S9 E2 Talking to Yourself Kindly – Building Positive Self-Talk and Confidence

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Talking to Yourself Kindly – Building Positive Self-Talk and Confidence

Helping children develop positive self-talk, emotional resilience, and stronger self-esteem through kind inner dialogue.

In this episode of Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison, children explore the powerful impact of the words they say to themselves. Building on the idea that everyone is unique and special, this episode introduces a key confidence skill: talking to yourself with kindness, just like you would a good friend.

Through Noah’s story, children learn how changing unkind thoughts into encouraging ones can transform how they feel, helping them become more patient, resilient, and confident when learning something new.

This episode supports children in understanding that mistakes are part of learning—and that kind self-talk is a powerful tool for growth.

What children will learn in this episode:

• How negative self-talk can affect feelings and confidence
• Why kind self-talk helps children feel braver and more capable
• Practical ways to change unkind thoughts into positive ones
• How mistakes support learning and personal growth

Confidence Skills from Miss Harrison:

• Notice your inner voice: Pay attention to what you say to yourself, especially in tricky moments
• Switch your words: Change unkind thoughts into supportive, encouraging ones
• Be your own cheerleader: Celebrate effort, progress, and small successes
• Speak with kindness: Treat yourself with the same care you show others

These strategies help children build resilience, confidence, and a healthier mindset.

Mindful Moment Challenge:

This week, when you notice an unkind thought, pause and change it into a kind one. For example, turn “I can’t do this” into “I’m still learning.” Notice how this simple change helps you feel stronger and more positive.

Perfect for:

• Primary school-aged children developing self-confidence and emotional awareness
• Classrooms exploring PSHE, SEL, and growth mindset
• Families supporting children through challenges and setbacks
• Teachers and wellbeing leads promoting positive mental health

Quote of the Week:

“The way you speak to yourself can help you grow—choose words that lift you up.”

#MindfulMoments #PositiveSelfTalk #ConfidenceForChildren #SelfEsteem #GrowthMindset #EmotionalResilience #ChildrensMentalHealth #MindfulnessForChildren #PrimaryPSHE #WellbeingInSchools #SocialEmotionalLearning #BuildingConfidence

Transcript

Hello everyone and welcome back to Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison. I'm Miss Harrison and I'm so glad you're here for another episode in our Building Confidence and Self -Esteem series. Last time we talked about what makes you special, how each one of us has unique gifts that make us shine. Did you add new things to your sparkle list this week? I hope you're feeling proud of everything that makes you, you. Today we're going to explore something really important, talking to yourself kindly. 

By the end of this episode, you'll understand how the words you say to yourself can help you feel stronger, happier and more confident. Let's get started. Have you ever made a mistake and thought something mean like, I'm terrible at this or I'll never get it right. Those unkind words can make us feel small, sad or stuck. But when we talk to ourselves kindly, we feel braver about trying new things. We can stay calm when we make mistakes and remember that we're always learning and growing. 

Talking to yourself kindly is like being your own best friend. Let's hear a story about someone who learned the power of kind self -talk. Noah was learning how to skateboard. At first, he fell off a lot. Every time he tumbled, he thought, I'm no good at this. One day, his older sister noticed and said, Noah, you wouldn't say that to a friend learning something new. 

Why say it to yourself? So Noah decided to change his words. The next time he fell, he said, it's OK, I'm learning. I'll get better with practice. " And guess what? He started feeling more patient and proud each day. 

he could ride perfectly. What do you think Noah learned about the way he talked to himself? Just like Noah, we can all practice kind self -talk. 

Here's how. 

Notice your words. Pay attention to what you say in your mind, especially when things get tricky. Change mean words to kind words. Instead of, I can't do this, try, I'm still learning. Cheer yourself on. Celebrate small wins and remind yourself that you are doing your best. 

Talking kindly to yourself helps you grow your confidence, one word at a time. What kind words would you like to hear from yourself today? Let's practice switching mean self -talk into kind self -talk. We could take, I'm not good at this and swap it for, I'm trying my best and getting better. We could take, I always mess up and change it into, mistakes help me learn and grow. We could take, nobody likes me and swap it for I'm kind and the right friends will see that. 

Can you think of another mean thought you could flip into a kind one? You've done a really good job today learning how to talk to yourself kindly. Remember the words you say to yourself can lift you up or bring you down. Choose words that lift. Being your own best friend means speaking with kindness, patience and love. Mistakes are part of growing and you deserve to cheer yourself on every step of the way. 

Here's your mindful moment challenge for the week. When you notice yourself thinking something unkind, pause. change it into a kind and encouraging thought instead. Watch how it makes you feel stronger and happier. Next time on Mindful Moments with Miss Harrison, we'll explore facing challenges with courage, how to be brave when things feel difficult. I can't wait to see you then. 

Thank you for joining me today. Keep being kind to yourself, keep growing and as always, keep shining.