B5 - Endurance

This week, we're focusing on ENDURANCE!

ENDURANCE is using my inward strength to accomplish what is difficult, even when I feel like giving up. The opposite of ENDURANCE is DESPAIR, quitting when things get hard.

A key to endurance is "self-talk" -- the thoughts we say to ourselves inside our heads. Negative self-talk says things like, "I'm no good at this. I'm a failure. I can't keep going."

Positive self-talk acknowledges that things are hard, but builds up confidence. We can teach kids to say and think things like:

• "This is going to be tough, but I'm a person who doesn't give up."
• "It's okay if I'm not first place or perfect. I feel good when I work hard and do my best."
• "Sometimes things go wrong. I'm a good problem solver and will find a way to fix it."

What keeps you going when times are tough? What advice would you give a child to help them endure and not despair?