Mindful Monday: Human BEing Not Human Doer

We are called Human Beings, not Human Doers. And yet, we find ourselves consumed by all we have to do. 

As educators, we wear a multitude of hats. The hats we wear often lead to a laundry list of things that must get done. This time of year, especially, can make us crazy with all the additional tasks: decorating, gift buying, wrapping, baking, traveling, etc. 

Too often, we focus on everything we have to do which inevitably makes us feel frazzled when trying to find the time to do it all. When we become fixated on the day-to-day tasks, on our checklists, and the next deadline, it's easy for us to lose our joy. The daily grind can easily weigh us down. And in a profession where instant results are a rarity, it's completely understandable to not feel like you are making a difference, or even worse, you're not cutting it.  

And so I plead with you, hear me when I say: 

1) You are ENOUGH and no one expects you to do it ALL 

2) Attempting to do it all does NOT make you better or happier or more successful 

3) You ABSOLUTELY make a difference everyday in ways you can't even imagine

Regardless of how many tasks that are left undone on your checklist, regardless of how ready you may or may not be for the holidays, and regardless if you have crafted the perfect lesson, find the time to BE and not just DO. 

This time of year, while often stressful for many, can absolutely be magical if we only take the time to notice the small things and enjoy it. Find your joy!

I challenge you, instead of a Human Doer, let's revert back to Human BEings and just BE! 

* BE Kind * BE Present * BE Grateful *

It's when we remember to breathe and just BE that we can give the best of ourselves to both our students and our families. 

I ran across this idea of being a Human Being not a Human Doer from an interview with a high school football coach in a newspaper article earlier this year. His priorities and perspective on life seem to be figured out! If you have a moment, I think it is worth a read. You can check out the full article here.

Last we spoke, I left you with a 14 day challenge to try finding three things to write daily in your gratitude journal. Today marks day 14, and I sincerely hope that you have had an opportunity to use it.  Here's to finding your joy in the small things!