Mindful Monday: No Doubt

You ever have a day where you find yourself asking, "How did I get here?" Maybe your Sunday evening is filled with second guessing your career choice. Do you ever question if you’re even making a difference? Or maybe you wonder if what you do matters. Perhaps you’ve been working at the same skill all year with your class and the needle doesn’t seem to be moving.

You are not alone! We all second guess ourselves. ​Unfortunately, doubt is a part of the human experience. 

However, I would challenge you next time you find yourself second guessing, tell a student that you’re proud of them​, and watch their face light up. Tell a student you’re glad they’re here. You’ll see an instant difference. What you do, and what you say absolutely matters! And I have no question that you ​are making a difference each and every day. 

Every time you welcome a child into your classroom, every time you high five a student, every time you sit with a student that is struggling, every last bit of it is making a difference. Our students might not verbalize it. But I assure you, they are grateful to have you as their teacher. They are thankful that you ​look out for them, that you see them, you listen to them, and you are there for them. 

​Know without a doubt that what you do makes a difference!

Mindful Monday: A Better You

I don’t know about you, but I love fresh starts. Fresh starts feel hopeful. They feel like anything is possible. 

However, there is a phrase used frequently in January that I'm not entirely fond of: "New Year, New You." There’s something about that phrase that seems so daunting. The way it hits me makes me feel like you have to change everything about yourself. Like maybe you weren’t enough or maybe you haven't been living up to your potential. Which leads me to the thought of changing myself seems downright exhausting. 

So as January continues to get underway, I do NOT wish for you a "New Year, New You." I wish you a new year and perhaps just a better you. You don't have to be better than the person down the hallway. You don’t have to be better than the person on social media. Just better than yesterday. 

So, if our goal is just to be a better version of ourselves than yesterday, I would encourage you to think on a smaller scale. What is one thing, something little, I can do to be a better version of myself? Better could be parking a little further out to get in a few more steps a day. Maybe it looks like one more glass/bottle of water a day. Better than yesterday could look like leaving at 4:30 instead of 5:00 or not eating lunch at your desk. 

Overhauling, going cold turkey, or completely changing your routine rarely works. When thinking about what better looks like to you, set yourself up for success by starting small. Give yourself grace on the days that aren't what you hoped they would be. And absolutely give yourself kudos when you put yourself first. 

Here are a variety of ways to set yourself up for success. I encourage you to look at them all and choose what speaks to you.  

• If journaling is too daunting or not quite the daily commitment you are looking for, consider this daily emotions tracker from The New Happy, a 30 second daily commitment. Simply acknowledging your feelings can help you not keep it all bottled up and be a great stress reliever. Emotions Tracker

• Looking for ways to quiet your mind and drown out the noise? Try the HeadSpace app. It is FREE for educators. This app has a variety of resources available at your fingertips. If you are looking for easy ways to start meditating, or improve your sleep, or even lessen your stress, this app has it all. https://www.headspace.com/educators

• Looking to add more positivity to your day? Want a short commitment? Sign up for these free daily emails for the next 30 days.  www.jongordon.com/30days 

• Emergent Tree speaks to 3 components needed for effective classroom management. While it isn't a magic article with the secrets you have been waiting for, it is absolutely worth the read. At the very least, it's a good reminder. https://blog.emergenttree.com/alternatives-to-punitive-practices-in-the-classroom

• My personal favorite that has been life changing is practicing the attitude of gratitude. That could look like physically writing down 3 things you are grateful for at the end of each day. Surely you could come up with three words a day. They don't always have to be deep and prolific. Being grateful for rain, good coffee, and green lights is acceptable. While I would encourage you to actually write down your list, there are apps or even just taking a moment to think about your 3 things during your commute to or from work is all beneficial. Focusing on the positive rewires your brain, not to mention all the health benefits. Check out the science that backs this practice up. https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/health-benefits-gratitude

At the end of the day, you are worth it. You are worth investing in. You are worth the time. You are the greatest project you will ever work on. YOU ARE WORTH IT! 

Mindful Monday: Making Your Time Count

As the calendar flips again, and we find ourselves at the start of 2025, I find myself asking, "where did another year go?" 

Time is a funny thing. One might even call it mischievous. There are moments that seem to drag on forever, while we find ourselves in the middle of moments that are a complete blur because they go by so quickly. All the while, time is a resource we use freely not knowing how much of it we actually have. Are you making it count?

No, I’m not advocating for you to do more!! Quite the opposite, I would encourage you to do less. Do less of the frivolous. Do less of the tedious. Do less of the mindlessness. How much time are you spending scrolling on your phone? How much time are you spending bingeing shows? Instead, do more of what makes you happy. Do more of what matters to you. Do more of what gives you purpose. Spend your time intentionally. 

I’m not one for New Year’s resolutions. If you are, more power to you. However, I am big on self reflection and self improvement at any time of the year. Something along the lines of, "do my actions match who I want to be?" As you think about this next semester/next calendar year, I implore you to contemplate your time- time with your students, time with your family, and time to yourself. Are you spending it how you want to or are the minutes flying by? Do your daily actions match your desires? If you say leaving school everyday by 4:00 is important to you, are your actions during the day helping you meet that goal or are you self sabotaging? What are you doing to set yourself up for success? 

Make all your minutes count.