I have never regretted visiting a teacher's classroom. Ever. Want to be filled with hope for the future? Spend time around teachers and students.
Do Less, Listen to Yourself More
But you know what feels awesome? Finally deciding not to be awesome at everything. Because what happens is this: those things that we care about deeply, our strengths, the things that light us up on the inside, those things get better. Those things get stronger. We get stronger.
It’s Easy to Criticize
The more our brain experiences something the more it wants what it knows. So, if we fill our brains and our air time with complaints, our brain will want to keep doing it. If we fill our brains with the good stuff, our brains will continue to want to see the good. It doesn't mean we ignore what's hard. It doesn't mean we can't talk about what's hard. It means that for our sake and the sake of others, we don't live there for too long. That's all.
Saying No
What might it look like to become deeply curious about the sense of agency that educators and students have in our schools?
Some Opinions Aren’t Worth Sharing
And feeling better right now is golden. We need to find ways to feel better. Because when I give myself a pause, and when I'm feeling better, then I can get deeply curious. About the world around me, about why things are or are not happening - and getting curious and asking good questions is a big part of discovering how we can make things better.
This is the Work
Knowing this gives us great power. Every word and interaction has the power to grow hope in other people. We can grow a sense of hope for the future. We can grow their belief that they are capable beyond on measure. We can grow everyone's sense of wellbeing. We can remind others that there are good people in this world who will stand in their corner, have their back, and cheer for them.
Wilted but Worthy
My challenge to all of us is this: get the rest you need to come back stronger. Get the rest you need to see others more clearly. Get the rest you need to challenge your limiting beliefs more honestly. To be relentless in your pursuit of cultivating environments where others can thrive. Where you can thrive.
The Little Things are Big Things
There is a lot about the world that is really hard right now. Small words can restore hope. Small words and small gestures are big. They are especially big for our students.
Quieting Our Insides
We get one beautiful, important shot at living a good life.
Modeling What We Expect
I'm writing this as a reminder to all of us. What would happen if instead of jumping to criticism, we instead paused to ask ourselves: how we are modeling what we expect? What would happen if we were ridiculously in charge of our own learning, personal behavior, and growth?