1. Define one change you would like to make to your self-perception (how you think about yourself). It might be a behavior, a self-fulfilling prophecy, or anything about yourself you would like to alter related to how you think about the person you are.

I would like to be a more positive and confident person. I do strive for that; however I feel improvements can be made in this area. I tend to look at life in terms of Murphy’s Law, which states “Whatever can go wrong will go wrong.” So as a result I try to stay safe and protected in case certain negative things may happen. Also I like to say that I expect the best but am prepared for the worst to happen. Which makes sense, but it also tends to lean more towards negativity. I would like to be able to expect good things to happen and therefore I will hopefully make a more positive life a self-fulfilling prophecy.

2. Where did you place your statement so you could see it every day? What statement did you use? Clearly write the change you want to make. Use strong, affirmative language to motivate yourself, such as “I will start speaking up in class,” or “I will share my opinions in meetings.”
The statement I decided to use is “Stay positive and walk boldly. Expect the best and make it happen.” I feel this summarizes what I need to do on an ongoing basis. I have placed this statement on a sticky note and have it on my computer at work where I will be able to see it every day. This should help to remind me that I am capable of doing great things and that I can also move forward in a more positive way.

3. Refine your general goal by making sure it is realistic and fair. Write out your refined goal using specific language from the text: “I want to show my two best friends that I am paying attention when they talk to me,” or “I want to make one comment in each meeting of one class this week,” for example, and format in APA.
I want to show my coworkers and myself that I am worthy of success in my business and personal life. This can be done by increasing my efforts to do well at my job, which is Admissions Advisor here at KU. Also I need to stop engaging in “self-sabotage’ on a daily basis. (Wood, 2013)
We all have a tendency to think or even talk to ourselves. Many times this self-talk can be very negative. Either thinking about mistakes we have made or that we don’t have what it takes to change our lives for the better. This has to change in order to let in positive change in life. We must be able to be positive and love ourselves enough to stop doing this. I am especially guilty of this and will make a specific effort to correct it.

4. It is important to place this statement in a place you can see it every day so that you can repeat the message out loud to yourself and use it to encourage the change you desire. Where can you best place this statement?
I can place this statement in my car on the sun visor so I can’t miss it since I am driving every day to work. Also I can place it on the bottom of my computer monitor at work. Another place will be on the mirror in the bathroom at home, so I see it whenever I wash my face or shave. 5. Observe others who are models for what you want to be. Write down what they do. Use specific language to describe how they communicate: “Tracy nods a lot and repeats back what others say so they know she is listening,” or “James provides examples of concepts in class so that the ideas are more concrete,” for example.
Giovanni looks people directly in the eyes when speaking to them. This makes you feel like he is really paying attention to what you are talking with him. He is always smiling and keeps himself in a positive mood. He is especially good at his job and always gets rewarded for exceptional work. He genuinely listens and cares when speaking with students on the phone. In general he goes the extra mile with each interaction.

6. Select contexts that assist you in reaching your goal: “I will talk with my friends in private settings where there are no distractions that interfere with listening well,” or “I will begin speaking up in my Communication course, both because it is the most discussion-oriented and because other students make a lot of comments there. Later, I will speak up in my sociology course, which combines lecture and discussion.”