Let’s talk about feeling proud. Jonah shares a memory of achieving a goal, and Dr. Lockhart and Nakita discuss how we can return to proud moments when uncomfortable feelings show up.
Let’s talk about feeling proud. Jonah shares a memory of achieving a goal, and Dr. Lockhart and Nakita discuss how we can return to proud moments when uncomfortable feelings show up.
You can find out more about Dr. Lockhart and her practice online at anewdaysa.com and on Instagram at @dr.annlouise.lockhart.
You can find Nakita’s book, A Kids Book About Emotions and other kids' books about important topics at akidsco.com
If there’s an emotion you want to share for us to explore, send us a note at listen@akidspodcastabout.com. Check out other podcasts made for kids just like you by visiting akidsco.com.
Everyday Feels: A Kids Podcast About Emotions
S1 EP5, Jonah (Proud)
[INTRODUCTION]
Nakita: Hi, I'm Nakita Simpson.
Ann-Louise: And I'm Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart.
Nakita: I wrote a kid's book called A Kids Book About Emotions.
Ann-Louise: and I help kids and grownups work through their emotions.
Nakita: And now we're making a podcast about them.
Ann-Louise: This is Everyday Feels, a podcast about emotions for kids and their grownups.
Nakita: This podcast is better together. Listen with a grownup, with a family member, with the class or with a friend. How are you feeling today, Dr. Lockhart?
Ann-Louise: I'm feeling really happy, because it’s almost the weekend. But how about you Nakita? How are you feeling today?
Nakita: You know, I'm actually feeling a little bit anxious because I'm thinking about all the things I have to do before the weekend, but still feeling pretty good.
Ann-Louise: Yes. Thanks for sharing how you feel because I think that it's important for us to be in touch with that, because sometimes we get asked the question, ‘How are you doing?’ And we don't actually pause long enough to really hear the answer.
Nakita: Too true, Dr. Lockhart. What do you do when you feel an emotion that actually feels pretty great?
Ann-Louise: We're going to discuss that today.
Nakita: Yes. Yes, we will discuss feeling proud today. Are you ready?
Ann-Louise: I sure am.
[EXPLORING THE EMOTION]
Nakita: I think it's time we heard from Jonah, from Maryland, who has a story to share about feeling proud about a goal he reached.
Let's listen to his story.
Jonah: Hi. My name is Jonah and I am 11 years old and I live in Maryland. I live with my mom, my dad and my sister.
I was proud when I reached a hundred subscribers on my YouTube channel, because this was my first time actually doing a YouTube channel and I grew a lot.
Grownup: So why did you start a YouTube channel?
Jonah: I started a YouTube channel because I got bored and I thought I could try something new out. So I thought it would be fun to try out a YouTube channel.
Grownup: And it was a fun?
Jonah: Yes, it was very fun. It has been sometimes challenging for the haters, but there are always going to be people that hate.
Grownup: I'm so glad you feel proud about it.Um, are you proud because of the content you make or because of the way people react or combination? Tell me more about that.
Jonah: I’m proud of all the nice people on my YouTube channel, telling me nice things and saying good job. So I'm happy that they're here for me, for my journey.
Okay. Um, I hope in the future that I can grow more popular and maybe someday reach a million subscribers.
Nakita: Thanks Jonah for telling us about how proud you were when you reached your goal of growing your Youtube channel to one hundred subscribers! Congratulations Jonah!
It always feels great to make a goal for yourself and make it happen, no matter how big or small it is. And it’s even more rewarding when you try something you weren’t even sure of and it turns out to be a success.
Ann-Louise: I agree, Nakita. Congratulations Jonah! Feeling proud of yourself for an accomplishment is one of those ‘feel good’ emotions.
It can be mixed with doubt, because not everyone will be happy for you when you achieve that success. That’s the tough part.
Nakita: Well said Dr. Lockhart. Why don't we take a brief pause and take a moment to stretch, move our bodies a bit, get comfortable and reset. And when we come back, we'll talk about feeling proud, what it feels like inside, and why it's so important to our everyday life.
We’ll also give you listeners a chance to share a proud memory and listen as others around you share their own memories. We’ll continue after the short break.
[EXPLORING THE EMOTION]
Nakita: Welcome back. We just listened to Jonah, who told us about how proud he was when he reached a big personal goal.
Ann-Louise: Thanks Jonah. Thanks so much for sharing your experiences with so many others. You know, Nakita it actually feels pretty great to reach a personal goal or to achieve something you worked hard for.
You know, as a kid, you're still learning about feelings and your brain is learning about what to do when you feel them. It's a lot to learn.
Nakita: So much to learn. Emotions we feel as grownups can feel just as strong as when we were kids, so learning more about them and how they show up over time happens often. It doesn't automatically get easier just because you grew up. You know, Dr. Lockhart, I'm wondering if there are other names used to describe feeling proud?
Ann-Louise: Absolutely Nakita. Now there are words we can use to describe the emotion of feeling proud. These are called synonyms words. Other words for proud are: pleased, overjoyed, thrilled, delighted, and happy.
Nakita: Dr. Lockhart, I love that there are so many other words to describe the same word. Language is so fascinating.
Ann-Louise: I agree with you, Nakita. Our language is important, because it tells people what’s going on inside our world. Since people aren’t mind-readers, they will know more about you when you tell them. Using our language to communicate our feelings gives people a glimpse into our mind and into our world.
Nakita: You’re so right Dr. Lockhart. It's important to remember that learning how to talk about our emotions is just as important as learning what they mean to us.
You know, I remember feeling proud when I won first prize in an art contest at school. It felt so good knowing the hard work I put into something I loved was appreciated by other people.
Ann-Louise: Oh, that sounds so awesome. You know, I remember feeling proud when I did my first reel on Instagram. Well, not my first one. That was pretty terrible, but the second one was amazing or maybe it was the third. Anyway, at first I couldn't figure it out, but I asked a friend for help, and the rest is literal history.
I can not be stopped. I'm really proud of that accomplishment.
Nakita: Right?I’m proud of you too Dr. Lockhart! You know what I think we should do? Why don't we give everyone listening the opportunity to share a memory around a proud moment with whomever they may be listening with. That’s right, dear listener, I’m talking to you. Maybe that's a friend or a sibling, an uncle, or a parent, a teacher, or a grownup you trust. And if you're listening by yourself, you can say the memory out loud or just think it to yourself.
Ann-Louise: Nakita. I think that's a great idea.
What I would suggest is allow your mind to take you back to that moment. Notice the feelings in your body and the images that pop up in your mind.
And if you're a grown up and listening with your kid, take this time to listen, give them the space to share and provide brief and specific feedback about whatever they share through head nods and words such as, “Thanks so much for sharing that” and “That does sound like a proud moment.”
No need to provide advice. Just listen for now. We'll give you more specific tools in just a bit.
Nakita: All right. Well, here's where you can pause the podcast and share your proud memory with whomever you're listening with. Take as much time as you need. Dr. Lockhart and I will be waiting right here for you when you're ready to come back.
[REFLECTION BREAK]
Ann-Louise: Welcome back. We hope you had the opportunity to share by yourself or with your grownup about a time you felt proud, and we hope that you felt heard.
Nakita: Dr. Lockhart, before we wrap up, are there any important things to remember about feeling proud that you think would help our listeners and even the grownups?
Ann-Louise: Absolutely Nakita. I have two really helpful tips.
First...and this one is important. When you feel proud about something, big or small, do not dim your light so that other people can feel comfortable. Do you know what that means? That means, don’t feel bad about the amazing thing you’ve done just because other people aren’t there yet or they get jealous of you because of it. This one is important. Don’t dim your light. Shine even brighter!
Second...when you do something you’re proud of, write it down or draw it, record it, journal it, frame it, post it on your bedroom wall. You don’t want to forget it. Because, other emotions will come and go in your life. When those uncomfortable or icky emotions show up, it will be so easy to forget about those proud moments. Don’t. Record them and hold them close to you. That way, you can remind yourself that you’re pretty amazing even when you don’t feel like it.
[WRAP-UP]
Nakita: That was wonderful . I loved that so much. Thanks again to Jonah from Maryland for sharing with us about how proud he felt when he accomplished a big goal he set out for himself on his Youtube channel. And thank you, Dr. Lockhart, for talking to us about feeling proud and to not dimming our light when we do.
And thank you for teaching us the importance of celebrating our proud moments to remind us of how amazing we are.
Ann-Louise: Of course, Nakita. I'm so glad to be here, talking with you about feelings and to our listeners...thanks for being here.
If you want professional help and need to talk to someone about how you feel. You can find a therapist online by typing “child psychologist near me”. You can look up all the different professionals in your area.
That's a great place to start.
Nakita: And remember, you are the expert on your emotions.
Ann-Louise: Emotions are really your friend.
Nakita: And you're always allowed to feel what you feel.
Ann-Louise: Let's continue this journey together.
[CLOSING]
Nakita: Thanks for joining us today. You can find out more about Dr. Lockhart and her practice online anewdaysa.com and on Instagram at @dr.annlouise.lockhart. You can find my book, A Kids Book About Emotions and other kids' books about important topics at akidsco.com
Ann-Louise: Everyday Feels is written by Nakita Simpson and Dr. Ann-Louise Lockhart. Our show is edited and produced by Ari Mathae with help from Matthew Winner. Sound design is by Chad Michael Snavely and the team at Sound On Studios. Our executive producer is Jelani Memory. And this show was brought to you by A Kids Podcast About.
If there’s an emotion you want to share for us to explore, send us a note at listen@akidspodcastabout.com. And check out other podcasts made for kids just like you by visiting akidsco.com.
Nakita: Until next time.
Ann-Louise: Bye for now.