After having a panic attack during a nationally televised basketball game, Kevin Love, a National Basketball Association player in the United States, published a very brave and vulnerable article sharing his struggles with mental health. A panic attack is when a person feels a racing or pounding heart, shortness of breath, and a sense of feeling overwhelmed and anxious. The outpouring of support that came from Kevin sharing his story became the inspiration for this curriculum. Kevin opens the door to talking about emotions in a school setting, a place where emotions are often not thought of as appropriate to share. There have been other celebrities and athletes in India who have helped normalize conversations on emotions such as actress, Deepika Padukone and cricket player,Virat Kohli.
In this lesson, students will learn that everyone goes through difficult experiences in their lives, and they can’t always see what their classmates, friends, family members, or teachers are going through. It encourages students to reflect on their own emotional experiences while also developing empathy for others. Through discussion and creative expression, students will explore how emotions are a natural part of life and how understanding our own feelings can help us better understand the people around us, ourselves, and encourage students to reach out for support.
Display the ‘welcome slide’ from the Lesson 1 PowerPoint as you begin.
*Slide 1
Launching the Lesson
*Slide 2
Example of What You Could Say:
“Today we are going to talk about something that is a little different than we normally talk about in school. We are going to discuss a topic that is a big part of our lives and impacts us everyday, even though it is not something that we usually talk about in school.
Have you ever looked at someone in your class and thought they were completely fine but later found out they were going through something difficult?
Or have you ever had a day where you felt upset, stressed, or just “not okay,” but no one around you could tell? I know that I have experienced days like this, and we all probably have.
We all experience many emotions every day. A few examples of emotions are happy, angry, sad, sad, scared, excited, and shy. Sometimes, we feel excited after doing well on a test or spending time with friends. We may feel nervous before an exam or a competition or anxious about results day. We may feel disappointed if we don’t get the marks we hoped for, frustrated after an argument with a friend or sibling, or worried about expectations from ourselves or others. All of these emotions are a normal part of being human.
This may be different to hear, but there are no “good” or “bad” emotions. Some emotions feel more comfortable, such as happiness or excitement. Others may feel more uncomfortable, such as sadness, anger, fear, or frustration. But all of our emotions are a normal part of being human. Let’s all take a moment to think about one emotion you experienced this past week, whether that was at school, at home, or while spending time with friends or family. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and think back to this moment when you felt an emotion.
As you are remembering this emotion, I want to ask you a question. Do you think other people could tell that you were feeling this way in that moment? Often, we can guess how someone is feeling by looking at their face or body language. For example, maybe they are smiling, have a confused look, are frowning, crossing their arms, or looking down. But it’s important to realize: we cannot always see what someone is feeling inside. Sometimes it’s easy to tell how someone is feeling, but often it isn’t. A classmate might smile in class while feeling anxious about an upcoming exam. Someone may laugh with friends but still be worried about something happening at home.
This is why today’s lesson is called: Everyone Is Going Through Something.
It reminds us that every person, including ourselves, has their own thoughts, feelings, and experiences, and we all have experiences in our lives that are challenging and difficult at times.
Like Kevin Love, the NBA basketball player in the US whose story inspired this program, likes to say, “everyone is going through something that we can’t see.”
There have been other well-known figures and celebrities throughout India that have also started to help normalize conversations about emotions. Some of you may have heard of actress, Deepika Padukone, who has spoken publicly about her experience with her own difficult emotions. Virat Kohli, a cricket player, has spoken about the stress and fear that comes with the pressure of public expectation. These are people who are seen as successful and strong, but they too have found it necessary to ask for help and to openly discuss their own challenges with their emotional well-being. As you hear about these stories, I hope you see that you aren’t alone if we are going through a challenging time.’
Theme that we all go through tough experiences, and we aren’t alone in what we are going through. [Note for Teacher: If your students are more likely to connect with a regional figure who has spoken openly about mental health or emotional difficulty, feel free to name them here instead.
Example of What You Could Say:
“These videos show different people bravely sharing their stories. Even though the stories are different, they share a similar message. Most of us do not always feel comfortable sharing when something hard has happened in our lives. Yet, difficult experiences are a part of life for all of us. Hopefully, hearing these stories can remind you that you are not alone. And if you have ever been told that feeling sad or anxious or overwhelmed is a sign of weakness, I want you to know that it is not. It is a sign that you are human.”
Example of What You Could Say:
“Today, we are going to do an activity together. We are going to create a self-portrait. I wanted to share my activity with you all first (educator shares drawing). We can also look at some additional student examples of this creative activity (share student examples). We are going to focus on some of our feelings that aren’t always visible to others (our inner self). Like I mentioned before, when someone looks at us, they can’t always see how we are feeling based on what they see on the outside.
On your paper, you’ll draw a self-portrait. A self-portrait is an image that represents who you are. It doesn’t have to look exactly like you, and you can always start with a simple circle outline of your face to start. This project is more about representing your emotions and your personality than trying to make an image that matches how you look. Around the outside of your portrait, you can include things that people know about you or can easily see such as things like your hobbies, favorite activities, interests, or anything else that represents you and who you are or even emotions that you may show on the outside (your outer self).
Inside your portrait, you’ll draw or write words that represent feelings that you may keep on the inside. You can use words, pictures, symbols, or colors to represent any challenges or experiences as well. You can also use stick figures, shapes, abstract art, or any combination. Don’t worry about trying to make the art look “good” or Professional, but this activity is more about the process of expressing something true that you feel.There is no right or wrong way to express yourself, and I know this may seem intimidating, but you don’t have to be the best at drawing.
Remember, you only need to share what feels comfortable to you. This activity is for you, and you can choose what you want to include. If you’re not sure what to draw, I can come around to show you my example and offer support.
Creative Activity:
Example of What You Could Say:
“Okay, it’s been fifteen minutes now, so let’s stop drawing, and feel free to continue working on this at home. [Invite a few students to share their self-portrait or how it felt to create this piece.]
Thank you for sharing. Did you know, a lot of people journal or draw because they have so much on their minds, and it can feel good to put your thoughts on paper, and we can always use the creative arts to express ourselves. Many traditions across India, from kolam to warli painting to rangoli, have always used visual expression as a way of marking feeling, celebration, and experience. Would anyone like to share what they wrote about? Another option is to share your drawing or describe how it felt to do this activity.
I want to make sure that before we move on through the rest of our day, we come back together for a moment to make sure that we feel grounded. Let’s do one of the grounding activities that is suggested in this curriculum.
I hope this lesson helped you to realize that we aren’t alone, and you can always reach out for support if you want to talk to someone. We have additional resources on our resources page here, and you can always reach out to a trusted adult as well. As you leave today, remember that every person you meet-whether it’s a classmate, teacher, sibling, neighbour, friend, or family member-may be carrying something you cannot see, and we can always be there to support each other and make sure that we are getting the support that we need too.