Lesson 7 Transcript

Below is the full transcript of Lesson 7

This lesson and transcript are part of the RAD for Life social-emotional learning program. Educators, counsellors, and parents may view and use this material for personal learning or classroom discussion. The content may not be reproduced, redistributed, or used commercially without permission. The lesson is provided so you can preview and plan how RAD may be used in your classroom or particular setting. Copyright © RAD for Life. All rights reserved.

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Lesson 7 Transcript: Accepting Versus Avoiding RoAD Blocks

The following transcript accompanies the RAD Lesson 7 video and explores the difference between accepting and avoiding RoAD Blocks. In this lesson, learners examine why trying to avoid uncomfortable thoughts and feelings often leaves us stuck, and how accepting them helps us continue making RAD moves that align with our values.

Welcome back to radforlife.com — the home of the RAD SEL Lessons.

This is Lesson 7: Avoiding RoAD Blocks.

In Lesson 6, we learned that RoAD Blocks are the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings that can stop us from doing RAD moves — actions that align with our values. Sometimes RoAD Blocks can cause us to act in ways that are not in line with our values, leading to notRAD moves.

Now, if you’re starting to feel a little RoAD RAGE over all these RoAD Blocks, don’t worry — this might help.

RoAD Blocks are only a problem when they lead to notRAD moves and leave us stuck.

If we experience uncomfortable thoughts and feelings but are still able to make RAD moves and do what is important to us, then that is okay. The thoughts and feelings might still be there, but we are continuing to make positive choices that align with our values.

However, when our RoAD Blocks leave us stuck — not making RAD moves and instead making notRAD moves — then we may need to do something about them.

So if RoAD Blocks are sometimes a problem, what can we do?

Often people respond to their RoAD Blocks using what seems like the most obvious solution: trying to stop the uncomfortable thoughts and feelings from happening in the first place.

In other words, they try to avoid them.

They try not to think the thoughts or not to feel the feelings at all.

But is that even possible?

If you remember in Lesson 3, I challenged you to try not thinking about axolotls.

Do you remember how that went?

Most people weren’t very successful. And those who did manage it usually had to put a lot of effort into distracting themselves — and missed out on some pretty sweet RAD content along the way.

Our minds are busy places with thoughts coming and going all day long. The same is true for our feelings. Different emotions come and go throughout the day.

Trying to stop or control them directly doesn’t work very well. It usually takes a lot of effort and doesn’t succeed for very long.

When we try to avoid uncomfortable thoughts and feelings — when we try to avoid RoAD Blocks — we often end up stuck.

And when we’re stuck, we’re not making RAD moves.

In fact, we often end up making notRAD moves — choices that don’t align with our values.

Overall, trying to avoid RoAD Blocks isn’t a very effective strategy.

After all, if it’s difficult to control your thoughts and feelings about something as simple as an axolotl, imagine how much harder it is to control them when it comes to important parts of life like relationships, challenges, or stressful situations.

So if avoiding RoAD Blocks doesn’t work well, why do we try to do it?

The answer is simple.

RoAD Blocks are uncomfortable thoughts and feelings, and avoiding uncomfortable things makes sense. Uncomfortable experiences can feel unpleasant, so naturally we try to push them away.

However, most of the time our thoughts and feelings are not dangerous — they are simply uncomfortable.

In fact, we don’t actually want our thoughts and feelings to disappear, even when they are uncomfortable. They help us solve problems, tell us when something is important, and can even help keep us safe.

Our busy minds help us think through situations, and our feelings add meaning and excitement to our lives.

Uncomfortable thoughts and feelings are just as important as comfortable ones. They are a normal part of being human.

Because of this, avoiding RoAD Blocks often leaves us stuck.

When we spend a lot of energy trying to fight thoughts and feelings that we cannot fully control, we end up using our energy on that struggle instead of using it to do RAD moves that align with our values.

Since uncomfortable thoughts and feelings are a normal part of life, how we respond to them becomes very important.

If we can’t avoid them, control them, or shut them down, what can we do?

In RAD, the answer is simple: we accept them.

Accepting means noticing and acknowledging our thoughts and feelings without trying to fight them, change them, or deny that they exist.

It is the opposite of resisting or avoiding.

Now earlier I said that accepting our thoughts and feelings is “simple.”

What I mean is that the idea is simple — but actually doing it is not always easy.

In fact, avoiding uncomfortable thoughts and feelings often feels easier in the moment.

But over time, avoiding them tends to leave us stuck doing notRAD moves, when what we really want is to move toward the things that matter most.

If you notice that you sometimes avoid your RoAD Blocks, don’t feel bad.

It makes sense that we try to avoid them. Uncomfortable thoughts and feelings can be very difficult to experience.

But the more energy we spend avoiding them, the more stuck we often become.

Acceptance is what helps us keep moving forward, even when the RoAD Blocks are still present.

Let’s look at a couple of examples.

Imagine a student who has a big test coming up. Their RoAD Blocks are thoughts like “I’m going to fail” and feelings of nervousness. Their value is working hard and doing their best.

If they accept their RoAD Blocks and write the test anyway, they are acting in line with their values.

If they let the RoAD Blocks take over and skip the test, they become stuck and move away from their values.

Here’s another example.

A student values creativity and wants to join a drama club at school. Their RoAD Blocks might include thoughts like “No one will talk to me” or “People might make fun of me,” along with feelings of nervousness or embarrassment.

If they accept those RoAD Blocks and still join the club — or even start by practicing — they are following their values.

If they avoid the club because of those thoughts and feelings, they become stuck and move away from what matters to them.

Remember, RoAD Blocks happen to everyone.

But they don’t have to stop you.

You have the power to choose how you respond.

By accepting your RoAD Blocks instead of avoiding them, you free yourself to keep moving toward your values and making RAD moves that matter.

In the next lesson, we will explore strategies that can help you do this even more effectively.

Until next time — Be RAD.