Journaling for Kids: Foster Positivity & Boost Self-Esteem

Journaling may be a way for kids to practice their writing skills, but more importantly, it can boost self-esteem and foster an overall positive mental attitude. How? Let me explain.

Positive Thinking

Positive thinkers look for the good in every day. Even when things don’t go as planned, they maintain a positive outlook. It’s a mental attitude that affects a person’s overall perspective on life.

Negative thinking creates negative emotions. It closes you off from problem-solving. For example, if you have a lot of things to get done in a day, you may get so consumed with the stress that you find it hard to accomplish anything.

People with negative mental attitudes are always stressed and angry. They find something wrong with every situation, feel like nothing goes their way, and complain.

Positive & Negative Thinking in Kids

Children who have an overall negative mental attitude will struggle more with:

• self-esteem
• emotional regulation
• overall mood
• anger management
• problem-solving skills
• making mistakes
• resilence
• moving on from strong emotions 

However children with positive mental attitudes:

• feel better about themselves
• see the best in situations and other people
• stay optimistic
• seek solutions to their problems
• know that everyone makes mistakes and that’s okay
• overcome failures and perseveres
• forgives

Due to neuroplasticity, you can actually train your brain to think more positively and change your mindset and outlook on life.

Health Benefits of Positive Thinking

There are actual physical health benefits of positive thinking as well. Researchers continue to explore the effects of positive thinking and optimism on health. It’s believed to help:

• Increase life span
• Lower your risk for depression
• Decrease stress
• Improve resistance to the common cold
• Overall better psychological and physical well-being
• Reduced risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Better coping skills during times of significant stress

Positivity Journaling for Kids

Typical journaling may be difficult for kids. If they don’t enjoy writing then they may not even know what to write about.

This positivity journal contains kids’ journal prompts to foster positive thinking. Basically, the prompts force children to think about things positively.

Over time, positive thinking becomes easier for kids and feels more natural. This is because when we do things in a specific way, the brain forms pathways.

The more we do it, the stronger the pathway becomes, like beating down a path in the forest. The brain prefers to do things that activate the strongest pathways because it’s easier.

The journal prompts for positive thinking forces the brain to use that pathway, strengthening it. Over time, it becomes easier and easier to do.

This is the same way new habits are established when we want to make lifestyle changes. You must focus effort directly until it becomes natural to you. Research shows it takes an average of 66 days of doing a task before it becomes automatic and habitual. (Source).

The Positivity Journal

The positivity journal contains 30 daily positivity prompts for kids. I recommend having your child complete the journal twice, then compare their responses from month one and month two and see the way their thinking has changed.

The journal contains:

• A daily prompt for your child to find the good in each day
• A daily rating scale for your child to rate how good or bad their day was overall.
• Daily drawing prompts
• Daily writing prompts to inspire your child to think positivity about all aspects of their life, their goals, and their aspirations.
• Coloring activities
• A list of positive self-talk statements for your child to read out loud when they’re having a difficult day. Using positive self-talk improves self-esteem and self-regulation. How you think about yourself becomes what you feel about yourself.

Get Your Positivity Journal

Ready to get the positivity journal? You can download the PDF to print, hole punch and place in a binder for your child giving you instant access to start using the journal today.

However, there is also the option of buying a physical copy of the journal, titled “I am Extraordinary”.

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