Lecturer encourages CBU students to be aware of their moods and thoughts

Riverside Calif. (Feb. 5, 2021) – Emotions come and go and are temporary even if they feel permanent, Dr. Joelle Hood told a group of California Baptist University students at the virtual Culture and Justice Lecture Series on Jan. 28.

Hood, the founder and chief empowerment officer of Thriving YOUniversity, which offers mindfulness, emotional intelligence and well-being workshops, presented a lecture aimed at being self-aware of one’s mood.

“What we need to remember about our emotions is that you are not them,” Hood said. “If you think about this, the word ‘emotion’ has the word ‘motion’ in it. They are moving through us. This may sound silly but language matters.”

When someone says he or she is sad, that is not accurate and sends the person the wrong message, she said.

“Changing that to ‘I feel sad’ or ‘I feel angry’ reminds us that it’s a temporary thing,” Hood added.

Hood reminded students that they control the emotional temperature of the room they are in because moods can be contagious. She added that students should be intentional in their impact.

“Our emotions are contagious, and if we think about how they’re rippling out to everyone around us — our friends, family and our fellow students — wouldn’t we want to be more intentional about how we show up?” she said.

Stress is unavoidable but how students respond to the stress is important in maintaining control over the mind and body, Hood said.

Mindfulness — being self-aware by paying attention in the present moment without judgment or criticism — is also important, she said. She encouraged the students to interrupt and challenge negative thoughts.

“We like to ruminate about the past [and] worry about the future, so we have a hard time being in the moment right now,” Hood said. “Keep in mind that you are the DJ of your own mind. You get to choose your [thoughts].”

The College of Behavioral and Social Sciences hosts the Culture and Justice Lecture Series. The next lecture will feature Toni Wilson, a special education teacher for the Moreno Valley Unified School District, virtually on Feb. 18.