May Newsball
Playing Catch-Up with Life is Good Playmakers
CHIEF PLAYMAKER'S MESSAGE
Spreading the Power of Optimism to Others
Love & Peace,
Steve Gross, MSW
Chief Playmaker, Life is Good Playmakers
GOOD PROGRESS
Work in the Field
Rhode Island Department of Children, Youth, and Families
The very act of being placed in foster care is traumatic for almost all children. In these times of trauma, having a positive relationship with an adult caregiver is critical to mitigating the effects of trauma. Foster parents with the RI Department of Children, Youth, and Families (DCYF) are resources for children who need to be placed outside of their home. During this incredibly challenging time, it's imperative that foster parents have not only the skills they need to keep a child safe, but the right disposition to help the kids in their care through one of the most difficult times in their life. Recently, a group of foster parents with DCYF participated in our Playmaker 101: The Healing Power of Optimism virtual course to cultivate a deeper understanding of the power of optimism that can help all children heal, learn and reach their full potential. Being equipped with the tools, disposition, and resources to create life-changing relationships for children in foster care is crucial to their social and emotional well-being, and look forward to continuing to serve the DCYF community.
“I am reminded that my joy and optimism are contagious. When I share this, no matter the circumstance that brought us together we can celebrate our connectedness, power, and joy. We can change the path of lives and help navigate challenges. WE are not alone and together we will find a pathway. Our job is to recognize and share these gifts with others.”
Serious Optimism for SeriousFun
GOOD GROWTH
Raising Support
Races Against ACEs -Introducing LiGP's Boston Marathon 2021 Runner
While the 2021 Boston Marathon will look different than years past, runners will once again be racing up this October to run the 26.2 miles from Hopkinton to Boylston Street. We are proud and grateful to introduce Jonathan Levitt, who will be running on behalf of the Life is Good Playmakers and fundraising for our program along the way. He’s both an accomplished marathon runner, a creative and entrepreneurial-minded human, and the creator/host of a very well-received podcast called “For the Long Run” which explores not only the sport of running, but the many elites, amateurs, and lovers of running who have something to say about why running is such a powerful practice in their lives.
We sat down with Jonathan to learn more about the importance of running in his life and some of the lessons he's learned along the way.
When Jonathan Levitt started running back in 2013, he realized that he couldn’t go at it alone. So he joined forces with a coach, and found himself immersed in a community that taught him a lot more than how to run a marathon.
Life Lesson 1: Trying and failing is not really failing
Whether you have a lofty marathon goal like Jonathan, or you have your sights set on something a little slower-paced, the first step to achieving your goal is trying. “You can do more than you think possible,” says Jonathan, who applies this principle to his own life. And even if you don’t meet your goals the first time around, it’s still a learning experience. “It’s better than not trying,” he says. You can only discover how capable you are if you take that first step.
Life Lesson 2: The race is a celebration, not a test
Jonathan saw his first marathon as a 2,000-mile adventure, not 26 miles to the finish line. That is, he saw the race as a culmination of all of the training, experiences, and lessons he learned along the way. It was a chance to celebrate all he’d accomplished leading up to that point; not simply a test to beat. And we can look at life the same way. We can embrace the journey as well as the destination. “It’s less about achieving a goal, and more about the process.” He says. “Not how it feels to be on top of the wave, but how we get there.”
Life Lesson 3: Play MORE!!
Running has reignited Jonathan’s childlike sense of wonder. Despite the physically strenuous workouts he had to endure when he first started training, he found them fun. “We would be outside on a playground, or running around parts of the city I’d never been to and wouldn’t have seen otherwise,” he says. “Exploring more, being outside, spending time in nature—it was like recess for adults.” Adding fun and making room for play opens up perspective and adds connection to our lives—and Jonathan finds running helps him do just that. “I want as many people as possible to experience that.” He says. “Because it’s amazing.”
To support Jonathan's run, you can click here.
More Cars Than You Need?
Rather than let that extra car of yours keep slowing you down, donate it to the Life is Good Playmakers! We make it easy with free pick-up and by handling the sale and paperwork.
GOOD PEOPLE
Life is Good Playmakers
We're thrilled to introduce you to Melissa Mason, this month's Playmaker Spotlight. Melissa is a 2nd-grade teacher at Gales Ferry School in Connecticut who has witnessed firsthand just how powerful optimism can be in helping children overcome adversity.
Over the last year, the social and emotional development of children all across the world has been greatly impacted by the pandemic. UNICEF believes that “Children are not the face of this pandemic. But they risk being among its biggest victims, as children’s lives are nonetheless being changed in profound ways. This is a universal crisis and, for some children, the impact will be lifelong.”
Many of Melissa’s students have had limited opportunities to socialize and play with their peers. In addition, the fear and uncertainty brought about by this pandemic haven’t been easy for them to handle. Fortunately, their teacher is an experienced Playmaker who excels at building safe, loving, and joyful learning environments (both in-person and virtual) where children can heal, grow and thrive.
Despite the challenges of the past year – like no hugs, high fives, or games of tag - Melissa and her crew of 7-year-olds have been focusing on the superpowers of love, gratitude, simplicity, and courage. Knowing that optimism is needed most during difficult times, Melissa has worked tirelessly to bring positivity and fun to anxious students who are trying to adapt to the “new normal” of hybrid learning. Covid-19 may have been powerful enough to halt the world’s economy but it wasn’t powerful enough to halt the fun, laughter, and joy in Miss Mason’s 2nd-grade classroom.
Known for her array of uplifting Life is Good tees, Melissa models – both inside and out - what it means to be a practicing optimist and Playmaker. For 26 years she has shined the light of optimism to help guide her students through whatever darkness they’ve encountered. 2021 called upon her – and all educators - to shine that light even brighter. Melissa Mason answered that call on the very first ring!
Melissa, we are thankful for your ongoing contributions to harnessing the power of optimism to help kids heal. To send a note of gratitude to Melissa or nominate a Playmaker in your community for a future Spotlight, click the “Submit” button below.
Every child is an artist. The problem is how to remain an artist once he grows up.
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