Mira wrote in her notebook. "Things I thought I could do, I can't anymore"
Sora looked worried. "What things?"
Mira wrote. "Everything. Studying, talking to people, waking up in the morning"
Kaito peeked from the side. "I have times like that too."
Sora asked, "Losing confidence?"
Mira nodded.
Kaito said, "What's it called in psychology? The power to believe you can do it."
"Self-efficacy," Sora answered. "A concept by psychologist Bandura."
Mira showed interest. Wrote, "Why does it disappear?"
Sora explained. "Several causes. Failure experiences, comparison with others, poor health."
Kaito recalled, "When I got bad test scores consecutively, I completely lost confidence."
"Consecutive failures greatly reduce self-efficacy," Sora said.
Mira wrote. "Me too. Recently, nothing goes well"
"It might be cognitive distortion," Sora pointed out.
"Cognitive distortion?" Kaito asked.
"Perceiving reality in a distorted way," Sora explained. "For example, generalizing one failure as 'everything is bad.'"
Mira looked surprised.
Kaito said, "True, I might have been thinking that way."
Sora continued. "Also, thinking success is 'just luck' and failure is 'my lack of ability.' That's also distortion."
Mira wrote. "Then what should we do?"
Sora thought. "First, accumulate small success experiences."
"Small successes?" Kaito asked.
"Really trivial things are fine," Sora said. "Woke up on time in the morning. Solved one homework problem. Greeted someone."
Mira wrote. "That brings confidence back?"
"Not immediately, but gradually," Sora answered. "Self-efficacy grows through accumulation of success experiences."
Kaito asked a practical question. "But what if you have no motivation to do anything?"
"That might be serious," Sora said earnestly. "Could be a depressive state."
Mira looked anxious.
"But," Sora added, "temporary depression and clinical depression are different. Distinguishing the boundary is important."
Kaito asked, "How do you tell them apart?"
"Duration and severity," Sora explained. "If it's over two weeks and interfering with daily life, you should consult a specialist."
Mira wrote. "Not that bad yet. But what if it gets worse?"
"That's why we address it now," Sora said. "Prevention is important."
Kaito suggested. "Is there anything we can do?"
Sora thought. "Acknowledge Mira's small successes. Say 'well done.'"
"That's all?"
"Even just that has effects," Sora answered. "Social recognition is an important element in increasing self-efficacy."
Mira wrote shyly. "I'm not good with compliments"
Kaito laughed. "Me neither. But it makes you happy, right?"
Sora said, "Another important thing is reinterpreting failure."
"Reinterpreting?"
"Think 'I learned' instead of 'I failed,'" Sora explained. "Reframe it as a growth opportunity."
Mira wrote. "Sounds difficult"
"Difficult at first," Kaito acknowledged. "But you can practice."
Sora suggested. "How about the three of us report each other's small successes? Every day."
Mira thought. Then nodded.
Kaito said, "Then, today's success. I wasn't late."
Sora laughed. "That's a success."
Mira wrote. "I came here"
"That's also a fine success," Sora acknowledged. "Meeting people requires energy."
Kaito asked, "What about you, Sora?"
"I," Sora thought, "might have been able to help Mira and Kaito."
Mira wrote. "You did. Thank you"
Kaito said, "Even if confidence fades, you can get it back."
Sora nodded. "It didn't disappear, it's just temporarily invisible. It will definitely return."
Mira smiled slightly. Today, there were three small successes. They became small hope for tomorrow.