Mindful Writing to Explore Your True Self

This is an opportunity for reflection—without judgment. Explore seven writing prompts that encourage us to connect with who we are.

Last session we talked about the masks we wear. In this session, we’re going to take a dive into self-reflection about who we are—some of our fears, some of our love, some of the things that we want to show the world, maybe things you haven’t thought about in a while.

I came back from my trip teaching in India and I started working with the students. We began talking about these masks, what we let people see, and what we don’t let people see. As our work continued to grow, working with young men in our program and people around the world, we tried to provide people an opportunity to do more self-reflection. Today there’s going to be an opportunity for you to reflect. Take a breath. Breathe.

Breathe and Reflect

Hopefully you’re breathing. Maybe taking one of those deep breaths. How about we take one together? Breathe. Maybe you’re already reflecting on how you’re showing up in the world, things that you’re letting people see, and things you’re not letting people see. Where are the places that you can begin being more of yourself?

Watch the video:

Listen to the Audio:

Mindful Writing to Explore Your True Self

  • 4:49

Writing Prompts to Connect with Yourself:

  1. If you have a piece of paper, fold it in half. If not, follow the directions online or visualize doing the following. On this

You can write this, you can think it aloud, you can think it quietly—there are seven prompts. It can even end up looking like a poem if you want. This is an opportunity to connect to yourself. Finish the sentences.

  1. I am
  2. I am NOT
  3. I come from
  4. I dream
  5. I fear
  6. I hope
  7. I love
  8. I’m not a poet, but I’m going to tell you mine if you’re willing to read.
  9. I am a mama’s boy.
  10. I am NOT a bad man.
  11. I come from a challenging childhood and a loving family.
  12. I dream of a world where everyone can be themselves without being judged because it doesn’t match what other people think you should be.
  13. I fear not being able to speak my truth and having to pretend that I don’t have feelings.
  14. I hope for a world where young men and boys learn that they can feel, that feelings are human. They don’t have to pretend that they don’t have feelings because it’s not manly, it’s not tough, it’s not strong.
  15. I hope strength will be considered as showing your true feelings in a healthy way.
  16. I love being able to get up every day and do what I feel I was born to do.

Take a deep breath. Breathe.

I hope as you think about this, that you find and think about the people in your life who you can begin being more of yourself with.

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About the author

Ashanti Branch

Ashanti Branch is the founder and executive director of The Ever Forward Club. In 2004, during Ashanti’s first year teaching high school math, he started The Ever Forward Club to provide support for African American and Latino males in school. He works to change how students, especially young men of color, interact with their education and how their schools interact with them. Since then, Ever Forward has helped all of it’s more than 150 members graduate from high school.