I just returned from the Emotion Revolution Summit, a joint project between Born This Way Foundation, the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and Facebook. It was an incredible day, bringing together nearly 200 youth and young adult leaders and over 150 educators, policy makers, parents, and industry leaders. What an evolution in our thinking about the importance of emotional intelligence and the importance of talking about our emotions!
Emotional intelligence is the ability to identify, understand, and manage our own emotions and to have an appreciation for others’ emotions. During the Emotion Revolution Summit on October 24th, young people spent time in workshops learning strategies to help them create the emotions that they said they would like to feel in school: Happy. Excited. Energized. Inspired. Safe. Comfortable. Valued. Respected. Connected. Supported. Balanced. Content. Empowered. Motivated. Passionate. Purposeful. The adults at the Summit attended talks on the Emotion Revolution survey results, creating positive school climate, the Born Brave survey results on kindness and bravery, social and emotional learning, the RULER approach, and understanding adolescent development. Together, these talks and workshops are supporting a movement that Lady Gaga trended, #IamNOTjust______. Lady Gaga shared her feelings of anxiety with the audience and wore a t-shirt that said, “#IamNotJust Anxious.” Her bravery in sharing her feelings of anxiety and depression were inspirational and a model for all of us on the importance and healing power of emotional intelligence.
Cynthia kicked off the day talking about the challenges of parenting and that she has learned the importance of affirming her emotions and affirming her children’s emotions. She challenged the adults in the room by saying, “To the parents and the teachers in this room, I want to encourage you to encourage your children and your students to reveal their emotions.” Lady Gaga spoke throughout the day to youth and adults. Some of her inspirational comments were:
“You have the ability to change the world. If we could all do this together and be loud, we can make a difference today.” – Lady Gaga
— Manu Little Monster (@manulitlmonster) October 24, 2015
“Emotional intelligence affects your future and your ability to live a happy life.” – @ladygaga #EmotionRevolution — Born This Way (@BTWFoundation) October 24, 2015
“I really want kids all over the world to remember that it is in our power to change how we feel” – @ladygaga #EmotionRevolution #ImNotJust — Born This Way (@BTWFoundation) October 24, 2015
“#ImNotJust a pop star. #ImNotJust famous. #ImNotJust my outfits. I am you” -Lady Gaga pic.twitter.com/HW4dFiUPdb — Bilge (@gaga_countess) October 24, 2015
“our emotions put in this compartment with a massive stigma around it that its not cool to feel, and we have to make it cool to feel again” — danielle (@dnlllyons) October 25, 2015
“We have to set a standard where it’s not okay to act without morality and values and human respect” – @ladygaga #EmotionRevolution — Born This Way (@BTWFoundation) October 24, 2015
“The person that really needs to accept you is you.” -Lady Gaga #EmotionRevolution #IamNotJust pic.twitter.com/xxS8dWJ3or
— Bilge (@gaga_countess) October 24, 2015
As Lady Gaga said, “we’re here to EXPLODE the conversation!” Let’s see this Emotion Revolution take over our homes, schools, and communities and together let’s create an Emotion Evolution! It’s starts with YOU.
With Gratitude,
Dr. Sue