LOBSTER GROWTH

Lobster Growth: Identify your rigid shell and build a new one you can grow into

1. Watch this short clip together: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3aDXM5H-Fuw&index=3&list=PLEXW-pl7EVyS9L4afWs7Zt6-uSYFvUDCn

2. Discuss in small groups: Rigid shell does not expand

   1. What situations make you feel stressed or uncomfortable?

   2. What do you usually do when you start to feel stressed or uncomfortable?

3. Ask a few staff to give testimonies about situations that were making them stressed or uncomfortable and how they overcome them. The staff should demonstrate the activity by writing words on papers and taping them to their body to represent their rigid shell at the beginning of their talk. When they being sharing about outgrowing those situations they can remove their papers and tape on the new papers. (see activity below to understand further) Here are some examples of things to talk about:

   1. Beliefs about themselves and their abilities/character/ etc.

   2. Relationships with family members or friends that became difficult

   3. Bad habits that were impacting their quality of life

   4. Owning up to a mistake

   5. Helping someone through grief

   6. Talking with someone you don’t enjoy spending time with

4. Give the youth time to reflect on this question and pick 1-3 situations that are challenging them.

5. Give everyone a few pieces of paper and have them write 1-2 words on each paper that represents parts of their life that make them uncomfortable. Have everyone tape those papers onto themselves to represent their “rigid shell.”

6. Gather into small groups again and share what they chose to write on their papers

7. Give the youth time to reflect on  how they could use those situations to grow instead of feeling uncomfortable. When they are finished they should make themselves a new shell with words that represent growth instead of stress.

8. Gather in small groups and share about their new shell.

9. Debrief: Times of stress are signals for growth. If we use adversity properly we can see it’s God’s way of helping us grow. Each of you made new shells tonight that you can grow into, but in time you will shed these shells and form new ones you can grow into.