🧠 Understand Yourself

You're part of the community too.

Learn about feelings, confidence, communication, boundaries, identity, different brains, and what helps you feel like you.

❤️ What Am I Feeling?

Feelings give us information.

You might feel:

😊 Happy
😢 Sad
😡 Angry
😰 Worried
😳 Embarrassed
😤 Frustrated
🤩 Excited
😴 Tired
😕 Confused
😌 Calm

🎥 PBS KIDS — Social & Emotional Learning

https://pbskids.org/learn/social-emotional/

🌱 TRY IT: Instead of only asking:

“How do I feel?”

also ask:

“What might my feeling be telling me?”

🫀 Listen to Your Body

Your body can notice feelings before your brain has words for them.

Maybe:

❤️ Heart beats faster
✊ Hands tighten
🔥 Face feels hot
🦋 Stomach feels funny
😴 Body feels heavy
⚡ You want to move

🌱 TRY IT: When you notice a big feeling, ask:

Where do I feel it in my body?

💭 THINK: Learning your body's signals can help you recognize what you need.

🌈 What Helps Me Feel Okay?

Different people regulate in different ways.

Someone might need:

🎧 Quiet
🏃 Movement
🤗 A hug
↔️ Space
🌳 Outside time
🎵 Music
🧸 Something comforting
🗣️ Someone to talk to

🎥 Sesame Workshop — Emotional Well-Being

https://sesameworkshop.org/topics/emotional-well-being/

🌱 TRY IT: Make your own:

Things That Help Me List

Pick five things that help when you're overwhelmed, frustrated, sad, or tired.

🗣️ Learn to Say What You Need

Other people can't always guess.

Practice useful phrases:

I need help.

I need a break.

I don't understand.

Please stop.

Can I have more time?

I need some space.

Can you show me?

I want to try myself.

🌱 TRY IT: Pick one sentence that is difficult for you to say and practice it when you're calm.

🛑 My Boundaries Matter

You are allowed to have boundaries.

You can communicate when you don't want:

🤗 A hug
🤼 Rough play
🧸 Someone using your things
📸 Your picture taken
🗣️ A conversation
👥 Someone too close

🎥 Sesame Workshop — Healthy Bodies & Healthy Minds

https://sesameworkshop.org/topics/healthy-bodies-healthy-minds/

Practice:

“No, thank you.”

“Please stop.”

“I need space.”

And remember:

Other people's boundaries matter too.

🧠 Brains Can Work Differently

There isn't one correct way to think, learn, communicate, or experience the world.

Some people may:

🎧 Notice sounds more strongly
🔁 Love routines
🏃 Need movement
📚 Learn extremely quickly in certain areas
🗣️ Communicate differently
🧩 Focus deeply on particular interests
⏳ Need more processing time

🧩 Sesame Workshop — Autism Resources

https://sesameworkshop.org/topics/autism/

🌱 TRY IT: Ask yourself:

What makes learning easier for me?

💭 THINK: Something being different doesn't automatically mean it needs to be fixed.

🤟 There Are Lots of Ways to Communicate

Communication is bigger than speech.

People communicate through:

🗣️ Speech
🤟 Sign language
📱 AAC
🖼️ Pictures
✍️ Writing
👉 Gestures
🙂 Facial expressions
🧍 Movement

🤟 American Society for Deaf Children — ASL Resources

https://deafchildren.org/knowledge-center/asl-resources/

🌱 TRY IT: Learn a new way to communicate something you already know how to say.

🌟 What Am I Good At?

You are more than the things that are difficult for you.

Think about:

🎨 Things you create
🧠 Things you understand
❤️ Ways you help
😂 Ways you make people laugh
🔧 Things you can fix
🌱 Things you're learning
🔎 Things you're curious about

🌱 TRY IT: Finish these:

I'm good at ________.

I'm learning ________.

I care about ________.

I want to know more about ________.

Being good at something isn't the only reason it's worth doing.

🧩 Who Am I?

People are made of lots of pieces.

Your identity can include your:

👨‍👩‍👧 Family
🌎 Culture
🗣️ Language
🏘️ Community
🎨 Interests
🎵 Music
🧠 Personality
🌱 Values
💭 Experiences
❤️ People you care about

🌎 National Geographic Kids — People & Places

https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/

🌱 TRY IT: Make an “About Me” map.

Put your name in the middle.

Around it, draw or write things that make you you.

🪞 Comparing Yourself to Other People

You usually see other people's outside—not their whole life.

Online especially, people choose what they show.

📱 Common Sense Media — Social Media

https://www.commonsensemedia.org/articles/social-media

When you catch yourself comparing, ask:

Do I know the whole story?

Am I comparing their best moment to my normal day?

Would I talk to a friend the way I'm talking to myself?

💪 Confidence Isn't Being the Best

Confidence can sound like:

I can try.

I can learn.

I can ask for help.

I can make mistakes.

I can change my mind.

I don't have to know everything yet.

🌱 TRY IT: Choose something you're not good at yet.

Add one word:

“yet.”

🧠 Mistakes Help Your Brain Learn

Getting something wrong gives you information.

Instead of:

❌ “I failed.”

Try:

🔎 What happened?

🧠 What did I learn?

🔧 What could I change?

🔁 Should I try again?

🎥 PBS KIDS

https://pbskids.org/

💭 THINK: If you never make mistakes, are you trying anything difficult?

🤝 Asking for Help Is a Skill

Independence doesn't mean doing everything alone.

Knowing when, where, and how to ask for help is part of becoming more independent.

Practice:

“Can you explain that differently?”

“Can you show me?”

“Can we do the first part together?”

“I tried this and I'm stuck.”

Strong communities work the same way.

People contribute what they know—and ask others for what they don't.

🧠 The Get-to-Know-Yourself Challenge

For one week, notice:

❤️ Something that makes you happy

😣 Something that frustrates you

🌳 A place where you feel comfortable

🧠 A way you learn well

🎨 Something you enjoy creating

🤝 Someone you trust

🌱 Something you want to learn

❤️ Something you care about

At the end, ask:

What did I learn about myself?

⭐ One Big Idea

Growing up isn't about becoming exactly like everyone else.

It's learning:

Who am I?

What do I need?

What do other people need?

What am I curious about?

What can I contribute?

Who can I ask for help?

Understanding yourself makes it easier to understand that other people are complicated, different, growing humans too.

🧠 Keep Exploring

PBS KIDS