Step Into My Sessions: From Discouraged to Determined: Seeing the Contrast, Building Awareness
The power of "I can do this."
Some feelings sit on opposite ends of a scale—and discouraged and determined are a great example. When we feel discouraged, our energy dips and our motivation fades. 😔 When we feel determined, that energy and motivation return, often stronger than before. 💪🏼
When we help students see and talk about this contrast, we give them tools for self-awareness—and for making choices about what to do next. This week, I’m sharing a few ways to explore these two powerful feelings in your sessions.
Let’s start with some general definitions:
💙 Discouraged
A feeling of loss of confidence or motivation after effort doesn’t bring success.
Often paired with frustration, disappointment, or self-doubt.
Can lead to hesitation to try again or avoidance of a challenging situation.
💪 Determined
A feeling of resolve and commitment to reach a goal, even when it’s hard.
Often includes focus, persistence, and positive self-talk.
Leads to trying again, problem-solving, or finding new strategies.
First, find a baseline. Ask your students to describe these two feelings. See what your students come up with!
Then, let’s dive into some animation choices to jumpstart your discussions. Here are three choices that all present these feelings in unique ways:
Once you have gotten your fill of these great animations (be sure to preview the ENTIRE animation before showing), try some illustrating. ✏️ Challenge your students to think of a time when they felt discouraged (or frustrated with a task) and then determined.
Here are two great examples: one is an illustration from Game Changer, by Aviv Mano (also a great animation to use), the other is a self-reflection:
Whether you are watching or sketching, have a terrific time exploring these feelings! 😁
