Coping With Change - Tuesday, Period One
"Well, we've certainly got a lot of changes we could talk about!" Cecil started. "I mean, have you ever tried to take care of a cat when you're a pony? Like, even one that doesn't have tentacles?"
//Actually,// Jono said quickly, //I have. I've been a pony a few times and I'm a cat owner. And this week we're going to talk about one of the types of change.//
He didn't want a repeat of last week. Jono had spent entirely too long portal-hopping while the island was under soapy siege, he was going to try to keep today's lecture fairly academic and rather less anecdotal if he could at all get away with it.
//This summer we'll try to focus on three basic categories in particular, including sudden and unexpected changes, those changes that you could see coming but that still have a significant effect on your life, and, of course, those changes that you choose to bring upon yourself.//
"Oh!" Cecil blinked. "Okay…" He shrugged and went with it. "So that's a pretty good way of looking at it, I guess. A lot of changes just sort of happen, and those can be the really surprising ones, but sometimes you want a change, and it doesn't have to be bad, right?"
//Right.// There we go. Jono was going to let class fall into that particular train of thought. //Somewhere in your life, you'll probably end up making choices that'll bring you change. For some of you, it might've been a decision like coming here. For others, maybe it'll be school, or a person you choose to kiss. Positive change can be something that you bring on for yourself, regardless of whatever chaos is going on in your life besides.//
Like ponies. Or cats without tentacles. Or ponies with tentacles. Or something along those lines, anyway.
"Choosing to kiss people is a really great change," Cecil said a bit dreamily. "As long as they're the right people for you. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be stressful. Like, what if you say the totally wrong thing when they ask you out?" Honestly, neat. "But still, change can be fun!"
//We can focus on discussing the other two types of change next week. I think this week, all things considered, we ought to pay attention to those things that we can control ourselves,// Jono said. //Think of one change you want to make in your life. Big or small. A school you want to go to, an instrument you'd like to learn, a hairstyle or an amusement park ride or a food you'd like to try. Then come up with steps you might need to take in order to make that change happen. Having a little bit of control over some aspect of your life can make it easier to cope with the other things that you might not necessarily be able to control yourself. Or, at least, it's helped me from time to time. It can be grounding, something to look at and cling to while the rest of the world is coming out from underfoot. So, let's talk about that, if you're feeling up for it. Changes that you can cause.//
There had to be some.
[OOC: Open!]
//Actually,// Jono said quickly, //I have. I've been a pony a few times and I'm a cat owner. And this week we're going to talk about one of the types of change.//
He didn't want a repeat of last week. Jono had spent entirely too long portal-hopping while the island was under soapy siege, he was going to try to keep today's lecture fairly academic and rather less anecdotal if he could at all get away with it.
//This summer we'll try to focus on three basic categories in particular, including sudden and unexpected changes, those changes that you could see coming but that still have a significant effect on your life, and, of course, those changes that you choose to bring upon yourself.//
"Oh!" Cecil blinked. "Okay…" He shrugged and went with it. "So that's a pretty good way of looking at it, I guess. A lot of changes just sort of happen, and those can be the really surprising ones, but sometimes you want a change, and it doesn't have to be bad, right?"
//Right.// There we go. Jono was going to let class fall into that particular train of thought. //Somewhere in your life, you'll probably end up making choices that'll bring you change. For some of you, it might've been a decision like coming here. For others, maybe it'll be school, or a person you choose to kiss. Positive change can be something that you bring on for yourself, regardless of whatever chaos is going on in your life besides.//
Like ponies. Or cats without tentacles. Or ponies with tentacles. Or something along those lines, anyway.
"Choosing to kiss people is a really great change," Cecil said a bit dreamily. "As long as they're the right people for you. Of course, that doesn't mean it can't be stressful. Like, what if you say the totally wrong thing when they ask you out?" Honestly, neat. "But still, change can be fun!"
//We can focus on discussing the other two types of change next week. I think this week, all things considered, we ought to pay attention to those things that we can control ourselves,// Jono said. //Think of one change you want to make in your life. Big or small. A school you want to go to, an instrument you'd like to learn, a hairstyle or an amusement park ride or a food you'd like to try. Then come up with steps you might need to take in order to make that change happen. Having a little bit of control over some aspect of your life can make it easier to cope with the other things that you might not necessarily be able to control yourself. Or, at least, it's helped me from time to time. It can be grounding, something to look at and cling to while the rest of the world is coming out from underfoot. So, let's talk about that, if you're feeling up for it. Changes that you can cause.//
There had to be some.
[OOC: Open!]