Inse stood in front of the gym, staring at the team list. His name wasn’t there. His stomach twisted, and a little voice in his head whispered, You weren’t good enough.
His shoulders slumped as he walked away. That’s when Curity spotted him.
“What’s wrong, Inse?” she asked, tilting her head.
“I didn’t make the basketball team,” he mumbled, shuffling his feet. “I practiced so hard, but I still wasn’t good enough.”
Curity nodded and placed a comforting hand on his shoulder. “I know this feels disappointing, but let’s not listen to that voice of insecurity. We can use the Five Transformations to help you bounce back. Ready?”
Inse sniffled. “I guess…”
1 TFM – Ignore the Voice of Insecurity
“The first thing we do is ignore the negative voice,” Curity said. “What’s it saying to you right now?”
Inse sighed. “It’s telling me I’ll never be good at basketball.”
“Now, let’s imagine that voice is just a radio playing the wrong station,” Curity said. “What happens if you turn the volume down?”
Inse closed his eyes and pretended to lower a dial. The voice got quieter. “Hey… that actually helps!”
2 TFM – Use the Voice of Insecurity for Amusement and Inspiration
“Now, let’s turn that voice into something funny,” Curity said. “Imagine it’s a silly cartoon character instead.”
Inse chuckled. “Like a squeaky mouse saying, ‘You’ll never be good at basketball!’” He giggled. “That sounds so ridiculous!”
Curity smiled. “And now that the voice is funny, can we use it to inspire you to prove it wrong?”
Inse nodded. “Yeah! I want to get better, so next time I will make the team.”
3 TFM – Let the Voice of Security be Your Guide
“Now we replace that old voice with a new one—the voice of security,” Curity explained. “What’s something positive you can tell yourself?”
Inse took a deep breath. “I worked hard, and I can still improve. I won’t give up.”
Curity beamed. “That’s the voice of security guiding you forward.”
4 TFM – Act Despite the Voice of Insecurity
“But what if I still feel nervous about trying again?” Inse asked.
“That’s okay,” Curity said. “Even if that nervous voice pops up, you can still take action. What’s one thing you can do today to improve?”
Inse thought for a moment. “I could practice shooting hoops after school.”
“Great plan!” Curity said.
5 TFM – Befriend Your Inner Voice
Inse felt lighter. “So, instead of fighting my inner voice, I can learn from it?”
“Exactly!” Curity said. “Your inner voice will always be there. The key is to balance it and let the positive voice be stronger.”
Inse grinned. “Then let’s go practice!”
Disappointment happens, but it doesn’t define us. By using the Five Transformations, we can bounce back, grow, and become stronger. 😊
