And collective hope may have saved my life as kid. There are people who say hope is not a strategy. But I think, hope is THE strategy.
Hope is THE Strategy
Fully Present
In the meantime, may we all simply work to be fully where are our feet are planted. May we offer others our fullest presence and attention. And may others feel this from us in small ways. Whether it's putting our phone away, asking thoughtful questions that allow us understand more clearly what is said, or remembering to follow up on little details shared with us.
Count on It
So, I'm counting on nothing but obstacles and the beautiful resilience and growth that comes from staying the course. I trust the process.
No Magic Wand
The best way to stay encouraged and engaged in processes that take time is to spend time noticing and celebrating how far we have come versus how far have to go. As I mention in Legacy of Learning, this is how we keep our brains motivated when the work is cognitively demanding.
Daily Fresh Starts
This is what I mean by being gentle with ourselves. Maybe stop being so hard on yourself. We can push ourselves and hold ourselves to high expectations without shaming and blaming ourselves. OK, so maybe you wished you had handled that situation differently. Maybe you wished you had eaten better yesterday. Maybe you didn't get all of your steps in or didn't get all of your papers graded.
The New Accountability
Before we can truly lead others and hold them accountable, we must first lead ourselves and hold ourselves accountable.
The Value of Free Space
But it does make me wonder what it would look like to simply make more space for a little bit of nothing in our work, so our brains can process, invent, reflect, and refresh.
Turning Fear into Excitement
I'm sharing this because we need to normalize fear. We are human beings. Of course we are scared. Sometimes even terrified. But if we don't push through discomfort, if we don't learn to talk to ourselves in ways we would talk to someone we love, we won't have what it takes to solve the world's really complex and daunting problems. Our future and the future of this world quite literally depends on our response to discomfort.
The Power of 1%
Imagine if an entire staff committed their 4.5 minutes a day or 30 seconds each bell to an impactful instructional move and did so every day for an extended period of time. Even when we didn't feel like it. This kind of radical commitment and consistency on something that requires little time and effort on our parts can lead to incredible growth.
Serious & Enjoyable
n travel situations, there are a lot of variables, a lot of necessary safety precautions, and a lot of people. This is also true in schools. But it's the people who manage to keep safety and order while also ensuring the experience is enjoyable that make us want to come back.
MEGHAN LAWSON 