The world is facing an unprecedented challenge, and while we can do our best to limit external problems, we should develop the tools to navigate this unknown terrain internally and emotionally. How are you taking care of yourself in these trying times? Are you able to manage your emotions and express your feelings? Through mentorship classes, Girl Pioneers learn MAIA’s core competencies that provide them with the ability to manage their emotions and overcome obstacles. Here is how you can apply MAIA’s competencies to your life while experiencing new challenges and unfamiliar feelings.
Resilience: Ability to manage emotions to face the adversities of life with a positive mind and perseverance.
Work on identifying your feelings and understanding whether you are in control of them. Are you feeling anxious about reading the news? Being resilient means identifying which themes trigger your anxiety and creating a strategy to manage these emotions. Maybe instead of reading the news first thing in the morning, create a habit of starting your days with activities that bring you positivity like exercise or breakfast with your family, and then once you are ready to process new information, set a time when you can read the news. This way, you build up your strength and will be able to process negative information more calmly.
Vocal Empowerment: The ability to express emotions, feelings, and thoughts in an assertive manner, generating a positive impact on myself and my community.
Social distancing means a lot of time at home, changing your schedule and completely shifting the day-to-day dynamics for many individuals and families. This can be challenging if you do not create the habit of healthy communication within your household. Vocal empowerment means you can use your voice to communicate your feelings, thoughts, and needs in an assertive yet respectful manner.
Intercultural Support Network: The ability to create positive interpersonal relationships within and outside of one’s context to achieve common goals.
Having an intercultural support network means learning from individuals and organizations outside of your comfort zone and finding common ground in unexpected contexts. While you are practicing social distancing, look for ways to grow and connect with friends or family members whom you have lost touch with over the years, or grow your network by engaging with people from different backgrounds. You can join online workshops and activities to find unique ways of staying connected and learning from others.
Growth Mindset: The ability to seek changes, creatively design and build with passion, drive, and leadership.
This is a moment for innovation rather than stagnation. Having a growth mindset means that you are able to address problems with creativity, energy, and innovation. How can you make the most of a difficult situation to achieve personal growth? Maybe this is an opportunity to build a closer relationship with your family, dedicate time to a hobby you have been putting off, or learn a new skill. Use your passion and drive to become a creative problem solver!
Excellence: The ability to work and look for creative ways to go above and beyond minimum requirements to achieve a goal and exceed expectations.
What makes you stand out? How would you define your work style? At MAIA we encourage Girl Pioneers to set short-term and long-term goals. They work with their mentors and their families to achieve these goals. In these uncertain times, setting short-term goals can give you a sense of control, and executing them with excellence will create positive results and boost your self-esteem. If you are able to set goals together with your family or roommates, this can create a sense of teamwork and cooperation as well!
Critical Thinking: The ability to think, analyze, and question through researching a variety of sources to reach a reflective and reasonable conclusion.
Every day, we are bombarded with information from multiple sources and we need to use our critical thinking to comb through these articles. Is this fake news? Are they being alarmists for more clicks? Navigating media is challenging, and we urge you to be analytical and reflective before sharing misinformation or engaging with unreliable news sources. Researching different topics will help you develop a more nuanced understanding of the situation, and you will be able to have better control of your emotions while staying informed.
These core competencies are integrated into every curriculum at the MAIA Impact School. Girl Pioneers will learn about stories of resilience in Spanish reading assignments, develop their vocal empowerment skills during a presentation in Kaqchikel classes, and apply excellence in every aspect of their studies. These competencies are transferable skills that can be applied academically, professionally, in familial settings, or even during a crisis. We are confident that Girl Pioneers have the skills they need to continue their studies from home during these trying times and that they will continue to apply the MAIA competencies to every aspect of their lives. We invite you to embrace these skills in the face of hardship and find time for growth, calmness, and positivity in the face of uncertainty.
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Every year at the MAIA Impact School, we welcome a new generation of Girl Pioneers. It is a transformative journey that changes the trajectory of the future of their lives, families, and the broader community.
With your investment, these remarkable young women will break cycles of poverty and build a brighter future.
