Category: The Mighty

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

#CheckInWithMe in The Pencil Case: Weekly Goals and Backpack Supplies

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Comment below what backpack item represents your goal for this week:
Calculator– Working and getting things done
Pencil– Writing and reflecting
Ruler– Asking for help and working on prioritizing your needs
Notebooks– Being Creative
Water bottle– Resting and taking a break
Eraser– Other [Add your own goal!]
Feel free to choose more than one item/goal, too!
I’m taking notebooks and a calculator out of my backpack this week.
Reminder: You are good enough and capable of achieving everything you set your mind to.

Find this Check-in here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.
Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

#CheckInWithMe in The Pencil Case: How Is This Week Going?

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

What color drink describes how this week is going for you?
Comment with the color drink that describes how this week is going so far:
Blue- Great!
White- Good.
Yellow- Okay, I guess.
Purple- Ehh
Gray- Not so great.
Pink- It was challenging, would like support.
Reminder: You are doing the best you can and that is always good enough.

Find this Check-in here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty.


Pick a self-kindness affirmation card to accompany you through the rest of the week:

1. I am enough.
2. I give myself permission to rest.
3. I give myself space to learn and grow.
4. It’s okay for me to ask for help.
5. My worth is not dependent on how much I get done.
6. I honor my needs by resting when my body tells me to.

Feel free to add your own affirmation!

Find this Check-in here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty
Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power, Quotes, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

The Pencil Case: Are you Highly Sensitive, too?

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

My Story

Sometimes the world around me is a lot to process — noises are too loud, lights too bright and my thoughts often fall down a never-ending spiral. I care deeply for the people around me and wish I could do more. It’s like I’m an emotional sponge.

I’m no stranger to feeling overwhelmed and I catch myself retreating in order to feel better again. I regain my energy with creativity and love to reflect so I can better understand myself and others. My brain likes looking at the bigger picture but does so through subtleties. I see patterns and small details and my favorite questions are “why?” and “how?”

However, being highly sensitive has made me susceptible to scrutiny and criticism. I’m often “too much” or “too deep” for the liking of some people. I remember once being told, “You make things too difficult and complex and would benefit from being more simple.” That isn’t who I am though, and I shouldn’t be ashamed of how sensitive I am. It’s taken me some time to fully understand and accept my emotional nature and to perceive it as an ability instead of a burden.

While feeling deeply is no walk in the park, I am proud of how far I’ve come in my journey of self-love. But I know I still have so much more to learn. If you are a highly sensitive person like me, know that you are not alone. No matter what, you are not “too much” and I’m happy to walk this journey with you..

What are your experiences like as a highly sensitive person?

Can You Relate? Let’s Reflect!

To my highly sensitive people, we are in this together.
No matter what, you are not “too much” and I’m happy to walk this sensitivity journey with you. If you find yourself overwhelmed or overstimulated check out these reflective guided questions, they’ve helped me navigate my sensitivities:
  • How are you feeling?
  • Do you feel overwhelmed, anxious, frustrated, or overstimulated? Where and when do you feel this way?
  • Are you overextending your energy?
  • When was the last time you took a break?
  • Do you need time alone?
  • What places help you feel safe?
  • What are your triggers and how can you manage them?
  • What is in your control?
  • What are your needs? How can you prioritize your needs better?
  • What are your limits? What are you okay/not okay with?
  • Do you need to write down your thoughts or talk them out?
  • Who can you ask for help?

Join this conversation here in The Pencil Case on The Mighty, or comment on this post!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts Goal Book: Building Confidenice

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

An important part of following through with achieving your goals is knowing and believing you can achieve them. Building confidence is knowing what you’re capable of then crafting and creating goals that reflect what you want and see yourself achieving.

Activity

How can you build confidence in the goals you set?
Are the goals you’re setting reflective of your needs and interests?
Do you believe you can achieve the goals you set?
My Reflection
I can build better confidence around my daily goals by being more patient with myself and giving myself credit when I accomplish something. Once I learn to be proud of myself even if I still have work to finish, I can become more comfortable in continuing what I need to do to get where I want to be.
Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.
Posted in Events, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Roots to Leaflets/From Roots to Mighty Leaflets: A Reflective Exercise

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

From May to July, I’ve hosted a few virtual events centered around the theme of goals and goal creation. “Roots to Leaflets” or “From to Mighty Leaflets”, two names that were given to this activity, allows us to visualize and articulate our goals and growth using the image of a tree. 

What makes goals and the representation of a tree suitable for this reflective exercise? Let’s dive into how to create growth cycle trees.
…

Yes, goals are what drive our ambitions — but they can also be the reason why we procrastinate or become intimidated by the possibilities of our future selves. How can we create goals that help us feel good and motivate us to notice our growth?

A tree has three main parts: the roots, the trunk, and the leaves. Each part of the tree, however you draw or collage it, will represent a different part of the goal and growth process. Check out the example below.

Drawing of Nina's

Here is how you can draw your tree using guided questions:

The roots represent your goals. What do you want to accomplish? What makes you feel good? You can also include habits you want to take up or routines that’ll help you feel more refreshed.

The trunk represents your needs. What do you need to do on a daily basis that helps you feel good? What do you need in order to accomplish a particular goal?

The leaves represent your accomplishments. What have you done lately that made you smile and feel proud?

No matter how big or small your goals, needs or successes are — whatever you accomplish is worthy of celebration.

Note: You can create your trees however you envision. Your trees are a reflection of you!

Make your own tree and share it with me! Here is my Mighty group The Pencil Case or Instagram page.

Here is my tree!



From the water running through the soil to the fruits growing alongside the leaves, I’m proud of my growth and accomplishments. Using my goals and needs I can continue to work toward achieving all I know I can achieve.

This activity was featured in The Mighty #CheckInWithMe newsletter which you can subscribe to on the TheMighty.com or Mighty app.

 

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power, Reflection, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: Goals Help Us Feel Good

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

When we think of goals, we may sometimes think of big and complex ambitions or what we can work toward to be successful and make something of ourselves. Although this is a part of what can make a goal “feel fulfilling”, its not the only way to view, create, or approach goal setting. Goals are what we make of them. A goal can be simple, complex, big, small, intentional, unintentional, noticeable, or unnoticeable; goals are what help us to feel good about who we are.
Washing the dishes, brushing our teeth, watering our garden, drinking more water, getting out of bed, and even reflecting are also goals we can set and achieve daily. Whatever helps us feel refreshed, fulfilled, satisfied, and accomplished are goals we unknowingly achieve on a day to day basis.

Activity

What self-care practice, routine, or habit can you do daily to help you feel fulfilled, satisfied, and accomplished?
Why are these activities or gestures important?

My Reflection

Four things I do daily that helps me feel accomplished and refreshed are:
1. Watering my plant.
2. Eating fruit.
3. Reflecting and writing.
4. Brainstorming creative ideas.
These gestures and activities help me to understand myself better and allow me to be gentle with my day to day expectations of myself. These goals help me to feel a sense of accomplishment through simplicity.

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.

Posted in Creative Writing, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: Crafting a Superhero

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Ever thought what it would be like to be a superhero? How would you go about crafting your superhero persona?

Activity

-What would you call yourself?
-What would your superpower be?
-What would be your catchphrase or superhero slogan?!
Feel free to be as creative as possible. You’re the superhero!

My Reflection

If I were a superhero, my name would be Empathycia and my superpower would be the ability to spread peace wherever I go and to whoever I speak to. My slogan would be “within every heart there is a capacity to feel and know peace.”

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.

Posted in Challenges, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Power, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Self-Reflection Challenge: 5 Things That Make You Beautiful

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Value, worth, and beauty are all a part of who we are. Intrinsic beauty, the beauty that encapsulates our essence, shows in how we own and accept how we move, think, and exists. We all have this beauty. What I find most difficult in owning this beauty is manifesting and speaking about what this beauty looks like.

Intrinsic beauty can be our hobbies, what makes us smile, the process of our self-discovery, our passions and ambitions, healing and advocacy, our favorite physical feature, what we are proud of ourselves for and why, and owning our purpose. Owning intrinsic beauty is figuring out what makes us who we are and acknowledging that it is real.

I challenge you to list 5 things that make you intrinsically beautiful. What makes you who you are? How has your experiences shaped your beauty?

For me, the journey to manifesting my intrinsic beauty just started. I’m excited to understand more about myself and what makes me feel at peace and at home.

Here are the five things that make me beautiful:
1. My active self-awareness and ambition to become more of myself every day.
2. My empathy and high sensitivity.
3. My open mind and creativity.
4. My smile.
5. The ability I have to understand multiple perspectives at once.

Although a lot of these things weren’t on my list before, they are now, and I will no longer dismiss and ignore those parts of myself.

Posted in Creative Writing, Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Power, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: Reflection

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

Setting and following through with goals can be tiring, time-consuming, and requires dedication. Deciding why a goal is important can help to navigate the likelihood of you following through with accomplishing what you want to do.

Activity

Why is setting goals important to you?
-Why is setting goals important?
-What value do goals have in helping you get where you want to go?

My Reflection

Goals are important to me because they help me to stay grounded and focused. Without a focal point to channel my overactive imagination, I typically sleep or dwell on wanting to do more without knowing how. Goals help me to feel a sense of purpose and accomplishment.

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.

Write a thank you letter to the biggest lesson you’ve learned this year.

The letter can be written to a person, place, thing, or idea and can be written as creativity as possible. It can rhyme and mimic a poem, or simply be a list of things you’ve learned. The letter can be about a lesson you’re still learning or have learned earlier this year.

Questions to get you thinking:
-What is the lesson?
-Why is the lesson important to you?
-What has the lesson taught you about yourself?
-Has the lesson changed your perspective in any way?
-What does self-care and self-reflection look like after learning this lesson?

The goal of this letter is to reflect and move forward in grace as you progress further into this year.

My Reflection

Dear Change and Transformation,

Thank you for allowing me to see everything that is me. From the sensitivities to the pain that binds me. I am more than I ever thought I can be, and that is creating something huge inside of me.

I thought I was nothing and constantly needed validation. But, I’m learning to be still and take one moment at a time.

I am important, too. And that’s big coming from me. I don’t have to fix everything to be seen.

I can smile and be happy.
I can manifest abundance.
I am beautiful.
I am not too different or unworthy.
I can be loved, too.

The more space I make within myself to manifest the thoughts that can shape a better tomorrow, I welcome. I welcome peace and acceptance.

These are all from you Change and Transformation, so thank you.

-Nina/SparklyWarTanks

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.

**Feel free to participate and share in the comment section below!

Posted in Keep Moving: Motivation and Inspiration, Love, Mental Health, Potential and Worth, Power, Reflection, Self-Care, Self-Talk, The Mighty, The Pencil Case on The Mighty

Pencil Case Prompts: Self-Advocating

Posted on by SparklyWarTanks

To honor your needs is to reflect and prioritize what is most important to you and for you. Honoring your needs allows you to grow in self-awareness and self-compassion.

Become intentional with your needs so you can vocalize and advocate for yourself whenever your needs aren’t being met.

Activity

What are some ways you can honor your needs better?

-What are the ways to best honor your needs?
-Why are those ways important to you and your self-care?

My Reflection

I can honor my needs better by not feeling bad or guilty for being vocal about what I need.
If on the occasion I feel bad about asserting my needs, I tend to fall into people-pleasing behaviors abandoning my needs altogether.

Affirmation: I will be open and honest about what I need and not feel like a burden to others when asserting those needs.

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.

As we continue the journey of learning what it means to set goals and carry them out, we come to the question of how to hold ourselves accountable for the goals we set. Without accountability, all we have are thoughts and ideas with potential. Without action there are no results.

Activity

So, what can you do to prioritize the goals you set?

-What actions do you take to prioritize the goals that mean something to you?
-Why are those actions important in your goal setting journey?
-How are those actions holding you accountable for reaping results?

Reflection

As ambitious as I am, I make goals all the time. Making goals isn’t the issue for me, remembering all the goals and making them feasible is how I can hold myself accountable to them. I can accomplish this by writing down my goals once they are manageable then create a plan and to-do list.

Join this prompt’s conversation here on The Mighty.