JumpStart Fig Newton Day! (1/16/23)

It’s also Appreciate a Dragon Day and the start of No Name-Calling Week. It’s gonna be a great week! I think my goal this week will be not to eat an entire sleeve of Fig Newtons in one sitting. #babysteps

Big Idea:  It's OK to not feel confident 100% of the time.

You’ve probably noticed this at school:

People who talk about themselves a lot are really the most insecure, while the people who go about their business are generally quiet about their personal lives.

Lack of confidence shows an abundance of fear.

Fear of ridicule, fear or not showing up, fear of failure.

If we want to fight a fear (or one of the ways it shows up, like low self-confidence), we have to strive toward its opposite. Some say the opposite of fear is love. Others say it’s knowledge and understanding.

I say the opposite of fear is safety because you can’t feel love and you can’t learn to understand until you feel safe.

If you’re going to be confident, you have to feel safe in your environment, safe with your community, and safe in your own self. What to work on first? That’s your call - just make the decision with confidence and stick to it.

This week, try this: The next time your confidence lags this week, notice your body. What is your posture like? How has your breathing changed? What are you feeling in your gut? Try changing any of those symptoms, and your outlook will change as a result.

Quote:  "Confidence is silent.  Insecurities are loud."  (Google can't agree on the original author)

​Educator Resource:  9 Self-Confidence Building Activities for Students - Some good ideas that can easily be adapted to any age (well, some of them require writing and reading). I also love that the last activity is yoga and this isn’t even a yoga website!

Dad Joke:  Originally, I wasn't going to get a brain transplant.  Then I changed my mind. 

There’s a 100% chance that MLK had times of low self-confidence. We all do. If you feel unsure about your role at school, someone had to believe in you or you wouldn’t have a job. #justsayin  If this was forwarded to you, and you’d like your own copy, sign up here.