Learning Objectives:
- Students will be able to recognize and question their fundamental beliefs.
- Students will be able to understand the interconnectedness of their thoughts, emotions, and actions.
- Students will be able to adopt a different perspective when confronted with negative thoughts.
- Students will be able to identify positive qualities within themselves that contribute to their self-esteem.
Building Mindfulness Skills
Facilitate a check-in and debrief, allowing time for students to discuss their experiences during the meditation.
Challenging Negative Beliefs and Cultivating Mindfulness
Introduction:
We all encounter moments of self-doubt and uncertainty. Even individuals who are generally confident and content have fleeting thoughts such as, “I’m a failure.”
These experiences are inherent to our human nature. However, if negative thoughts occur frequently or hinder our ability to live a fulfilling and joyful life, it might be worthwhile to address them. Thankfully, there are various ways to enhance our self-worth. It may not be an effortless process, but it is certainly achievable.
In this lesson, we explore negative thoughts and discover techniques to challenge them, ultimately shifting our perspective.
Activity 1: Exploring Core Beliefs
Each person perceives the world through their own unique lens. Two individuals can have identical experiences, yet interpret them differently. Core beliefs are deeply ingrained beliefs that shape our interpretations of life events.
Think of core beliefs as a pair of sunglasses. Each person wears a different “shade” that influences how they perceive things—a distinctive perspective, if you will.
Distribute the Core Beliefs handout.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- What is one of your negative core beliefs?
- How have other people or events reinforced your negative core beliefs?
Activity 2: The Influence of Thoughts, Feelings, and Actions
Engage in a group discussion, allowing students to brainstorm and describe each category.
Thoughts are the internal dialogues running through your mind. They reflect the way you interpret events happening around you and within you. A single situation can be perceived in numerous ways.
Feelings fluctuate as different experiences unfold. In a single day, you may experience happiness, anger, and sadness. While some feelings may be uncomfortable, they are not necessarily negative. Everyone encounters these emotions from time to time.
Actions encompass your behaviors and the way you conduct yourself. Your thoughts and feelings significantly impact how you act. When you feel happy, you are more inclined to engage in kind deeds. Conversely, when you feel angry, your actions might reflect unkindness.
Discussion
Remind the group that having a thought doesn’t automatically make it true. Thoughts are often assumptions about why something occurred or predictions about what might happen. By generating new thoughts, you can gain a different perspective on a situation.
Display or Distribute the Thoughts/Feelings/Action Cycle.
Invite the group to share a situation or conflict that led to a pattern of negative thoughts.
For example
My friend Emma hasn’t been talking to me as much as usual this week.
THOUGHTS I HAD:
Emma hasn’t been communicating with me much this week. She must be angry with me.
FEELINGS I EXPERIENCED:
Feeling sad and hurt that Emma has been distant.
ACTIONS I TOOK:
Due to my upset emotions, I ignored Emma and avoided her at school.
GROUP DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
- Given the situation, what could have been a different, more positive thought?
- If you had a different, more positive thought, how might your feelings have changed?
- What alternative actions could have been taken?
- Will this situation matter a year from now? A month from now?
- If we look at the situation positively, how might it have unfolded differently?
Explain that low self-esteem often stems from unfounded negative thoughts. Even individuals who typically have positive interactions with family and friends can feel terrible after a single negative encounter or criticism. These unfounded thoughts often dictate our self-perception and can perpetuate a cycle of negative actions.
Activity 3: Self-Esteem Story Building
Pair up students to participate in this activity.
Provide each pair with a copy of a Self-Esteem Story Building worksheet, making sure that each person receives a different worksheet.
In turns, students will interview each other, eliciting responses based on the word prompts provided on the worksheet. The interviewer will fill in the words/phrases on the sheet without showing the results to the interviewee.
Sharing: Once each pair has completed their worksheet, have students take turns reading their own Self-Esteem Story to the group.