the encouragement lounge: Now is the time, for positive self-talk

Tuesday, December 14, 2010

Now is the time, for positive self-talk

Many of us are in crunch-time, finishing final papers and projects or getting ready for exams. I encourage you to be particularly aware of the way that you are talking to yourself. Seriously, you know what I mean.... do you catch yourself saying "there's no way I can get this done" or "I'm a lousy writer" or other negative statements? These kinds of statements can lead you down a road of negativity that will deplete your energy and focus when you need it most. If you hear yourself saying negative things... replace them with positive statements.

A few suggestions:

"I can do this, I just need to take one step at a time."

"I'm always stressed like this before a presentation, it just means that I'm focused."

"I'm a good writer, I've pushed past writer's block before."

You can be your own best encourager -- give it a try!

Cheering for you!

Harriet

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Working adult students, on my mind...

I hope this blog will be helpful to friends and others involved in a variety of endeavors. However, I created the blog with students in mind and continue to develop it with that specific group as my focus.

I believe that with the increase in evening, weekend, and low-residency programs, students are working more and more in isolation. If we were all full-time students on campus, we would have the informal support that comes with being able to go down the hall and talk with a colleague, etc. But instead, we are working late nights and weekends at home in front of the laptop.

With that in mind, I hope the encouragement lounge provides brief moments of respite and energizing connection. This does not at all replace valuable face-to-face contact. Many aspects of the academic journey can only be addressed via in-depth conversations with colleagues and teachers. And I would always rather sit down and talk with someone than to communicate online. Nonetheless, my aim is to give you one more channel for quick hits of support.