Learner. Human. Joyologist.
If there is any resolution worth considering, let’s start being ridiculously in charge of our time. Too much of our time is spent being bothered. Bothered by what people say and do. Bothered by many things that don’t actually matter or won’t 5 years from now.
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.
In a fast-paced world of strategy and innovation, what if the most “edgy” thing we can do is to simply be grateful for this beautiful life, this meaningful profession, and the good people inside of our schools? What if instead of adding more to plates this school year, we filled our conversations and our work with more love and appreciation? What if we remained steadfast in our focus on those simple things that matter most instructionally?
If we don’t figure this out, it will be difficult to endure, and we need healthy people in schools. As Zach Mercurio, author of The Power of Mattering says, “We can’t have healthy organizations with unhealthy people.”
Our love can heal.
I encourage us all to be the change we wish to see in our schools. One conversation at a time. One day at a time. One brave step at a time.
Our first step is recognizing this and holding ourselves accountable for the standard we expect from others.
But maybe it will turn out better than you imagined.
Think about that. Think about how powerful we can be in our own lives. We can be a force for good. We can lead ourselves. We can champion ourselves.
MEGHAN LAWSON 