Mindful Monday: Rogue Ducks

As an educator, I feel like we are always trying to "get our ducks in a row." Let's face it, there is always a to-do list. Never in my career have I ended a school day feeling like my list is complete, and I have nothing else to do. 

As disheartening as that idea may be, it's life. There is always something else to do, something else that needs our attention. There is always something new to be added to the list, and there's always that one duck, that one task, that gets away from us. 

This year, there seems to have been more rogue ducks than normal, more tasks that seem unmanageable. As overwhelming as to-do lists can feel at times, as overwhelming as this school year as a whole has been, it's easy to feel defeated. But don't! 

Your success is not measured by the number of tasks marked off your list. Success doesn't mean that all your ducks march in a single file line.

Regardless of what your do-to list has looked like this year or what you have kept tally of mentally, I assure you, it has been a success. I know this because each of you has shown up day after day. You all continue to go above and beyond. It may not feel like you always have your ducks in a row and have it together, but the countless individualized packets and resources you send home, the numerous phone calls, Remind messages, and emails you send to ensure you are keeping students and their families informed and engaged, the constant act of recreating lessons to ensure you are reaching all our students, both in person and virtual, all these acts tell me otherwise. All these investments of time, love, and energy tell me that this year has been a success like no other. 

During these last 8 weeks, focus on one task at a time, focus on what you can control, and ask for help when needed. Don't worry about the number of ducks you are trying to wrangle or the few rogue ones that never seem to fall in line. What you do is enough because you are enough! 

We've got this!