On Sunday we celebrated St Valentine’s Day and like every other event over the past year, it was a different sort of day. But the essential element was unchanged as its the day we tell the people that we love, that we love them. 

Love the Person in the Mirror

But, what about the person that we are with, 24/7? Ourselves? That person who stares back at us in the mirror.  When do we tell them that we love them? Isn’t it about time that we did? Ok so it sounds a bit hippy-dippy, but I know from working with my clients that we tend to be far harder on ourselves than anyone else.

I have met many students who believe that anything less than an A / H1/Distinction is failure. Students who are so hard on themselves that it is easier to say that they don’t know something rather than attempt it & not get it all perfectly right.

Love The Break

With School at Home and the unions and Dept of Education still unable to reach an agreement on the format of the state exams, students have never needed a mid-term break more than they do now.

So, for the week that’s in it, and especially the times we are in, here is my take on what positive self-talk is – L.O.V.E

L – Listen

Listen to that voice in your head.  Listen to the words it uses. Listen to how it talks to you?  Is that voice nice and kind to you or is it mean?  Does that voice put you down or lift you up?  Does it tell you that you can’t do things? That you’re stupid? That you can’t learn?  Why you listen to that mean voice and believe what it says? Sometimes it comes disguised, pretending that it is being nice to us, protecting us from ourselves but all the time putting us down. Stopping us from moving forward.

O – Overcome

You wouldn’t accept anyone speaking unkindly to you, so refuse to accept it from yourself.  Give that voice a ridiculous accent, one that you would find impossible to take seriously.  Turn the voice down so low that you can no longer hear it.  You can also take drastic action – stand in front of the mirror, listen to the mean voice in your head, indulge it for a full 60 seconds, then take a big breath and repeat the following mantra as loudly as you can:

SHUT THE BLEEP UP!

SHUT THE BLEEP UP!

(Repeat as necessary, inserting your own expletive if desired! Dang you’re going to scare that mean voice into submission)

V – Value

I bet that at some time in your life you were told that ‘self praise is no praise’. Well I beg to differ. I always say – Self praise is the best praise, it comes straight from the heart!  Put a value on yourself. Know your worth. It’s okay to be proud of your achievements. Being proud of yourself is not boasting, it is not showing off. It is acknowledging your achievements. Your achievements matter. You matter.

E – Empower

Now go ahead & give yourself the power to make those positive changes. You are authorised to go ahead & be the very best that you can be. You can learn new things, so go ahead and do it. Yes you will make mistakes – so what, everyone makes mistakes! Show the world just how powerful you are when you take charge. Enjoy your new self and keep going. 

L – Listen to Yourself.

O – Overcome Yourself

V – Value Yourself

E – Empower Yourself

LOVE YOURSELF

For more information on our Programs contact Elaine on 087 2996054 or elaine@hummingbirdlearning.com