Blog

Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall

I’ve had enough toxic culture surrounding me.  Either through daily interactions with others (What kind of topics people often talk in the copy room or a cafeteria?), breaking news from the media, popular shows on TV or the tiny little voice in my own head, one commonality they all share is the toxicity and negativity they carry, spread, and infect.    Many times, after taking in so many negativities, I don’t feel well.  I become moody, my body is achy and tense, I eat impulsively or compulsively, and sometimes, I am not nice to people (I absolutely hate that about myself) and even self-destructive.

Self-love is a radical act.  How many people often feel “fine” to tune into their own inner needs without feeling guilty?  However, as grownups, I don’t think we have the biggest challenge with self-acceptance.  I believe it’s the teenagers, especially, girls, are often struggling the most with that.

The unprecedented COVID-19 has really tested human’s limit as well as their relational, social, survival and emotional regulation skills.  I notice more people are easily feeling down.  Once feeling down, it is harder to crawl out the emotional and psychological abysmal.  Finally, after crawling out, it is difficult to sustain an even mood.

If you have experienced similar feelings, you are not alone.  The matter is that are we continuing to ride in the same negative vehicle?  Or to put a stop on to it?

That’s when “Mirror, Mirror, on the Wall”, popped in my head.

Materials:

1 mirror + many phrases with positive energy

Procedure:

  1. Hang up a mirror
  2. Show students the phrases with positive energy and invite them to pick anything that resonates with themselves, cut different color paper to unique designs, write down the phrases and post them around the mirror.
  3. Once students see what you have provided, they’d like to add a few on their own. Encourage them to take the ownership for the things they want to say.
  4. Post all the positive phrases on the wall.
  5. All students line up in front of the mirror, each pick three phrases, they look at themselves into the mirror, say the phrases out aloud to themselves so the whole class can hear. Then high five each classmate in line and go back to the end.
  6. When everybody has finished, they all sit down at the same time.

When to do it?

  1. As a brain break during the class.
  2. At the beginning of the class to set up the positive intention.
  3. Stop the class whenever someone utters something negative about him/herself or others.
  4. At the end of the class, students leave the class with positive feelings.

 

How did it go?

After I explained my intention to my class, my students were excited and eager to carry the task out.  I saw lots of smiles on their faces.  When they lined up in front of the mirror, some was shy, most were loud and bold.  They all told me they LOVED it.

So, give it a try, would you?

5 3 votes
Article Rating
Subscribe
Notify of
guest

0 Comments
Oldest
Newest Most Voted
Inline Feedbacks
View all comments
0
Would love your thoughts, please comment.x
()
x