TRUSD New Teacher and Mentor Support - Positive Self-Perception

Positive Self-Perception

Having a strong sense of who we are, and liking that person, is one element that contributes to our ability to bounce back from life's many challenges. High self-esteem and positive self-perception help us avoid getting crushed by the bumps and roadblocks of life and motivate us to keep moving forward, even when we don't feel like we can. If we maintain a positive sense of who we are and our abilities, we can lift ourselves up above the darkness. But, when we allow our minds to give in to the negativity and create negative self-talk and self-imagery, we can end up creating self-fulfilling prophecies that suck us into dangerous vortexes. Being aware of the power of a positive self-perception can help us create "attitude adjustment" plans for those times when we need to activate them and keep us moving forward.

Read more about the disposition of positive self-perception in Onward, Chapter 6, pages 169-170, and refer to the resources below.

The idea of "fake it 'til you make it" does carry some weight!

Watch this TedxUCDavis video on why we get stuck so much easier in the negatives....and how to get unstuck.

Keeping Positive Through Hard Times | Resilient EducatorBack in my 20s, I read The Power of Positive Thinking by Norman Vincent Peale. This book changed me. When I was 19, my dad passed away unexpectedly. I had just started college. I struggled with issues of anger, fear, insecurity, and worry. I never considered how my own thoughts might be affecting me. But I began to pay close attention to that inner dialogue in my head and started taking steps to change it. It's not that bad feelings and thoughts ever go away, but I learned to manage them and change them. I learned how to think positively. "Change your thoughts and you can change your world."- Norman Vincent Peale Yes, times are rough. Yes, we're going through some serious turmoil during the coronavirus pandemic. We are seeing sickness, death, and troubles all around us. Life is not the same for you, your family, or your students. It may be difficult to think positively right now. But even during dark times, it's essential to find the bright spots. Try one of the following ideas to

7 Ways to Control Your Thoughts and Master Your Mind | Resilient EducatorOkay. So you've given yourself a minute to just be. Amen to that! Now it's time to start bringing some intention to what's going on upstairs. Let's kick today's challenge off with some old-school inspiration from Buddha. "To enjoy good health, to bring true happiness to one's family, to bring peace to all, one must first discipline and control one's own mind." Truer words have never been spoken. And yet, the vast majority of us are tangled up in our racing thoughts and triggered emotions — literally held captive by the inner dialogue of our minds. Add to that the investment into the well-being and success of hundreds of students you're invested in as an educator — intellectually and emotionally — and you've got yourself a big ole bowl of anxiety stew. 7 ways to master your mind Recognize your sub-conscious thoughts. Your thoughts are separate from you. Think about it. Notice the voice of your thoughts. Notice how they ramble on. Now notice you noticing your thoughts. The

Positive Daily Affirmations: Is There Science Behind It?Daily positive affirmations can be a super-refreshing way to use self-talk, to turn around negative internal messages and motivate ourselves instead

Positive self-talk can help lead you to value yourself more. Watch this video to see how a simple act can make a big difference.

Check out this follow-up video to see how your own self-talk can positively impact others.