This fortnight the HeadStart team are encouraging all staff in school to consider their inner voice. How do you talk to yourself? Are you friendly, encouraging, supportive and kind? Or, as is the case for many people, are you harsh, critical, judgemental and unkind?
It’s a well-known fact that we often talk to ourselves in a way that we would NEVER dream of talking to a friend or family member. Our mission this time is to ask you to pause and reflect before you berate yourself or beat yourself up and ask yourself ‘what would I say to a friend in the same situation?’. This can really help us to be kinder and gentler with ourselves and promote self-compassion.
Alongside our ‘inner critic’ we all have an ‘inner cheerleader’. Take a moment to consider which inner voice is louder for you?
Your inner critic can be quite mean! It finds faults and can make you doubt yourself or feel ‘less than’. Your inner cheerleader is encouraging you to do better and make good choices. It praises you and celebrates you making you believe in yourself and your abilities.
In contrast to the negative self-talk of your inner critic, your inner cheerleader or coach offers positive self-talk. A private ‘inside’ voice offering support and encouragement.
So personally and as a staff team we encourage you all to increase the volume of your inner cheerleader! Feel free to use the HeadStart poster below for your staff wellbeing boards as a reminder to all staff to do this.
Published: January 23