Today at school I learnt how to have great relationships. I never even realised that I could learn that! It was our 14th session of The Ivy House Award, and over the past few months, we have learnt stuff that I hadn’t even given much thought to beforehand.
It’s crazy to think back to September when we first started, and how sceptical I was about the course – I thought that it was just another way of teaching PTPC. To be honest, it took me until the second session to really get what they were saying and then I felt bad for not paying attention properly so I went home and re-watched it, this time actually making proper notes in my journal.
I spoke to my mum about it, and over the next few weeks I think she really started to see the difference it was making. Even silly things, like how I listened to her without going on my phone, or started cleaning up after myself without being nagged, but it all added up.
Bigger things, too – I have started to take ownership over my behaviour, and have stopped blaming others for how I feel (something I used to do ALL THE TIME).
Over Christmas, I had a conversation with my mum about the course, and what I had learnt. After today’s session, I am planning on talking to her again – this time about our relationship, and how what we both choose to put into it dictates how we experience one another. I was going to wait until next week, when we learn about how to have hard conversations, but I’ve decided I will just watch the session on my own tonight, so that I can talk to her this weekend.
I’ve started to become a bit impatient with it actually! I get so excited about the session each week, as it is such a refreshing change in my timetable, and I always feel like I’m already a better person afterwards.
A couple of my friends who aren’t taking The Award are still sceptical, but really they are only hindering themselves by thinking like that. I get so much more out of the course and take action in my own life to change things.
It’s all very well to pretend like you don’t need to know this stuff, but let’s be honest – who is going to do better in life? Somebody that knows how to choose the right behaviour, takes ownership for their relationships and makes time to fuel their passions, or somebody that thinks they are too cool for all that?
Interested to find out more?
