When we bring our negative thoughts to our conscious minds, we are able to challenge them. If we accept with compassion that our thoughts influence the way we feel and act, we stand a better chance of changing them. One of the ways that we can do this is by creating personal affirmations which speak to ourselves and our stories.
Affirmations are positive, proactive and meaningful words that help to change our mindset. They help to purify our thoughts and restructure our minds to think in a more positive way. They are catalysts of positive behaviour, language, and action. The simple habit of reading an affirmation a day acts as a powerful resilience tool. Instead of being afraid or imprisoned by our own words or thoughts we can be empowered by them.
Exercises for you:
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Are certain thoughts related to each other? Is one specific topic more on your mind than anything else? Decide on a system of marking these related thoughts - This exercise is useful to do with the young people you work with as a way of helping them to connect to themselves, and as part of their creative process.
