How will you use the concepts we have learnt during our sessions? The practice below will help us review these concepts together and use them to create your next plan (Journey Map). Then we will discuss together by using some scenarios how and when you could use the tools that we learnt!
Scan this QR code, and reflect on your future choices. After submitting the form, you will receive an email with your own Journey Map design. where your words appear in the design below. You will be able to print it and put it on your desk or fridge.
Scan the QR code!
Throughout Now & Next we have presented and worked through a number of tools that you now have in your toolkit. Some of the tools will have resonated with you more strongly than others. Let's workshop when and where you might use these tools. Let's use the following scenarios to discuss which of these tools you could use for which situation:
Goal to Action; Family Leadership & Agency and the Parent/Professional Statement
Goal to Action - all windows, All About Me
Pictability, Goal to Action, All About Me
Circle of Control & Oxygen Tank; Goal to Action
Just a reminder that you should have received the “Now and Next Library Resource” which is an Ebook of a lot of the info covered in this course. Please dip into this from time to time to remind yourself of some of our key content. Also please stay connected. Our Alumni events (conferences and Workshops) are a wonderful way of increasing our knowledge and building on the capacity of the group of peers. We all have a similar goal in mind- to create the best life for our children. Together we can build on each other’s skills, knowledge and momentum.
Pictability
The saying goes if we stand for nothing we will fall for anything. So having a strong vision will help guide us. Decisions on goals, therapy and life choices can all be measured against what our vision is for our child. Pictability is a brilliant reflective activity that can be done once or twice a year. It is particularly useful to do before big transitions or planning sessions with professionals. It reminds us of what is most important and what our ‘big picture’ is.
Action Board
Our Action Board with our long term and short term goals is designed to be an ongoing resource. It keeps us focused on all three pillars- family, self and child. And remember we know that our children thrive when the family unit is a happy one. The three goals also stop us feeling too overwhelmed with many many goals running through our head. The Action Board keeps us focused and using the goal achieved envelope helps remind us of all that we are doing well. Our Goal To Action Template (5 Windows) is a tool that can be used for every goal, however, most people use it as a troubleshooting tool. So when we are stuck and can’t seem to make progress on a goal, assessing it using the Goal to Action Dashboard helps us see solutions from different perspectives. Remember this is a great collaborative too, too. You can use this tool with therapists or teachers or the whole family.
Building your resilience and wellbeing
Building your resilience and wellbeing is an ongoing process. The Signature Strengths and PERMA tools are wonderful ways of boosting family resilience. If you are feeling stuck do the PERMA dashboard again. Look for what areas of PERMA are lacking and what little ‘next step’ you can do to improve it. Remind yourself often of your signature strengths and the strengths of those people around you. Find ways of utilising these strengths in every aspect of your life.
Oxygen Tank
Be kind to yourself. Take your Oxygen Tank into account: The oxygen in your tank is limited so don’t burn yourself out. Remember the Circle of Control and when your tank is low focus on the things that you can have the most impact on. Try and let go of the things that use up your resources but don’t achieve outcomes.
Mindfulness
Remember the power of mindfulness. We have explored many ways of doing this. (Creating memories, colouring in, meditation etc). Do what works best for you. Remember the idea here is to get the positive neurones firing together. We are predisposed to remember the negative and forgetting the positive. Mindfulness can help the good stuff stick and increase our wellbeing.
Leadership and Agency
Leadership, Agency and the Parent Professional Statement. Remember your capacity for being the CEO’s of your child’s team. If you forget go back over the parent professional and Leaning in Statements.
Formal and Informal Supports
Remember we have both to rely on. Don’t be afraid to seek the supports you need.
Weekly Reflections and Next Steps
Take time to reflect and time to plan your next steps. This is a critical element to staying on track. I would recommend making a regular appointment in your diary to do this. It may only be 10 minutes but reflection and planning are key to staying on track.
Before we leave today we want you to be ready to keep the cycle going. Please take out your action board and make sure you have three goals you are currently working towards.
If they are no longer the goals you wish to focus on chose some that are important and fit in with your life circumstances at this time.
We want to take a few moments to recognise what we have in this group here and how we can build on this together.
As a group brainstorm why we (as peers) are better together than on our own.
Have you noticed specific Signature Strengths in each other?
What have you learned from each other?
Express this as a group in any art form
