3YO: “I love the card with the princess.”

♠️ How old were you when you realized the Ace of Spades (Bicycle brand) card has a “princess” in the middle? I was “today years old” 😂

This made me laugh, of course, but it also reminded me of two important things.

✅ Young children are *so* observant. They notice everything — whether you want them to or not! As I discussed with a group of teachers last night: when you choose to spend time with children, you’re choosing to be a role model.

✅ You see what you are looking for. It’s not a coincidence that my ‘3YO-always in a dress-tiara loving-princess obsessed’ niece noticed the “princess” in the deck of cards. Human beings are hardwired to look for familiarity and for confirmation…which is why it’s so important to “think about what you think.”

👎🏻 If you’re a teacher who believes that a child is challenging, you’re more likely to find evidence of challenging behavior.

👎🏻 If you’re a coworker who believes that your colleague is lazy/not hardworking, you’re more likely to find evidence of subpar performance … and so on.

Fortunately, the opposite also holds true.

❤️ If you’re a person who believes in positive intent, you’re more likely to find evidence of generous, thoughtful behavior.

❤️ If you’re a person who believes in optimism (the “that glass is refillable!” kind), you’re more likely to find evidence of second chances, resilience, and kindness.

You can see the princess… but you have to look for it first. ❤️