Some Wonderful Things About Me: A Mindful Self-Awareness Practice For Confidence

How do children develop their self-concept? It’s a complex process that psychologists and researchers continue to explore even today. But here at Food For Thought By The Sea, we believe part of that a large part of the process is providing opportunities for young people to develop confidence and self-awareness. Whether it’s work training, opportunities for self-expression and creativity in the arts, or the chance to explore skills like mindful attention, children can benefit from varied and unique experiences and we do our best to make that happen whenever we can.

Today we’re going to explore a simple exercise you can bring into your home or classroom to foster self-awareness in your students. Feel free to expand and switch up what we offer here today but remember that, rather than TELLING a child what they’re good at or what their talents are, it’s often most effective to let them DISCOVER and RECOGNIZE those things in themselves. And that’s exactly what today’s exercise is all about.

Whether you’re using this exercise in a classroom or at your dining room table, the key here is consistency. Decide how often you’ll do this exercise (Perhaps once a week or at the beginning of each month) and stick to it. Just as daily gratitude journals foster appreciation, opportunities for regular self-reflection can foster confidence and capability.

Sitting with your child, provide them with a piece of paper (or journal if you want to keep a record of their lists) and something to write with.

Ask them to write down 5 Awesome Things About Themselves. If this is your first time doing this exercise you may want to model the exercise for them.

Ex: “I’m (Name) and there are awesome things about me. I ____ which is awesome.” Or, with older children, “I’m (Name) and I ____ which is awesome because….”

You can let your child select their own adjective besides awesome. You can also choose to have them focus on personal qualities or skills rather than superficial items if you’re working with a child who is old enough to take the work a step further by adding “because” to their lists.

The other key here is to be sure that you’re not listing reasons your child is awesome for them. If they’re having trouble, it’s only natural to want to help. However, the self-awareness they’ll develop from looking within for themselves is essential.

If your child can’t come up with 5, ask them for one and move forward from there. Having them write or draw their list items first and then share them aloud can often help some children as well.

When your child completes their list and shares it aloud, feel free to ask them which item is their favorite and why or ask them how they feel about their list.

As this becomes a more regular practice, notice how the self-awareness develops in your child.

If you’re looking for a space to infuse mindfulness into your experience, you can add a body scan or breathing exercise before this one for the added self-awareness benefits those offer.

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