Building healthy, rewarding relationships — with ourselves and others — requires time and effort. While you may already have these skills, other people may be navigating challenges shaped by their personalities, life experiences, or struggles with mental health.
Focusing on your relationship with yourself is a powerful way to strengthen your ability to build relationships with others. When you affirm who you are, and offer yourself grace, empathy, and nurturing, you become more able to extend these qualities to others. As you prioritize emotional well-being and mental health, you become better able to care for people you value, and cultivate hope, resilience, and a commitment to thriving in all areas of life — at school, work, and beyond.
As you color this sheet, take a moment to reflect on one of these themes:
- Affirm yourself. How can I replace negative social messages and self-talk with positive affirmations? What affirmations resonate with me today? Could it be: “I am worthy of love, kindness, and respect,” “I let go of what I can’t control and focus on what I can,” “I am in charge of how I feel,” or “Today, I choose hope”?
- Confront stereotypes. How do I work through harmful stereotypes that impact young people of color? How can I redefine how I see myself, push back against limiting beliefs, and cultivate a more hopeful, healthy, and empowering outlook?
- Be your true self. What brings me joy? What are the values I hold close? How can I set healthy boundaries that support my well-being and allow me to show up as my most authentic self?
Download a PDF of this exercise to get started.
