Learner. Human. Joyologist.
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t have those conversations. It means we need to practice having them more. The more experience we have with something the more competent we become and the more competent we become, the more confident we become. We need to be confident in our ability to hold two opposing views at the same time. We need to be confident in our ability to keep an important relationship in tact even when we aren’t seeing eye to eye on an important issue.
“When everything around you seems dark, look again, you may be the light.” - Rumi
We are not pizza. But maybe we need to take a deep breath, enjoy a slice, and recognize that we are not responsible for what happens to us or the actions of others. We are responsible for our integrity, our communication, our work, our presence, and our response.
So much of this is communication, folks. We are never done growing our communication skills.
Often complaining is a sign of overwhelm, fear, or simply a breakdown in community. Frequently, it’s a combination of all of these things. It’s easy to feel overwhelmed by the amount of seemingly disconnected initiatives coming our way. Then, we become fearful that we won’t be successful which is terrifying because we know how important this work is in schools. This lack of clarity and lack of interconnected work, interdependence, and coherence leads to a breakdown of community. Perhaps it would be easier if I just shut my door, did my thing, and maybe this too shall pass.
In a world where everything seems to be competing for our attention, one thing needs our attention more than ever. People.
It also helps to interrupt anxiety with gratitude. I am grateful that I can afford a full tank of gas. I am grateful that I can afford to fill our fridge with nourishing food. Gratitude reminds us to see and celebrate the good.
One of the biggest lessons I’ve learned over twenty years of experience in our profession is that not everyone does things the way I would do them but just because it’s different than how I would do it, doesn’t make it wrong. There are certainly exceptions. And certainly people whose actions we struggle to understand.
Titles organize us, but they also get in the way of real human connection. It’s not your fault that people bring their own negative perceptions or trauma to your title. But how you respond is your responsibility, always.
Hope is the belief that tomorrow can be better than today, and we are the ones who can make it so. Are we creating environments that inspire hope in our young people, our educators, and our communities?
MEGHAN LAWSON 