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do not need to attach to our emotions, especially the negative
ones. Instead, we guide students to simply accept the emotions

they are feeling. When we can accept our emotions honestly,
they begin to lessen their grip on us, and we can ask ourselves,

change our emotion, we release the negative emotion through
exercise. Finally, when we partake in happy actions (like laugh-

ing, singing, dancing, etc.), we create happiness. Through
taking an action, we change the way we feel. By following this

pattern of identifying, accepting, releasing, and creating, we are
able to choose our emotions and work consciously to feel the
way that we want to feel.

In the fall of 2015, I had the honor of leading a successful

pilot program for 180 at-risk middle school students in
District 7 of the South Bronx. (You will read about two
students who participated in this pilot, Shauna and Jef-

frey, in later Essentials.) Corresponding with a citywide
initiative to promote social-emotional wellness by Chan-

cellor Carmen Fariña and under the expert leadership of
Superintendents Yolanda Torres and Elisa Alvarez, we
-

es in their academic and personal lives.
District 7 is the poorest socioeconomic district in

New York City, and many of the students deal with a va-

initially met our Brain Power leadership program with
resistance and distrust, but through the sincere guidance

Power, the students quickly let down their walls. And,
just as I shared in the story in this book’s Introduction

regarding how push-ups helped Terrell and Devante