'Can Do'

Growing the sense of ‘can do’ is key to supporting people to flourish. Shifting language from ‘I can’t’ to ‘I haven’t learnt it yet’ changes the mindset to one where we are open to exploring opportunities and exploring the toolkit of strategies we have at our disposal. When deep learning occurs there will be times of frustration and confusion as we learn new ways of thinking and new skills. Whether learning to tie our shoes, read, ride a bike, prove complex mathematical relationships, use new ways of thinking in our work places, adapt to new phases of life or build effective relationships with a range of people, there will be times where we will find ourselves in what James Nottingham describes as a learning pit. Learning to recognise when we are in the learning pit and prompting ourselves to ask, “What is familiar here?”, “What do I know?”, “What could be helpful?”, “What is my next step?” helps us to engage our minds in proactive action. Learning to focus on ‘what I can do’ grows a sense of self-efficacy.

(James Nottingham, 2016, The Learning Pit, viewed February 2018, http://www.jamesnottingham.co.uk/learning-pit/)

God has created each person as uniquely gifted, with different strengths and capabilities. Each of us is and has what God intended for us to live rich and purposeful lives together in community. He has gifted each person with a free mind where every day we can choose that next step. He has given us life to live, one small moment at a time. In this moment, by God’s grace, we can choose to do.