During the month of April, we are touching on the topic of Strengths again as Strengths show the world your values or what’s important to you. Back in January, we had the staff (and encouraged all of you) take the VIA Character Strengths assessment.
There are a total of 24 Strengths, like Creativity, Bravery, Love and Kindness, Fairness, Forgiveness, and so on. Every person has a combination of all of them and when used correctly can positively impact your life. These strengths are the positive parts of your personality that impact how you think, feel, and behave and are the keys to you being your best self.
The staff will be getting their very own Strengths Journal, like the one below. We encourage them to write and draw in their journals every day during this month! We also encourage you at home to make your very own Strengths Journal!
In the beginning of the journal, it asks you to circle the strengths you are working on and provides you with a poster for you to draw in those specific Strengths you are working on. We encourage you to fill out the poster as well. Hang the poster up, so you can see it every day.
As we continue through the journal, it will ask questions like:
- I share this strength with my family _______________. This is how we use this strength. (Then you can draw a picture showing your family’s strength.)
- Think of a strength you recently used: ________________. Now draw a picture of yourself and color in the parts of your body that light up when you use that strength.
- Go Strength Spotting! Notice when someone else is using a strength.
- Write down the names of friends and their strengths. Do you see patterns of strengths in your friendships?
- When I face a challenge, I’m able to overcome it because of this strength: _________________.
- When I need to make a decision, I can rely on this strength: _____________________.
- This strength helps me when I’m feeling worried about something: __________________.
- This strength is useful when it comes to completing tasks and school assignments: _________________.
- Practicing this strength makes me happy: _____________________.
Be sure to come back for more information on the topics of Purpose, Habits/Rituals, and Strengths!
