I often reflect on what my strengths are and whether they have changed. But what has become clear is there was a time when I didn’t have the language, nor the confidence, to share my strengths.

Those thoughts often used to invade my mind, especially when talking about maths or creativity. In these situations, no matter the task, I could never move past the statement “I’m not good at that” or “that’s not my strength”, until I started learning about the growth mindset.

For so long society has been reactive. That old adage rings true “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. It surrounds us and as an educator that’s what you’re taught. If a student is playing up, implement a behaviour management plan or put consequences in place.

For every up, there will undoubtedly be a down and sometimes the down is much more severe than the up. But the common theme in this journey is that people struggle through this. Giving up is often an easier answer and for some not even starting is the way to go.