Commitment, blogging, and getting older

Six weeks ago, my good friend George Couros, author of Innovator’s Mindset and Innovate Inside the Box, and friend and mentor, challenged me to blog more consistently. The fact is, I love to blog and I always have ideas swirling around in my head, but actually putting my ideas down and hitting publish, is always something that gets put on the back burner, because let’s face it, so many other things can take priority. I have a million other things to do! But I have always believed in the importance of reflection in and out of the classroom. So I made a commitment to myself to blog every Sunday. This is week seven! It has not been easy.

Today, I am writing this during my drive home from a weekend getaway with friends and family where we celebrated my birthday. It was a big one. One that I have been struggling with. How did I get so old?? And so I have been reflecting in earnest about how much has changed since I started teaching and what has stayed the same. And how I myself have changed and stayed the same. Along with getting older, comes wisdom I suppose. So my blog today is a reflection and more a reminder to myself than anything else.

Surround yourself with people who are positive

At one point this weekend, a friend of mine turned to me and said, “There are so many really great people here. That is a testament to you and who you surround yourself with.” I have always believed this. Online and offline I try to surround myself with people who always try their best, who approach situations from a positive place and a learning stance. This in turn, helps me to stay positive, no matter what life throws my way and provides me with a valuable support system when I need it.

Time and energy spent on fostering a positive culture and climate may not be acknowledged often, but it does not go unnoticed

One of the things that blew me away this week, was the birthday card wishes my students offered. My library tech (and wonderful friend) bought a giant birthday card for me and it literally overflowed with messages from kids including thanking me for creating a welcome and positive environment and for helping them achieve success. Sometimes, we try and try but feel demoralized thinking we don’t make a difference. You do. I do.

Hard work is not optional

In addition to committing to blogging, my husband has been my accountability buddy for eating healthier and together we have lost weight. This has meant sticking to a routine and sacrificing some of the foods we love and choosing to be active. This idea translates into my role as educator. When I first started teaching, I thought that the older I got, the less hard I would have to work to be effective as a teacher but that has not proven to be the case at all. Every minute I spend doing something is time taken away from something else. I need to prioritize my values and goals and keep working. Which leads me to my next point of reflection…

There will always be more tasks to accomplish than time in which to complete them

I need to prioritize my values and goals. While I am writing this blogpost, I could (and perhaps should be) doing a variety of other things. I am not awesome as organization. I need to work on that. I cannot balance everything perfectly (or even well) and that is ok.

IRL doesn’t make sense

People you haven’t seen since high school, former teachers, and people in your PLN all reach out to you on social media when you are celebrating a birthday. And this brings me incredible joy. Mostly though, my friends who I don’t get to see nearly as much in person, sent me the kindest and sweetest messages. This is REAL life. When we use the term IRL in a derogatory way, we undermine some of the strong and true relationships that can be forged between humans whose geographic proximity prevent them from connecting in person as often as they like. I appreciated every text, tweet, message, GIF, and vox!

We need to give ourselves GRACE

Tomorrow is a day to try again. If there is one lesson age has taught me, it is that there is no such thing as perfect. If that lesson or workshop doesn’t go perfectly, I need to get over it and try again. If I made the wrong parenting decision, I need to hug my kids, tell them I love them, and try again.

Interesting, Dave Burgess also posted his commitment to blogging more regularly. Read his post and his reasons here.

Thanks to George for pushing me and thank you! Whether you have been reading my blogs for the past seven weeks or seven years, I appreciate you. I am also going to challenge you to share more consistently by sharing George’s words to me.