www.SpecialEducationalNeeds.co.uk
  • ABOUT US
  • PRICING
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • WHAT PARENTS SAY
  • SEN Info (videos)
  • CONTACT US
  • HOW TO WIN A SEN APPEAL (videos)
  • TYPES OF SEN
  • SEND Tribunal Direction on Bundles
"The hope you give parents ​is nothing short of a miracle"
[a previous client]

Avoid negative self-talk…

11/29/2021

 
Douglas Silas,
Specialist SEN Solicitor
29th November 2021

Cartoon

In this week's SEN Update, you will find sections entitled:
​​
  • THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
  • NEWS ONLINE
  • ​SEN NEWS
I know how busy everyone is, ​so feel free just to read the sections of interest,
​or read everything; the choice is always yours.
THOUGHT OF THE WEEK
​
We have to be very careful sometimes to avoid talking negatively to ourselves. 
 
It is all too easy for us to see the bad in things sometimes, or be held hostage by our fears that we may not be able to do something. We all have lots of underlaying worries and we usually always default to the negative versions of things and then see the worst possible scenario, as we usually tend to inflate or exaggerate our fears. Your brain automatically thinks of the worst thing sometimes.  It is like you also want to sabotage yourself unconsciously. It is like having someone inside your head constantly telling you that you cannot do something.
 
But self-talk can be both positive or negative – it is always up to us.  You cannot silence that inner negative voice completely, but you can ignore it and try to remember that it is just your fears that are talking.  There is also always a difference between the message that we get from our brain and the way that we choose to respond to it. 
 
I know that this is something that is often quite hard for us to do naturally, as we frequently grow up and become increasingly cynical over many years, perhaps as an unconscious self-defence mechanism.  However, we can also choose the opposite way to look at things if we really try to.
 
For example, we often hear people referring to themselves or others as a ‘pessimist’ or an ‘optimist’ and seeing a glass as ‘half-empty’ or ‘half-full’. Some people even like to try to say that they are not one of these, but instead are really a ‘realist’ or a ‘pragmatist’, but this often sounds to me like a pessimist talking!
 
Another example is the: “What if?” questions, which are usually quite negative and are just the pessimist inside of you talking and asking: “What if this or that happens and things turn out for the bad?” But you can actually flip this question around most of the time and instead ask yourself something like, “What if this or that turns out to be for the good and not for the bad?”
 
Imagine it is like in a fairytale or children’s story and you have to make yourself resist going down the bad path, which only leads you to bad things and instead choose the good path, which only leads you to good things and which eventually takes you to the enchanted castle at the end!   The irony is that we usually laugh at characters in films or on TV with negative emotions and outlooks on life, such as Eeyore, from Winnie The Pooh, or Marvin the Paranoid Android, from The Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy (I am sure you can think of many more characters like this). 
 
If that person were outside of you who was constantly saying negative things, you would simply laugh at them and ignore them.  Yet, because it is your own voice telling you something inside your own head, you tend to give it more credibility and take it more seriously.
 
You must not dwell on things and let them take over your thoughts. You also have to often let go of things and move on.  For example, you find that, sometimes, your brain just seems to go back unconsciously to some of the worst things in your life from many years ago, which has nothing to do with what you are doing at the time.
 
So, this week, if you hear that little voice inside yourself talking negatively and saying that you cannot do something, try to ignore it if you can and realise that it is just your unconscious fears probably talking to you and do not let it control what you do!

 News Online
NEWS ONLINE
In terms of news, here are the articles that I found of interest this week:

Covid jab wait for 12- to 15-year-olds in England could be up to five months
Councils in England report 34% rise in elective home education
Covid: Schools asked to test on-site after Christmas

SEN News
SEN News
SEN NEWS
​
Again, aside from clicking on the relevant links for more information, I would also remind you of the very useful resources and information provided on the following websites:
 
- IPSEA
- Council for Disabled Children

- Special Needs Jungle

I would also highlight again the magazines: SEN Magazine and Autism Eye which are both very helpful to any parents or professionals involved with children/young people with SEN.
​​

Keep safe until next week.

With best wishes
 
Douglas
Douglas Silas
​P.S. Don’t forget, to ensure that you never miss one, you can get my SEN Updates personally by completing your email details above, ​or by following me on one of the social media platforms I use (i.e. Twitter/Facebook).

P.P.S. You can also share this SEN Update with others (please only do so if it may be relevant to them) by using one of the icons, usually to the right or at the bottom of this page.​​​​​​​​ere to edit.
How useful do you find my SEN Updates?
Extremely useful
Somewhat useful
Not so useful
Created with Quiz Maker

Comments are closed.

    Archive

    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    September 2021
    July 2021
    June 2021
    May 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    February 2021
    January 2021
    November 2020
    September 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    June 2020
    May 2020
    April 2020
    March 2020
    January 2020
    November 2019
    September 2019
    July 2019
    May 2019
    March 2019
    January 2019
    November 2018
    September 2018
    July 2018
    May 2018
    March 2018
    January 2018
    November 2017
    September 2017

    More Updates

    Categories

    All
    Autism
    Coronavirus
    Early Years
    Exhibitions
    Funding
    Further Education
    Government
    Guidance
    Law
    Mental Health
    News
    Other Countries
    Podcast
    Resources
    Schools
    SEN Tribunal
    Video

    RSS Feed

    Picture
    Picture
    T: 020-8349-7700 

    E: [email protected]
    ​

    Or: 
    ​
    Make An
    Enquiry Online
    Picture
    Click here to read:
    ​ Testimonials
Picture
[EDUCATION LAW]
Picture
[SEN LAW FIRM OF THE YEAR]
Picture
[5 STAR LAWYERS]
Picture
[OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT]
Picture
[EDUCATION LAW]

ABOUT US

About Us
What We Do
How We Help
Why Choose Us
Meet Our Team
What Parents Say
PRICING

Pricing
Menu of Services
TESTIMONIALS

Testimonials
SEN Info (videos)

 SEN Info (videos)​
"How To Win A SEN Tribunal Appeal"​
FAQs About SEN
CONTACT US

Contact Us
Make An Enquiry Online
​A Guide to SEN (email course)
How To Win A SEN Tribunal Appeal (email course)
SEN Updates (signup)

SEN Update (Thought of The Week)

​© Douglas Silas Solicitors 2005-24
Authorised and Regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority (SRA no: 643718)

‘Douglas Silas Solicitors’ is the trading name of ‘Douglas Silas Solicitors Limited’, a limited company registered in England & Wales (company no: 10689991), whose registered office is Gable House, 239 Regents Park Road, Finchley, London, United Kingdom, N3 3LF.  A list of members/directors may be inspected at our office.
Privacy Policy/Complaints
  • ABOUT US
  • PRICING
  • TESTIMONIALS
  • WHAT PARENTS SAY
  • SEN Info (videos)
  • CONTACT US
  • HOW TO WIN A SEN APPEAL (videos)
  • TYPES OF SEN
  • SEND Tribunal Direction on Bundles