As the school year draws to a close there will be many students, no doubt, counting down the days until the summer holidays, and teachers across the country wrapping everything up before a well-deserved break.

This is a great opportunity to take a breath and think back on the last year and just how far you’ve come. What have you achieved since September? Were there any goals you set yourself for the year, and how did you get on?

It can be really easy to overlook our wins, particularly when we have a lot going on, but taking a moment to acknowledge them and celebrate creates a huge sense of accomplishment. It also builds motivation to keep going and try harder in the future.

Building on this, after recognising what you’ve achieved, it’s great practice to think about how this has made you feel. This is what will drive that message home and affirm our self-reflection.

When we succeed, no matter how big or small, and let that feeling sink in, it builds confidence. It builds hope that we’ll be successful again. Combine these two and this can have a huge impact on our efforts next time, improving our motivation and our focus.

Our brains are naturally wired to remember the negatives over the positives, and it can take real effort to start to change that pattern – but the benefits on self esteem are so worth it.

So what did you do this year that you’re proud of? How did you feel in that moment?