By cultivating self-awareness, we learn to accept the full spectrum of our emotions, thoughts and experiences as part of who we truly are.

An activity that nurtures self-awareness by encouraging participant(s) to voice their emotions, experiences and insights.

Building self-awareness increases one’s ability to accurately recognize the influence that personal thoughts and emotions have on behavior. As emotional literacy strengthens, participants can more accurately assess their strengths and limitations.

• Lead five mindful breaths to anchor the participant(s) attention in the present moment.
• Choose a question from the suggested list of conversation starters to catalyze the discussion.
• Remind participant(s) to share from personal experience, listen respectfully with an openness to multiple perspectives and that there are no right or wrong answers, just honest ones.
• Each conversation starter serves as one 10-minute activity.

What five words best describe you and share an example in which you model these qualities.

Share something that made you smile today.

Name some simple tasks your body does without your awareness. What action can you take to celebrate your body?

Where in your body do you notice stress and what actions do you take to help manage stress?

Name a quality you admire about yourself and why.

Name a quality that you would like to let go?

Name a positive quality that you would like to cultivate and the ways in which it may help you grow.

Share a story of a time when you experienced frustration this week.

Share a time when you were open to a new experience and benefited from it.

What is something in your life that you complain about which might also be a blessing?

Think of a person in your life who believes in you. Describe what you think that person sees in you.

Tell a story of a time when you took a chance and ended up learning something new about yourself.