Recognizing the Good Within Ourselves

Why is it easy to recognize the good traits of others and not always in ourselves? We often dwell on the mistakes we make or the regrets we have rather than focusing on the positive contributions and qualities we bring to the world. For young people with a damaged self-image, it can be especially challenging to take a step back and get a true picture.

Try this interesting exercise shared by counselor Roger Briesch in an article in Youth Today. The idea is to choose a few words that represent you from a list of attributes. Next, think of someone who loves you and the words they would choose for you. Are the lists the same? Try the same exercise with a young person in your life and share your results. It’s a great way to start a conversation about how we choose to define ourselves.