Joy. To rejoice. A feeling of great happiness. This is a word that has been on my mind for weeks. I want to recognize joy. I have not been very mindful of what brings me happiness, so my word in transition from one year to the next is going to be joy. I have the Three Dog Night’s song playing in the back of my mind:
Joy to the world
All the boys and girls now
Joy to the fishes in the deep blue see
Joy to you and me
This is not meant to be some kind of message for you to practice self-care. We have heard a lot about the importance of that this year. And while it reigns true, I want to keep things simple and realistic. Life may already be hard and the fatigue from this pandemic truly has set in, but educators have another layer of exhaustion. Find little things that don’t take a lot of effort but can make a big difference in your life.
I am not a person who practices New Year’s resolutions because I like to set goals and build on dreams throughout the year and any time in my life. However, I do reflect on the year that is coming to an end, and I look forward to the new calendar year as it approaches.
Starting in 2020, I found that identifying a word or phrase for mindfulness was helpful. I write that word down and put it somewhere for me to see:
• Post-it on the mirror
• Save as phone or computer wallpaper
• Display in a frame
• Stick a card in your wallet
There is no added pressure on me to constantly be living by that word or phrase, but it is a good reminder or motivator. You will be surprised at how putting something out there and posting it for you to see can change things for you. Give it a try and let me know how you have used that one simple thing to help you to be motivated or change your mindset.
In the meantime, my wish you for you is to find joy in all aspects of your life. As Walt Whitman says in his poem, “A Song of Joys”, may you recognize joy so that your spirit “…is uncaged-it darts like lightning!”
See You Real Soon,
Erin
HOW DO I KNOW IF THE HAPPY TEACHER CONFERENCE IS FOR ME?
- I love working with students and sharing a passion for learning
- I’ve lost a little bit of love for teaching
- I am looking to reboot or re-energize my career
- I could use a reminder about finding balance with my personal and professional life
- I want to network with other educators to find a community of support