“Maybe you should.”
Recently, during a conversation with a dear friend, I was reminded that I need to give myself time and space to both reflect on and believe in the positive effects of the work I do with educators. I was instantly flattered and thankful for people in my life who take the time to lift me up.
So, I’m going to remind myself…
Maybe you should…
Say YES!
Even when it’s hard, when it frightens you, or when it seems fruitless, say yes. Saying yes can open up possibilities you hadn’t considered. And if saying yes doesn’t work out, at least you’ll know what not to do or try next time.
Anchor your efforts to your why.
It’s not just on the toughest, most stressful days that I need to remember my why. I also need to remember my why daily when I’m doing things like putting effort forth on projects and work and building and nurturing relationships. If my efforts are anchored in my why, I’ll always come back to it.
Position yourself as a learner and as an expert.
It’s easy to wear the expert hat as I spend my days creating, designing, and facilitating professional learning for educators. But it’s equally as important to take time to pause so that I too can be a learner. I’m becoming much more intentional in doing this during PD sessions, allowing participants to drive the work and conversations.
Know when to step up and when to step back.
I’m very independent – sometimes to a fault. This can cause me to quickly take the lead, not in a malicious way, but to simply try to solve problems or fix situations. I take control and often don’t apologize for it. It’s a humbling thing to be told to step back, but one that is necessary. Even though you don’t always see the foundation, it’s just as important as the roof. Behind the scenes doesn’t always mean left out. Stepping back often means letting someone else shine, which is never really a bad thing.