February was another very busy productive month for PALS Programme in several areas and March is shaping up to be just as busy with a lot of developments for PALS going forward.
The last week in February saw another first for PALS when we launched a 4 week PALS Programme with 5th Year LCA students in Ratoath College. A great first for PALS and another first for Ratoath College. We are so excited about seeing PALS expanding into other school years within the secondary school curriculum as our ultimate aim is to deliver PALS to students in every year from First Year right up to Sixth Year. The wonderful and unique part about PALS is that is works for everyone no matter what age they are as the earlier we receive guidance, help and support in the area of positive life skills the better equipped we are to deal with the day to day challenges faced by everyone, young and not so young!
How can we become more positive and does positivity come naturally to some people more than others?
I am often asked this question while delivering PALS to both students and adults. The simple answer is that we all have the ability to change our thought s to more positive assertive thoughts if we become aware of how important our thoughts are in our day to day life. Every thought you have will create the reality you experience. For example every thought you had yesterday created the reality you experience today and every thought you have today will create the reality you will experience tomorrow. If you would like to change the reality then you will need to change the thoughts. It really is that simple however we all know simple doesn’t necessarily mean easy.
Our thoughts create our feelings and our feelings create our actions. As this cycle continues you will experience more and more of the same thoughts, feelings and actions. Positive thoughts will create positive feelings like happiness, peace, joy and laughter and in turn these feelings will create actions to match this. Therefore doing things like exercise, meeting friends and having fun. The opposite is also true and negative thoughts will create negative feelings like anger, frustration, stress and anxiety and in turn these feelings will create negative actions. These actions may include self-sabotage, low self-esteem, tiredness, panic attacks, anxiety, lethargic inaction and a lack of proactivity and productivity. The best way to break this cycle is to change something and usually this would mean changing the thoughts. It takes awareness and commitment and will become a habit the more you do it. Training the mind every day to increase positive thoughts and words takes effort but the results are priceless. A positive thought first thing in the morning can create a wonderful day ahead. Try it!
I advise people to prepare a few happy positive thoughts or memories which may be used to switch out of a negative thought as it is hard to feel negative when thinking of something wonderful and happy. Also I find keeping a gratitude journal a very good way to create positive thoughts. Everyone who attends a PALS Programme receives a Gratitude Journal in the first session as I feel this is a great starting point for becoming aware of our thoughts. Being grateful for what we already have brings about more and more of those wonderful experiences into our day to day life.
Have a wonderful positive month ahead and enjoy every moment!
Thank you
Bee