16 May 2025

At the days the staff spend together at the start of each year we always try and give each other something to think about. Switching the brains onto full capacity before the doors are flung open wide.

This year staff came prepared to discuss something they had been thinking about or reading about to set the scene. I think most of us would agree that the sound of children's laughter is a glorious sound. I had been doing some work about how to support others to grow inner capacity. One of the areas I had delved into was the emotional worlds of people and how a bit more wondering and laughing may support growth.

At the Pos Ed Parent Workshops in Term 1 Beth picked up on the work of Lisa Feldman-Barrett and shared how her work shows that emotions arrive in the body as sensations, our brain then susses out the context and converts the sensations to meaning without our even noticing. This meaning is what we call emotion. So basically sensations + context = meaning we call emotion. Here's a link to their workshop.

Laughter is a great nervous system reset - it really supports us to think and respond in complex situations. Many studies have shown how even a small laugh can open you up to more innovative ideas, greater creativity, bonding experiences and a sense of safety with others. If laughter really supports us to thrive - then we must seek and create these opportunities. Proactivity rules.

Something that often comes so easy to our children, a sound we love, the look on their faces that makes us smile too... I believe we simply can't afford to lose as adults - when it's so good for us and what we bring to the world. 

If you would like to read more about Lisa Feldman Barrett's research please go to: https://lisafeldmanbarrett.com

If you are keen and would like to seek out other areas that support dealing with complexity you may like to read 'Unleash Your Complexity Genius' Jennifer Garvey Berger and Carolyn Coughlin - easy read + practical.