Growing up isn’t easy,
but children can do
hard things!
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy for children?
Absolutely!
My friends… We have been wired through repeated patterns over long periods of time (generally ages 0-7) through our environment, by those that love us, in specific circumstances that created limiting beliefs, fears, and the idea of limitations within our own personal growth. Just because it appears to be true, doesn’t mean it is! We have a responsibility to support our little ones through this thing called growing up with a lot of love and a little guidance, through accepting their thoughts, encouraging their desires, and making them feel safe and supported in their feelings. This begins with us as parents. This begins with the notion that what we think becomes what we believe to be true, even if it isn’t.
For children:
What you think becomes what you believe, and you believe it to be true. But the thing is… you have the greatest power of all, which is right inside of you! It’s a superpower! You have the power to choose what you think. Isn’t that neat?
Your thoughts turn into feelings. Those feelings turn into your actions and behaviours… they turn into your choices! (what you do!).
Have you ever had to say goodbye to a favourite teddy bear or blanket? Did you have to leave it at home when you started school? Maybe it was time to pack it away?
We can do hard things and make choices!
Instead of thinking:
I can’t say goodbye to my favourite silver buttons!
Try thinking:
I CAN put my favourite buttons away somewhere safe and sound because there are new buttons to enjoy too!
Instead of thinking:
A classmate doesn’t like how I look so I feel bad about that.
Try thinking:
I LOVE myself as there is no other me! I make friends easily and the right friends for me will come along!
Wonderful things happen and your mind grows along with your body when you are brave and have good thoughts about doing something that is hard! Your heart and mind have the most amazing superpower in the whole wide world! …. YOUR POWER TO CHOOSE WHAT YOU THINK!
You can! You will! You are!
You already have all you need right inside of you! You are love. You are a superhero!
For parents:
How can you help your kiddos to feel safe and supported in their thoughts?
Repetitive thoughts over long periods of time will teach our children to believe or not, to feel safe or not, to be brave or not, and to feel loved or not.
Making this one simple adjustment in how you approach your children's developing minds and emotional beliefs and fears that arise will teach them at a very young age how to self manage those feelings and help them turn those negative thoughts into positive thoughts after only moments rather than years of staying stuck in fears and negative self-talk that wasn’t true at all, but rather just what they saw and felt to be.
Something as simple as gentle love and guidance like helping them through a big kid choice can teach them they too can do hard things, which really wasn’t so hard after all! The ‘stuck’ happens in not choosing. The fear develops in the “what ifs” and when that happens, we (yes we) develop a self-sabotage agreement with ourselves that tell us “we can’t do this”, “I am not enough”, or “I don’t deserve this”… and we believe that to be true. What happens next? We live a life of our own limiting beliefs and see our struggles and obstacles as part of a story we believe. Then what? Well… we begin to teach our children these same thoughts, without awareness. We begin to show our children through our actions, our hardships, and our words that “success is hard”, “rejection is scary”, “I am unlovable”, “failure is bad”…..
Are you hearing me? I’m certain we were all loved dearly by those that raised us, but they too had their own set of limiting beliefs programmed from the ages of 0-7 and if they remained in those limitations and stayed “stuck”, well… then that is how you were raised, and how your children see you, see the world around them and believe it to be true too. Time to get off the mary-go-round and help empower our children to embrace being able to do hard things, to believe in themselves enough to have their own thoughts and boundaries, and to move through life following their desires and callings even if they fail, even if they feel fear because they will be the best version of themselves that can possibly be, with a bit of help from you and me!
Hugs, love, and gratitude
Marcie
xo
Let’s give this amazing power a name!
Thought boss!
Think tank!
Choose Caboose!
…. it takes a village.
Silver Buttons is a simple story about a little girl that didn’t think she could let go of something she loved in order to grow into her next opportunity, with ease…. but she did and what she realized was everything was actually okay.
That’s kind of what we all want in life right? For our children, our loved ones and ourselves.
Thanks for stopping by….
M
xo
Certified EFT/TFT Tapping Practitioner
Accredited/The Priority Academy
Certified Meditation Guide
International Natural Healers Association
Positive Psychology Practitioner
HIGH IMPACT CONSULTING, COACHING and TRAINING
The CPD Accreditation Group Provider
I am not a medical doctor or psychologist. My perspectives are non-medical guided and mindful suggestions through cognitive behavioural therapy certification. Any and all information stated here is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice for yourself or your children, a replacement for diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your physician or healthcare providers with any questions you may have. Suggestions and methods here are based on mentorship and coaching but do not claim to replace practices or medical services under the Ontario Ministry of Health.