It was many years ago now, when I was first studying to be a teacher, that I sat in a classroom at University and heard the concept of the ‘self-fulfilling prophecy’.

Little did I know back then, that this concept would become so significant for me later in life.

These days, I don’t so much think of it in such formal terms when I approach day to day life, my teaching, and how I support others, but it is always there, underlying everything that I do, and everything that I offer to others.

Because I very much believe that how we approach people, what we believe people are capable of, and what we believe life can be for a person is how it becomes.

When our expectations are for success, we are more likely to find and see success than failure.

And when our expectations are for failure, we are more likely to find and see failure, and reason for giving up and surrendering dreams and aspirations.

Where are your expectations leading?

Quite often in the work that we do here at CCA, we come across people (of all ages) who feel broken. They have lost belief in who they are as good people, or maybe they had never found that belief to begin with. And so we begin with a few quiet words. We talk about how the words in our heads take us through our life’s journey, and that we have the power to change those words for ourselves. No matter how hard it seems to begin with, we really can make those words successful and loving. We have the power to prophesise about our own futures – and this begins with words.

“I can do this”

“I am okay just as I am”

“I’m achieving my goal”

“I am safe when I…..”

“I am worthy”

We can’t control everything in the lives of the people we support – everyone has their own journey to travel, and their own lessons to learn along the way. But one thing that we can do is be the source of belief – belief that anything is possible, and that success can belong to anyone who wants it.

In my years growing up (and knowing that I was a little different to other people around me but not being sure why) my own belief often wavered – social errors and communication misunderstandings can knock your self-belief as quickly as any other sense of failure.

So my journey to who I am today – succeeding in my life in my own way – has very much relied on the words I have used in my head over recent years – sometimes it’s simply about beginning with hope that things can be different or better… and then anything is possible.

May you find your own words of belief, and may your prophecies be for success.

Written by Elissa Plumridge