Learner. Human. Joyologist.
My hope for all of us is that we are brave enough to ask big questions of ourselves and the world. As Adam Grant says, "We laugh at people who still use Windows 95, yet we still cling to the opinions we formed in 1995." Writing is a great strategy for growing our thinking and humanity.
The world will continue to change but one thing will remain: the need for human connection. So, while we learn about all of the amazing things our technology can do to make life more convenient or the ways it can help us tell stories, let's not forget the power of stories told around campfires. Let's not forget the power of seeing and listening to other people during in-person conversations and classroom lessons. That cannot be replaced.
Many of us feel helpless right now with the state of the world. We want to make things better. We see a shortage of educators. This saddens many of us who understand that it's teachers who give us hope for this world. But what do we do? While there are certainly systemic issues to be addressed, what do we, as individuals, do to make a difference for educators right now? Quite simply, we can let them know the positive impact that have made on us. We let them know when they are making a positive difference in the lives of our own children. Nothing bad can come from sharing with great specificity the tremendous impact our teachers are making. You just never know if that thoughtful card or kind word will give a teacher the energy they need to try again tomorrow.
I know one thing for sure - it's how we show up for ourselves and each other that really matters in the end. What a beautiful opportunity we have to impact the world through small moments with others. Let's treat others and these moments like they are special. Because they are.
For far too long, school and the systems of school have been designed to sort and rank us and in doing so, we've placed more emphasis on personal competition and success and not enough emphasis on our interconnectedness and success as a community.
I had the pleasure of hearing Tanny McGregor, an influential educator and author, speak to a group of teachers yesterday. She spoke about the power of AND. Specifically, the ampersand. I was inspired as she had us consider the potential of holding two opposing thoughts at one time. Sitting with those opposing thoughts, considering them,... Continue Reading →
People can sense when you truly want to be helpful and be a part of solutions. When we roll up ourselves and come alongside others in ways that feel helpful and supportive, that does a lot to deepen relationships and trust. When the focus is on what you can control (yourself) and how you show up for others, the intentional care you put into the process will almost always lead to great results. Focusing on doing small things well with great consistency and celebrating that growth along the way feels better than obsessing over the distance to the end result.
Too many great things don't happen because we don't believe that our small moves are good enough. My challenge for each of us is to decide what matters so much that it's worthy of our consistent good enough. Good enough consistently can help us achieve greatness.
For me, sometimes the best way to feel better is counterintuitive. To give that which I'm lacking. If I'm not feeling wholehearted in my work and not feeling the love, I give love. If I'm not feeling like I belong, I create belonging for others. For example, ensuring equity of voice in meetings, paying attention to how I respond to the contributions of others, and sitting in circles are all small moves for belonging that I talk about in the draft of my book. And finally, vulnerability. Someone has to go first. Sometimes, that someone is you. Whether it be rest or more wholeheartedness in your work, I hope you find it.
As George Couros has said, "Change is an opportunity to do something amazing." I'm pretty sure he wasn't talking about the dentist, but it turns out that a trip to the dentist was not only good for my teeth, it was good for my professional practice in the education space too. Inspiration is all around us. What we look for, we find.
MEGHAN LAWSON 