{"id":20398,"date":"2025-03-28T10:20:57","date_gmt":"2025-03-28T14:20:57","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/?p=20398"},"modified":"2025-03-28T10:54:34","modified_gmt":"2025-03-28T14:54:34","slug":"affirmation-innovation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/affirmation-innovation\/","title":{"rendered":"Affirmation Innovation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

No one likes me. I’m so stupid. I can’t do anything right. These are thoughts kids\u2014and, let\u2019s face it, adults\u2014can sometimes have when emotions run high and are about to boil over. In an effort to promote healthier, positive self-talk from a young age, mom and special education teacher Deanna Blasi DeAndino \u201915M developed the Mindset Tapestry, a wall-hanging daily affirmation chart for kids.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Each day, children choose an affirmation tag, attach it to the mirror, and recite it aloud. Parents are provided with corresponding cards that help explain the affirmation\u2019s meaning and ways to reinforce it through guided discussion. \u201cThe tool is meant to instill confidence and self-esteem so the child can build a strong inner voice,\u201d DeAndino says.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The Mindset Tapestry is based on DeAndino\u2019s expertise as a special education teacher, perspective as a mom, and firsthand experience with the power of positive affirmations.<\/p>\n\n\n

Weaving the Tapestry<\/h3>\n\n\n

In 2022, DeAndino was struggling. Pregnant with her second child, she was also raising a two-year-old and working full-time as a third grade special education teacher. \u201cI wasn\u2019t okay,\u201d she admits. \u201cI started doing positive affirmations during my commute to get into a better mindset, and that\u2019s how I came up with the idea for the Mindset Tapestry.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At first, she didn\u2019t plan to turn the idea into a product. But when she contracted COVID-19 and had to isolate for several days, she ordered materials, crafted a rough prototype, and placed it on her mirror. \u201cBy the time I had my son and was going through postpartum depression, I felt this prototype staring at me every day,\u201d she says. So, during her maternity leave, she decided to turn the idea into a business.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By the time she returned to teaching, DeAndino had begun consulting lawyers about patents and was working on manufacturer drawings when she learned she would be reassigned to first grade. \u201cThat wasn\u2019t going to work for me,\u201d she says. \u201cI took it as a sign it was time for a new chapter.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She left teaching that June and committed to launching the Mindset Tapestry by the holidays. At a small business event held by Monmouth\u2019s Center for Entrepreneurship, she instantly connected with director Alison Gilbert, who became a mentor and helped her recruit a marketing intern to grow the brand. \u201cShe loved the product, and we had monthly calls to brainstorm and track my progress,\u201d says DeAndino.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Today, the Mindset Tapestry is available online and in select Monmouth County stores. In addition to growing the business, DeAndino is focused on collaborating with like-minded brands and developing a mini-curriculum to help teachers incorporate the Mindset Tapestry into their classrooms. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cOur bigger vision is to become an educational toy brand that shapes how kids see themselves and interact with others,\u201d she says. \u201cIt took a lot of confidence to make this leap and, in a way, it\u2019s come full circle with what the Mindset Tapestry does for children. I needed the same positive self-talk to leave my tenure-track job with two kids, and it\u2019s been an incredibly empowering experience.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n

Three Steps to a Mindset Reset <\/h2>\n\n\n

DeAndino’s “Three Ms,” \u2014 a set of mindset practices suitable for any age. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    <\/ol>\n\n\n\n

    Mirror Talk <\/strong>\u2014 Repeating positive statements while looking at yourself in the mirror creates a deep connection, signaling that these words are powerful and hold truth,\u201d says DeAndino. \u201cI believe everyone\u2014children and adults alike\u2014 should incorporate mirror work into their daily routine to cultivate self-love and belief.\u201d Affirmations like \u201cI am doing my best\u201d or \u201cI am growing\u201d can work for adults, while the Mindset Tapestry offers kid-friendly versions such as \u201cI am a bright light\u201d or \u201cI am loved.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Movement <\/strong>\u2014 Whether it’s yoga, walking, or another form of exercise, moving the body can provide a powerful mood boost. “In today’s high-pressure world, we often carry emotional weight without realizing it, and movement is a healthy way to process and release that energy,” says DeAndino. Exercising outdoors offers added benefits as it increases vitamin D levels and boosts serotonin, enhancing the mind-body connection in a powerful way for a more positive mood. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

    Meditation<\/strong> \u2014 Meditation doesn’t have to mean sitting in silence. DeAndino ends her day with a 15-minute guided meditation that helps her visualize her future self, fuel her sense of purpose, and tap into her potential. “It’s just the right amount of time for me to relax, visualize, and end my day on a super positive and uplifting note,” she says. Meditation can also be activities like gardening, cooking, or being present with your children or pets. “Find what resonates with you and make it part of your routine,” she says. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Deanna Blasi DeAndino is the creator of the Mindset Tapestry, an innovative tool designed to help parents teach their children the power of positive self-talk.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":57,"featured_media":20400,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"image_focus":"{\"x\":64,\"y\":38}","hide_title":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6],"tags":[93,81],"class_list":["post-20398","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-the-back","tag-alumni-donor-profiles","tag-alumni-profile"],"thumbnail":"\"\"","catString":"The Back","issue":"Spring 2025","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20398","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/57"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20398"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20398\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":21257,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20398\/revisions\/21257"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20400"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20398"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20398"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.monmouth.edu\/magazine\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20398"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}