You Aren't Failing, Your Brain is Just Full (The Pom-Pom Jar)

Are you beating yourself up for dropping your New Year's resolutions? Are you losing your patience over tiny things and feeling guilty about it? It’s not because you're failing—it’s because your brain is at capacity.

In this episode, we are talking about self-compassion, cognitive capacity, and how to give yourself (and your kids) grace when the demands of your environment exceed what you feel like you can handle. I’m introducing the "Brain Capacity Jar" and sharing how you can apply these practical SEL tools to your own life and classroom.

📺 WATCH THE VIDEO: Want to see the "Brain Capacity Jar" and the pom-pom demonstration in action? Watch the full video version of this episode on YouTube here: https://youtu.be/f4c5skw1ktk?si=8RzCkGExiQBhKl7e 

🎁 FREE RESOURCE: Download your printable Pawsitive Choices "Brain Check-In" Guide here: https://www.pawsitivechoices.com/freebies 

In this episode, we cover:

• The mid-February slump & Dr. Kristin Neff’s 3 components of Self-Compassion
• Dr. Ross Greene’s capacity equation: Why we (and our kids!) do well if we can
• The Glitter Brain (State) vs. The Pom-Pom Jar (Capacity)
• Real-life scripts to use out loud when your brain feels "mixed up"
• How to ask for help and offload your pom-poms

Mentioned in this episode:

• Thank you to 4th-grade teacher Ryan Brazil for the jar inspiration 
• Dr. Kristin Neff’s Self-Compassion Research
• Dr. Ross Greene’s Collaborative & Proactive Solutions
• Find all our SEL curriculum and resources at https://www.pawsitivechoices.com/