Childhood imprints

Exercise to document main events, life epochs and foundational memories in relation to work ethic. This exercise of self-evaluation is necessary on the grounds that past events might still play a role in today's behaviors.

Preparation

Definition

Childhood is understood as one of the formative stages in one's development. This developmental stage holds a lasting influence on an individual and therefore can help locate and understand present day's behaviors and belief systems.

Usage

This exercise is used in a session to get acquainted with our childhood self.

Disclaimer

This exercise is aimed to work in the realm of mental health, not mental disease. If going through this exercise has an extreme negative effect, please stop this exercise and visit your doctor or psychologist/psychotherapist as soon as possible.

Childhood Imprints

Introduction

1. Get into a comfortable meditative position and establish a connection with your own body. Sense what is around you, either by making direct contact with you or emitting sounds in your vicinity.

2. Relax your body and whenever ready, contemplate the questions and write down the answers for every question from the three sections (childhood, interests and work ethic).

Childhood

3. Think about your childhood and try to locate the most significant key points, what comes to mind? What are the sentiments that arise when thinking about that period? Write them down on a timeline.

4. Were there significant life events which would help you delineate different eras in your childhood?

5. What is your primary relationship with your childhood self? In other words, what feeling arises when you see the image of your younger self. Is it grief, is it wonder, is it curiosity, is it love?

6. Is there a foundational memory that sets up your main idea of what your childhood was?

Interests

7. What was your most liked activity? (i.e. hobby, study, sport).

8. What were the activities that got you the most attention? They can be positive such as playing a sport, or negative such as failing academically.

9. What were the activities that made you spend the most time with your parents?

10. What activities delivered the most quality time spent with your parents?

Work ethic

11. How would you characterize your childhood development when it comes to work ethic. What was the meaning of work when growing up? Did you get helped with homework? Were you incentivized or punished to help with house chores?

12. Was there a primary figure from which you learned work ethic? Was it explicitly talked about through concrete concepts, or only shown through actions or behavior?

13. Was there any cultural influence or family history on your beliefs/opinions about work?

14. Can you correlate your work ethic and academic performance?