Warm-Up Exercise: Positive Self-Talk

It’s straightforward for college students to downplay their accomplishments, brush off compliments, and outright tear themselves down mentally or verbally. Negative self-talk can critically have an effect on college students’ confidence and shallowness. However, in drama class, we will work on this with our college students.

Below, you will discover quite a lot of warm-up questions to offer to your class to assist them suppose and converse extra positively about themselves. Have college students select one of many questions beneath and reply to it. If they’re feeling unhealthy about themselves for any purpose, have them select two or extra and reply to them.

Choose three optimistic phrases or phrases to explain your self. Why did you select them?
What are three issues that you just like about your self?
What’s one thing you probably did not too long ago that made you’re feeling pleased with your self?
Describe one thing type you probably did for somebody not too long ago. How did that particular person react? How did it make you’re feeling?
Think a few praise, type phrase, or uplifting remark you gave to somebody not too long ago. Apply it to your self.

If you would like, you’ll be able to comply with up with:

Do you’re feeling any resistance to pondering or saying type phrases to/about your self? If so, why?
Are any damaging statements you’re telling your self true or unfaithful? How can you identify this?

If you suppose your college students are up for a problem, do that warm-up train. Have college students write down three damaging issues they’ve stated about themselves up to now, leaving an area in between every sentence. Then, have them cross out the damaging thought and change it with a optimistic one. It could be a full alternative of the sentence, for instance, altering “I can’t do xyz” to “I’m great at abc and I’m proud of how hard I worked to achieve it.” Or, it might be so simple as altering “I can’t do xyz” to “Yes I can” or including the phrase “yet,” i.e., “I can’t do xyz yet, but I will keep working at it.”

If your college students are actually scuffling with developing with optimistic issues to say about themselves, have them strive the next roleplay mini-exercise. It may also be used as a further standalone warm-up train. Have college students pair up. One scholar will say one thing type, optimistic, or uplifting about their companion, and their companion will say thanks and agree with them. For instance, Partner A may say, “(Partner B), you work really hard in drama class and you’re a great actor.” Partner B would reply with, “Thank you, I do work really hard and I think I’m a great actor as well.” Partner B will then give Partner A a praise and Partner A will reply in type. Again, test in along with your college students to see in the event that they’re feeling any resistance in direction of talking positively to themselves.

At the top of sophistication, have college students reply to the questions within the reflection beneath.

You can revisit these warm-ups anytime your college students want a pick-me-up, or sprinkle them all through your traditional actions through the time period to enhance their confidence. You might want to monitor whenever you incorporate these warm-ups into your classes to see how they have an effect on college students’ performances (hopefully they’re improved!).