Mindful Monday: You Are A World Changer

No one, at least no one I know, writes their to-do list and adds "change the world" on it. What a daunting task and massive undertaking that would be. I mean, while it sounds nice and all, where would one start? 

Well, that's just the thing. No one thinks they can change the world, really make an impact, until they do. 

And here is the best news of all. Each and every one of you reading this (ALL. OF. YOU.) are changing the world for the better every day. 

We don't have to win a championship game, cure a disease, or win an election to leave an impact. Our name doesn't have to make it into the history books to prove that we have changed the world and left our mark.  

Each interaction you have leaves a little piece of yourself with your students. They take that home, and it inevitably impacts their family. You are changing these students' lives, their families lives, their future selves and their future families. You are instilling in them self-worth, determination, a sense of value and purpose, and giving them courage to face hard things. You are teaching them to believe in themselves. You are teaching them to have empathy for one another. And afterall, couldn't the world use more citizens that are empathetic and kind to each other?  When I add it all up, it equals one thing...changing the world for the better. (Trust me, I'm a math teacher.)

And I hope you know me well enough by now that when I say you are making a difference, when I say you are leaving a lasting impact on your students, when I say you are changing our world for the better...I mean it! I believe everything I am saying, and I hope you do, too.

 

Mindful Monday: The Gift of Grace

 "There will be days when our own negativity will get the best of us, moments when we fail to live up to our own standards. Don't allow these moments of frustration to own you. Remember that your personal excellence starts over again each day." ~Jimmy Casas

Mindful Monday: Reframing...Maybe It Doesn't Mean What You Think It Means

 

When you hear the word "reframe" what are your initial thoughts? 

Perhaps you rolled your eyes and mumbled to yourself that you don't need another person telling you to be positive. Maybe it's been thrown around one too many times over the last 9 months, that it's just another buzzword to you. If that is how you see it, then I would argue that perhaps it's time to reframe how you see the word reframe - pun intended. 

If your definition of "reframe" is just positive thinking or maybe you just think that it's unrealistic, naive and pollyanna, then it's time to adjust your definition. 

Flip Flippen, founder of CKH, has the best definition that I've run across of what "reframing" really means. He states that to reframe is to change your perspective and look at each situation with a grateful heart. It's not about ignoring the bad, it's not about acting like the negative doesn't exist, but it is about taking control of your narrative and of your thoughts. It is about choosing to find the good.  

When the alarm goes off Monday morning, instead of, "Ugh, I have to get up and go to work." Try, "I get to go to work today. I'm thankful to have a job that I love that provides food and shelter for my family." Instead of, "The laundry pile is never ending." Try thinking, "How fortunate am I to be able to afford a wardrobe that I like." 

I can't stress enough that the idea of reframing is not to be some "pie in the sky" person. It boils down to, you get more of what you pay attention to. This is both true in your classroom and in life. If you're looking for the negative, you'll find it. If you're looking for the positive, you'll find that, as well. 

If you haven't started using your gratitude journal that was given to you at the start of the school year, there is no time like the present. The act of finding at least three things each day that you are grateful for is literally perspective changing. No, really! No matter how small, the mere act of expressing gratitude and focusing on what you are grateful for changes your thinking on a variety of levels. 

At the end of the day, while we don't have control over everything in life, we absolutely have control over how we choose to see things. It is my sincere hope that you choose to find the joy each day and see the good. 

 

Mindful Monday: Taking Control

Happy New Year! Happy 2021! With new years often comes new beginnings, the turning of a page. While we would like to think of it as a fresh start, our old ways often follow. 

As humans, we are quick to point out the flaws of others, to judge, to criticize, and critique. It's easy to complain about situations we find ourselves in and second guess other's decisions. It can even feel cathartic to vent. And having just ended 2020, a year that we hope only happens once in a lifetime, it is absolutely understandable to feel like we have little control of things that are happening and simply want to complain about it all! 

However, I would argue that despite how things might seem and feel at times, we have control over more than we think. 

They say, "If you can't change your reality, change your perspective." Life is a series of choices. It is all in how we choose to see things. 

“God, grant me the serenity to accept the people I cannot change, the courage to change the one I can, and the wisdom to know—it's me!" - John Miller (QBQ: The Question Behind the Question)

While we might not be able to make our spouses do (fill in the blank), our kids behave a certain way; we can't control how many people are in line at Starbucks the morning we are running late, and we can't make traffic magically disappear. We can change our perspective. 

At the end of the day, it is absolutely true that there is a lot that is simply not in our control. The only thing you have control over is yourself. But don't sell yourself short!  Your influence is powerful. Change what you can and be at peace knowing that you can't control it all. 

I know I have told my personal child on more than one occasion "to be incharge of yourself". Perhaps it's time that I start listening to my own advice. In a year that we have felt in less control than ever, remember that you are in control of your life. You have control over how you talk to yourself, the grace you grant yourself and making yourself a priority. 

Here's to a 2021 where you take control!