decisions in daily routines that are non-threatening. Protective RFLs help us make decisions in potentially threatening or unusual situations.
Sometimes, our Rules for Living become distorted, and as a result, our decision-making process becomes fault. Distorted RFLs negatively influence our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors and diminish healthy decision-making processes.
In this unit, learners explore Rules for Living and the sources of distortion- distress, chronic stress, and trauma. Learners evaluate common distortions and the impact that these distortions have on one’s internal events. Learners discover and practice tools that help students monitor distorted RFLs and restructure thoughts that contribute to distortions.
Lesson Overviews
Lesson One
Overview
Learners are introduced to Rules for Living, types of RFLs, and distortions. Learners review and create TRY Goals and discuss highs and lows with their Accountability Partners.
Critical Activities
- Take A Stand
- Accountability Partners
- Climb Our Mountain
- Rules for Living
- Transformation Circle
- Whip Around
Objectives
- Define Rules for Living
- Understand how Rules for Living are formed and applied
- Define Forces of Distortion
- Understand cognitive distortions
- Acknowledge challenges and successes
- Review and evaluate progress for personal records
- Set a TRY Goal
Learning Targets
- Rules for Living are automatic assumptions about how the world operates.
- A Daily RFL is a mental shortcut we use to make decisions in everyday routine experiences and events.
- A Protective RFL is a mental shortcut that helps us make decisions in a potentially threatening or unusual situation.
- An RFL that is distorted and applied to inappropriate situations is called Distortion.
- A distorted belief creates distorted thoughts, feelings, and actions.
- Distressing experiences and trauma can distort my Rules for Living and my thoughts, feelings, and actions.
Lesson Two
Learners explore self-control challenges and establish their WHY for course participation. This Happened! and Tracking My Day Tools reflective tools are introduceOverview
Learners explore the RFL Habit Cycle and describe the relationship between unhealthy RFLs and one’s internal habits (thoughts, feelings, and behavior.) Students explore the Distorted Thinking Tool and examine their irrational and potentially distorted RFLs. Learners visit their reflection journals.
Critical Activities
- Words I Wish I Wrote
- Tie it Together
- RFL Cycle Walk
- This Happened!
- Tracking My Day
- A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
Objectives
- Understand how Rules for Living are developed
- Connect Rules for Living to internal events
- Identify thoughts, behaviors, and actions of others through roleplay
- Challenge cognitive distortions with Six Seconds to Ready
Learning Targets
- My RFLs influence my experiences. My experiences reinforce my RFLS.
- The RFL Cycle creates a powerful mental habit that impacts all aspects of my daily life.
- Distorted RFLs create distorted and irrational thoughts.
Lesson Three
Overview
Learners explore Rules for Living through Today & Tomorrow Episode 4, complete their Empathy Map, and practice a guided meditation.
Critical Activities
- Tie it Together
- Tune in! Today & Tomorrow
- T&T Draw it!
- This Happened!
- Tracking My Day
- Back-to-Back
Objectives
- Identify thoughts, behaviors, and actions of others through story
- Identify I AM Ready tools for specific situations and scenarios
- Practice applying tools to characters in story
Learning Targets
- Targets and Statements are reviewed in the Transformation Circles and Accountability Partners.
Lesson Four
Overview
Learners examine their RFLs and practice using the Distorted Thinking Tool and create positive internal scripts. Learners meet with their Transformation Circle to discuss their experience with distorted RFLs.
Critical Activities
- Whip Around
- Free Throw Game
- Take a Stand
- Transformation Circle
- Accountability Partners
- Create a TRY Goal
- A Picture Speaks a Thousand Words
Objectives
- Review inner voice
- Identify thoughts, behaviors, and actions of others through story
- Practice challenging cognitive distortions with Six Seconds to Ready
- Build positive internal scripts
Learning Targets
Targets and Statements are reviewed in the Transformation Circles and Accountability Partners.
CBT Terms and Tools
Terms:
- Rules for Living
- Daily Rules for Living
- Protective Rules for Living
- Distortion
- Distress
- Trauma
- Chronic Stress
Tools:
- This Happened! event journal
- Tracking My Day record
- Learning Targets
- Big I Statements
- ‘Above the Bar’ behaviors
- ‘Below the Bar’ behaviors
- Climb Our Mountain journal
- RFL Cycle Walk
- Six Seconds to Ready