This I Believe

CATEGORY: REAL WORLD

Why:

Clarifying our most important beliefs offers us a compass, a way to make better decisions.

Warm-Up:

Have you ever heard the phrase, “if you don’t stand for something, you’ll fall for anything?”

What do you think it might mean, and what is one thing you would like to stand for?

Exploration:

Try listening to some of the stories from the This I Believe project. Beliefs can be about anything, from a big ideal for how the world should be, to a belief that dogs make our lives better. You can usually tell someone's beliefs by their actions. What are some of your beliefs? What's the story of how you came to believe them? Based on what you can observe, how would you describe the core beliefs of a parent or a good friend?

Additional Resources:

There are many wonderful examples online of both regular and famous people sharing their answer about what they believe in.

Here is one sent from an astronaut in space, describing one key thing he believes in.
[Play 0:08 – 1:07]

Here is a one from a middle schooler who has gone through hard times, describing one thing that she believes in: the Beatles.
[Play 1:00 – 3:15]

Finally, here is someone who shares a different belief that is essential to her life:
[Play 0:46 - 2:03]