Life’s Big Bad Wolf

What if The Three Little Pigs never figured out how to build a house out of bricks?

What if Little Red Riding Hood never got help to rescue her grandmother?

What if the Big Bad Wolf was never stopped?

If this were the case, then the heroes of our favorite stories would have found it hard to feel safe in their world.

You could say they “forgot” how to feel safe.

What in the world do you do … if you don’t remember how to feel safe?

Unfortunately, this is a question that many young people have to find the answer to because if they don’t …

… they risk having a life being bullied by The Big Bad Wolf for a very long time!

The Big Bad Wolf = Adverse Events

As much as we want to enjoy the good times, we can’t deny the fact that there are bad times as well.

When the bad times are really bad they become adverse events.

When you face adversity, you can forget how to feel safe.

When you forget how to feel safe, a good life is hard to find.

For the little people in our world this can make them feel like a Big Bad Wolf is always coming to get them.

The Big Bad Wolf comes in many forms:

• Pollution

• Violence

• Loneliness

• Discrimination

This can be made worse if our young ones don’t have a safe space like the brick house in the little pigs’ story:

• A clean, safe neighborhood

• A clean, safe school

• A clean, safe home

… or if they don’t have The Huntsman to come help out like the one who helped Little Red:

• A doctor

• A trusted family member

• A mentor to teach them how to succeed

When all these issues pile on top of one another The Big Bad Wolf can become a part its prey in the shape of Big Emotions!

When this happens, the Little Ones are always running in constant fear that everything they have will be destroyed with the a single breath.

When this happens there is no “grandmother” to visit and share good feelings.

Rewriting the Story

Thank goodness stories can be rewritten to make for happier endings.

Researchers and scientists (like Dr. Ruvvy) are working to understand how we can help young people who are dealing with Big Emotions.

At the Ruvvy Resilience Lab, we are learning how to “build brick houses.”

We are discovering how people can re-learn Safety.

How will we do this?

• Create programs in schools and their communities that teach how to handle stress and other Big Emotions

• Learn through science how people have developed strength in hard times

• Help people who have been ignored or treated unfairly in the past

• Ask for laws to protect the environment and the places we live

• Support peace instead of war

Here’s the Pen … You Can Re-Write the Story too!

Just like the little folks in our fairy tale examples it will help if you can set up two things:

Someone to help (The Huntsman for Little Red)

Somewhere that’s a safe space (The Brick House for The Three Little Pigs)

Find a Guide out of The Woods:

• Find a therapist: https://locator.apa.org  

• Find a psychiatrist: https://finder.psychiatry.org/s/  

Here are some Bricks:

• Resources:

  • Info, tips, and ideas for self-care:

    • https://istss.org/public-resources/public-education-epamphlets/  

  • Guided Exercises:

    • The Ruvvy Resilience Lab’s YouTube Channel

  • Home assistance programs:

    • Detroit water assistance program: https://detroitmi.gov/departments/water-and-sewerage-department/dwsd-customer-service/dwsd-here-help-water-assistance-programs/dwsd-easypay-plan  

      • Learn how to enroll in the EasyPay Plan for Detroit residents struggling to pay past due water and sewerage bills 

      • No income restrictions! 

Everyone loves a good re-imagining of a classic story.

Let’s write one that will change the lives of youth everywhere!

Stay Resilient!