Our most recent Soul Shoppe workshop was called “Untie the Nots.” In this workshop, students learned to distinguish messages they’ve received about what they can and canNOT do, they noticed how teasing and put downs inhibit their ability to stay positive, they learned how to recognize opportunities, and considered how to use the Soul Shoppe Vision to achieve their goals by remembering who they really are – smart, powerful, important people who have what it takes to live a fun and happy life. Students strengthened their self-awareness, self-management, and responsible decision-making skills. Key lessons included:
● The Soul Shoppe Vision: When we really look at ourselves and those around us, we can see that we’re amazing:
○ We are smart – we’re all smart in our own ways, and all of our smarts can be developed!
○ We are powerful – our choices have an impact on ourselves and those around us.
○ We have what it takes – we can change, we can get help, we can learn!
○ We’re important – our presence co-creates our community culture!
○ We can have a fun and happy life when we remember these truths. When we forget, that’s when things get complicated!
● Untying the “Nots:” We often hear and internalize messages from our environment that subtly (or not so subtly) undermine our confidence. We have a goal but are NOT good right away, want something we canNOT afford, want to be a scientist but are NOT good at math. These “nots” put real knots in the “rope” that represents our dreams or goals. Each NOT represents a step we don’t take, keeping us farther from our dreams.
When things are hard, let’s look at our strengths and see how we can stay focused, stay positive, and creatively reach our dreams. Please ask your kids what they learned at Soul Shoppe and ask them to teach YOU the vision. When they’re down, anxious or challenged, help them remember that they are amazing! Share with them an example of a strength they can use in this situation that they’ve used in another. Remind them of specific times when you’ve seen them demonstrate that they are smart, powerful, important, and capable, then try to transfer that skill to whatever problem they have. For example, they’re teased for not playing basketball as good as someone else, and you remind them that they have what it takes to get better – just like they did in drawing or math!