I once tried swearing at home because I thought it was a cool thing to do. Now, I don’t remember the details of what happened next, but till today, even my subconscious mind knows not to ever cuss in front of my parents. Unfortunately, I still use a lot of swear words, particularly when frustrated – because life’s hard, man.
This challenge was inspired by the Swear Jar – a concept that aims to help potty-mouthed individuals like myself or Gordon Ramsay limit the number of times they use cuss words. Every time you say a bad word, you have to put money in the jar, forcing you to be more aware of how frequently you use these rather unnecessary expressions.
Do you know other words that are unnecessary? The very ones we use to devalue, or body-shame ourselves and subsequently reduce our self-esteem to pennies.
Your mission, should you accept it, is to create an “Anti-Troll Jar”, and feed the Jar every time that you say something awful about yourself.
What you’ll need:
- A Jar with an opening wide enough to fit your hands
- Paper to write on
- A pen or pencil
The Activity:
Insecurities vary from person to person, but you’ll recognize those harmful phrases when you hear yourself uttering them. So, whenever you catch yourself saying or thinking something mean about your mind, body, or soul, it’s time to contribute to the Troll Jar. However, instead of just contributing coins, we’ll aim to counter the ugly words of the inner bully in writing. Here are some examples of phrases that require counteraction:
“My ass is too flat in this dress” ~ Judging
“Why do my boobs look weird?” ~ Criticizing
“I wish I had long legs like Stacy’s mom” – Comparing and devaluing
Your Money or Your Love Notes
If you struggling to find counterarguments, try putting yourself in another person’s body – someone you truly care about. What would you say If your best friend said hurtful things about themselves in your presence? What would you say to make them smile and feel better? Write it down.
Perhaps you’re away from home, too far from the Troll Jar, or can’t reach a pen and paper for some reason. Then save your counterargument(s) as a note on your phone or send yourself a scheduled email to be delivered at a later time.
Conclusion
While losing money for saying bad words is a decent disciplinary action, writing positive notes to counter your negative thoughts feels more intimate. Having the strength to shift your mindset and be your own cheerleader when you need it the most is something to be proud of. The next time you’re having a bad day, you can cozy up on the couch and read through the notes in your Troll Jar. it would be like reading compliments or little love notes from a secret admirer.
And just like that, you’ve turned bad words into a pot of love and encouragement.
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