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The challenge of achieving clarity can be really intimidating – especially for young people. So just by bringing a little clear thinking and a logical approach to the messy, daunting tasks ahead of them, we can bring freedom from pressure, and minimise mistakes and headaches for them. Big tasks like coursework or working out what to do with their life can become manageable and dare I say it, fun. Sometimes it is just
remembering the big picture, enabling young people to relax and shrug off the stress of sweating over the small stuff.
In mentoring we help clarify the messy circumstances that mentees are trying to negotiate their way through. Seeing things they already know, but from a different perspective or in a different format, can help them gain clarity about themselves and their own situations.
Use window diagram A to help your mentee gain clarity about their state of mind.
Ask them to write words in the appropriate boxes. Working out what they can and can’t control in relation to their happiness can be really liberating. It will also give you a great head start in what to talk over and explore with them. You might also want to use it to explore how they feel about things they struggle with: homework, home life, friendships or even their relationship with God (diagram B).
