YRDSB Teacher on Success & Failure Workshop

Feather #5: Enlightenment

The human brain is one of the most spectacular things within the universe. When this 3 pound object is on, it has the ‘power to move mountains’ and change the world. When we open our minds to learn our ability to grow as people is limitless. When we embrace a growth mindset it permits us, and those around us to have greater capacity to achieve or as Nelson Mandela put it, “as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same”.

1) Do I allow myself to step outside my comfort zone and try new things?

2) Am I surrounding myself with new ideas and interests/concepts?

3) Am I allowing stereotypes to define who I am? My interests?

4) On a daily basis, am I training myself for success or failure?

5) Do I have the courage to partake in conversations on new topics with my friends and/or new people?
a) In what ways might my conversations be limited?

Benefits of Feather #5:
The power of our minds is remarkable, the mind is responsible for our navigational & our breathing systems and so much more. Many leading medical journals (including the National Institute on Aging) have touched on the numerous benefits of learning and mental stimulation including renewing us and starving off diseases such Alzheimer and dementia. There are several ways to stimulate our mind such as; engaging conversation, playing a challenging game, learning to play a new instrument or learning to speak a new language, etc. These acts provide us with immeasurable returns on our lives. Below we have provided a diagram of the circle of healthy living.

The Circle of Healthy Living

Set 2 goals for yourself to aid in your growth for the current month
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Tips for success:
1)Keep your mind sharp by learning something new each day

2)Constantly challenge yourself

Feather #4: Passion and Purpose

Passion can take a long time to discover but it is worth the pursuit. Passion is one of life’s greatest compasses. It is the driving force behind our purpose in life and has the ability to light up our soul. Passion pushes us and sparks creativity, excitement, ingenuity, and problem-solving. Passion takes on different forms and can be found in many areas of life including relationships, health, dreams, aspirations, interests, and hobbies.

Questions for Reflection:
1) What does passion mean to me?

2) What things am I most passionate about?
a) How do I show that passion?

3) Do my decisions take me out or keep me in my comfort zone?
a) Are my decisions spontaneous or planned?

4) Am I doing enough exploring to discover new passion(s)?

5) Is my passion making me happy?

Benefits of Feather #4:
When we understand what we are passionate about, we can reach greater levels of achievement. Passion gives us the strength to make the impossible possible.

Set 2 goals for yourself to aid in your growth for the current month:
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Tips for success:
1) Explore and discover new areas of interests and passion
2) Work to overcome your fears in order to expand your comfort zone

Feather #3: My World

Our greatest life experiences are usually made by the people that we are with or the challenges that we face. Every day, we have the ability to be better people and to expand our view of the world. What we focus on is what we see. This is why all of our worlds are uniquely different. The people that we interact with can give our lives greater perspective, and the challenges that we conquer can give our lives greater meaning.

Questions for Reflection:
1) Am I making my world a better place? If so, in what way(s)?
a) If not, what should I do differently?

2) What elements make up my world (e.g. social media, music, people, culture, religion, etc.)?
a) How does each element impact my reality?

3) Are the things and people that I devote my time to helping me grow into a better person?

4) What does my ideal world look like?

5) What things do I care most about (e.g. house, people, school, environment, countries, justice, electronic devices, etc.)?
a) Do my actions and interests reflect what I care most about?

Benefits of Feather #3:
Many times in life we miss exciting opportunities and experiences because we have created too small of a world for ourselves to live in. When we expand our world, we create new opportunities and chances for greater levels of growth and gratification.

Set 2 goals for yourself to aid in your growth for the current month:
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Tips for success:
1) Take on the responsibility of making your world a better place
2) Be open-minded to new ideas so that you can expand your world

Feather #2: Physical, Mental, and Spiritual Health

Our physical, mental, and spiritual health play a significant role in shaping our ability to live life to the fullest. Although we are complex creatures, we are a single mind, body, and soul, and therefore everything we do impacts every aspect of our well-being. It is important to have balance to ensure that we are creating greater opportunities for growth, health, and happiness.

Questions for Reflection:
1) How physically active am I?

2) Do I take the time to learn what I am putting into my body?

3) Do I have faith in a higher power?
a) If so, how am I developing and strengthening my faith?

4) Am I aware of what causes me stress?
a) What do I do to de-stress?

5) Do I have a support system?
a) If so, who is a member of my support system?

Benefits of Feather #2:
When we acknowledge the different aspects of ourselves, we enhance our ability to live enriched lives. Other benefits of being balanced include increased self-confidence, energy levels, and happiness.

Set 2 goals for yourself to aid in your growth for the current month:
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Tips for success:
1) Clarify what mind, body, and soul mean to you
2) Surround yourself with people that align with your definition of mind, body, and soul

Feather #1: Me, Myself, and I

We are seldom aware of the power of our own presence. The presence of a single person can alter conversations and drastically change the overall mood. It is important to understand what type of influence we currently have and want to have on others.

Me, Myself, and I is the foundation principle of our “Feather” system. We have chosen this as our first Feather to emphasize the importance of self, self-awareness, and self-development. We believe that in order to advance in life, one must commit to their personal growth. Our daily choices dictate the boundaries of our growth – they can be our road to success or our path to failure. Discovering who we are is no simple task, but when we do, we unlock the keys to our success.

Questions for Reflection:
1) What motivates me?

2) What are my thoughts and beliefs?
a) Am I confident in them?

3) Who do I surround myself with?
a) What impact are they having on me?
b) What do we have in common?

4) Where do my thoughts take me when my mind wanders?
a) Are these thoughts positive and allow me to grow or are they negative and are harmful?

5) What are the major influences on my decision-making process? (e.g. personal success, public opinion, time commitments, ego, media, etc.)
a) Does how I spend my time reflect this?
b) How do these influences enrich me as a person?

Bonus Questions:
This Feather is so important for growth and success, we have provided bonus questions that will allow for a thorough self-examination.

6) Am I honest with myself and others?
a) Can others be brutally honest with me?

7) Am I aware of my mistakes?
a) Am I learning from them?

8) Which has a greater impact on my decisions, fear or courage?

9) Am I able to forgive others?
a) Am I able to forgive myself for my thoughts and actions?
b) Can I face conflict with the goal of reaching a resolution and learning from it?

10) What do I want people to say about me when I am not around them?

Benefits of Feather #1:
There’s an English writer named John Brown who said, “Life isn’t about finding yourself. Life is about creating yourself.” Everything begins and ends with us. The choice to be phenomenal or to live a disappointing life lies within our hands. We are creatures of habit – it is crucial that we develop the right habits and a growth mindset for success. With the right mindset we can become unstoppable!

Set 2 goals for yourself to aid in your growth for the current month:
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Tips for success:
1) Allocate time to reflect everyday
2) Do not limit yourself