If you asked most people what's the answer to the question, "What do you need more of?" it's pretty consistently the same response - TIME.
"There's never enough time in the day!" "I just don't have time for that." "I wish I had more time and then I would." There's a lot of excuses centered or dependent on time, but they are just that, excuses. Life gets busy though doesn't it, but I wonder if we are the ones that make it busy though?
This past week I had three different medical appointments, each on separate mornings BEFORE I got to work. I also had numerous meetings before and after school almost every day. I kept up my morning runs too and I felt pretty proud of myself as I sat in my office on Friday afternoon and reflected back over the week, when a parent walked right in and before I could even say hi they said to me, "I just want to let you know that you've been really busy," and after a short exchange they walked out. What would your response be? The funny thing is that I had just spent an hour with their child giving him a much needed break and we worked together on something in the school. I will be honest, at the moment this parent had shared this I first thought to myself, damn straight I've been busy, do you have any idea what I've done just to be here every day and how much I've given?! The truth is, what this parent was reflecting to me is something I think we all need to hear once and awhile...stop being so busy and take a breathe, be present!
When we get to work what are we expecting, to have more time for ourselves? That's not how it works. Every job, no matter what it is, is about service. We are there to serve others. So do what you need to do for yourself so that when you get to your job, you are ready to serve and you are ready to give it everything you have!
I get up most week days between 4:30am-4:40am so that I can fit in my runs. And now I seem to be blogging, all before I get ready for the day. Maybe I will need to get up at 4:15am just to have time for the things that are important to me!? My response to that is - WHATEVER IT TAKES!!
I have been playing around with running puns as you can see from the title of this post. But we really never run out of time...
Make time for yourself and the things you love.
Make time for yourself and the people you love.
Make time for yourself so that you will be ready to serve!
February 11, 2020
February 10, 2020
Turn your wish into work
I wouldn't say I'm an analytical person by nature, but reflection and connecting with how I feel is, and always has been, an important part of my thinking process. But if all we do is wish that things would happen, then we will never reach our full potential. It takes planning and action to reach our goals.
Our rhythms and patterns can stagnate us or lift us to a higher place! One of the best things I have done over the recent months is get up early and run, particularly on a Monday morning - yes the dreaded beginning of the work week! If I just thought about wanting to be healthy, but I never got out of bed, then I would be stuck in the "I hate Mondays" syndrome. Instead I put my mindset on what I want to achieve, I get up, I put in the work, and I feel so much better for having done so. As a result not only is my body benefiting from this, but so is my mind. I am finding that I have more energy and ability to tackle the challenges ahead every week. By the way, I do this on Friday mornings often too!
So don't just wish things were better, make them better, plan it and put in the necessary work! I'm not letting any obstacles stand in my way...I'm just going to run right by them!
Our rhythms and patterns can stagnate us or lift us to a higher place! One of the best things I have done over the recent months is get up early and run, particularly on a Monday morning - yes the dreaded beginning of the work week! If I just thought about wanting to be healthy, but I never got out of bed, then I would be stuck in the "I hate Mondays" syndrome. Instead I put my mindset on what I want to achieve, I get up, I put in the work, and I feel so much better for having done so. As a result not only is my body benefiting from this, but so is my mind. I am finding that I have more energy and ability to tackle the challenges ahead every week. By the way, I do this on Friday mornings often too!
So don't just wish things were better, make them better, plan it and put in the necessary work! I'm not letting any obstacles stand in my way...I'm just going to run right by them!
February 08, 2020
I've run into a problem!
Sometimes we perceive words, statements or questions as negative; when they might not have that connotation at all! This post is titled, "I've run into a problem!" But let me explain....
My last post published in this blog was when I entered into a new position as a vice-principal at a middle school in the Fall of 2014. It felt so foreign to me that I described it like landing on the moon, a distant and unknown place. And just to put some context here, it's been so long that I've opened this blog that I couldn't remember my password or where I wrote that down (maybe one day I'll find it on some sticky note buried in boxes of my old "saved" documents), so I had to go through a series of steps to send a code to another device and retrieve it. I'm sure you have experienced this and you know how that goes.
Anyways, I guess I've been a little busy just figuring out my new role from teacher to administrator, and I've been occupied with all the decisions that I make daily which impact and affect my community. So, yes it has been a challenging journey, and it's been a steep learning curve, but it's not been bad. I'm now celebrating my third year as an elementary school principal (my transition was February 2017), and although I'm still figuring this thing out, I look forward to going to work every day. I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm doing exactly what I want to do.
There are numerous opportunities every day to make a real difference in the lives of students, their families, and the staff I work with. This is the reward of being an educator leader. However, all along the way there are many challenges to navigate and storms to endure; and this can take a mental, emotional and physical toll. September 2018 I hit a personal wall and my health failed. I had been pushing too hard, not taking care of myself, and ignoring what was going on in my body. Since then I've been on a journey towards improving my health and finding the right balance between work, family and my own personal goals. I am now seeing three different specialists, I have changed my diet, and been running consistently now for the past five months (now this post's title comes more into perspective). All of these changes have given me a positive outlook for my life, the work I get to be involved in, and the people I am connected to and who matter to me!
I have come to understand through my running, that I have more capacity to go beyond my limits than I realized. I have also allowed myself to make more time to reflect and be healthy (if you have read my twitter posts, you will have seen this). None of this has happened without sacrifice, commitment, and pure hard work. So I say that when problems come your way, "run into them" and make the changes you need to, and you will come out better on the other side, and you'll be thankful that you did!
My last post published in this blog was when I entered into a new position as a vice-principal at a middle school in the Fall of 2014. It felt so foreign to me that I described it like landing on the moon, a distant and unknown place. And just to put some context here, it's been so long that I've opened this blog that I couldn't remember my password or where I wrote that down (maybe one day I'll find it on some sticky note buried in boxes of my old "saved" documents), so I had to go through a series of steps to send a code to another device and retrieve it. I'm sure you have experienced this and you know how that goes.
Anyways, I guess I've been a little busy just figuring out my new role from teacher to administrator, and I've been occupied with all the decisions that I make daily which impact and affect my community. So, yes it has been a challenging journey, and it's been a steep learning curve, but it's not been bad. I'm now celebrating my third year as an elementary school principal (my transition was February 2017), and although I'm still figuring this thing out, I look forward to going to work every day. I'm exactly where I want to be and I'm doing exactly what I want to do.
There are numerous opportunities every day to make a real difference in the lives of students, their families, and the staff I work with. This is the reward of being an educator leader. However, all along the way there are many challenges to navigate and storms to endure; and this can take a mental, emotional and physical toll. September 2018 I hit a personal wall and my health failed. I had been pushing too hard, not taking care of myself, and ignoring what was going on in my body. Since then I've been on a journey towards improving my health and finding the right balance between work, family and my own personal goals. I am now seeing three different specialists, I have changed my diet, and been running consistently now for the past five months (now this post's title comes more into perspective). All of these changes have given me a positive outlook for my life, the work I get to be involved in, and the people I am connected to and who matter to me!
I have come to understand through my running, that I have more capacity to go beyond my limits than I realized. I have also allowed myself to make more time to reflect and be healthy (if you have read my twitter posts, you will have seen this). None of this has happened without sacrifice, commitment, and pure hard work. So I say that when problems come your way, "run into them" and make the changes you need to, and you will come out better on the other side, and you'll be thankful that you did!
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