Mindful Monday Word-Reflect
On this last Monday of 2022, let us take time to reflect on the year gone by:
What has been your greatest accomplishment this year?
Who has impacted your life in a positive manner this year?
What habits have you broken or started this year?
What relationships have grown this year?
What would have liked to accomplish this year?
It seems the only time one stops to reflect is at the end of something. This is the end of the year, 2022. How has it treated you? I won’t complain as I havae my health, my family, a roof over my head, food on the table, clothes on my back and can say that I am intentionally looking forward to a New Year with family, friends and a growth mindset to accomplish all I set out to do. If I don’t accomplish it all, I know that I have tried and I know that I alone am responsible for the choices I make the decisions that surround me and who I let in, what I let in, where I allow it, when it will happen and why! You see, at the end of the day we are the only ones responsible for the decisions we made during that time. It isn’t up to anyone else to tell us how we should feel, what we should do, who we should engage with or anything else. We can ask for advice, we can ask for guidance, still, at the end of the day it is us who make the choices we made. At the start of each new day it is up to us to choose our path. We are who is responsible for our decisions. So, as you stop to reflect on the year, ask yourself the questions above. It’ is up to you to decide and make choices on the New Year and each new day. Do the best you can with what you’ve got and when you intentionally stop to reflect and put your experiences in place, you will gain wisdom. Use this knowledge to move forward and make each and every day count, make it the best you can, be intentional with the choices you make the path you walk and reflect more than just once a year.
How can we teach our own children to be reflective and grow from life experiences?
First, build their self-esteem and confidence with Self-Esteem Elephant.
A child is more likely to be honest with themself when they are confident in who they are and know that they can ‘fix’ their choices and learn from them. Allow a child to make choices, both right vs. wrong as there are lessons in both. Don’t harp on the wrong choices, instead redirect the child to what they might try different for a better outcome in the situation. Self-Esteem Elephant is here to help with free resources below to simply print out and discuss with your child.
Then, teaching a child that they are responsible for their own actions is important. Using the template below with our character Responsible Rabbit, introduce and reinforce this trait with your child. Allow them to make a choice and committ to it. Encourage them to see this committment through to teach them responsibility. Don’t tell them what they should commit to, let them make that decision. Encourage them to focus, with focus they are more apt to complete their committment. You can encourage them to focus, should they lose focus, redirect them, don’t punish them, instead stay encouraging for them to finish their comittment which will certaily build their confidence! Now you’ve touched on being responsible and self-esteem! Nice job! Building a firm foundation is going to allow your child to make better choices.
Building character in our children doesn’t come with an instruction book! Still, it is so important for a child to be exposed to these traits so that they become the best they can be. How can one teach character to kids? Quite honestly, I think the best way is to model it yourself. For a child is watching what you do, listening to what you say and modeling your very own characteristics. Therefore, it’s important to do the best we can, to make good choices, to reflect on the choices that we do make, right vs. wrong and by all means, communicate with your child. To have a conversation with your child is something to be cherished, help them feel comfortable to come to you with their questions and concerns in life, they will have a lot! You know how a child goes through the “why?” phase, start there! Answer their questions, allow them to make choices and encourage them to learn and grow. This isn’t a one and done thing, this is something that is present in every day life. Try your best with what you’ve got. So long as you are trying, so long as you are intentional and so long as you are encouraging your child, they are going to experience and learn right vs. wrong. What’s in your reflection?
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