How are you contemplating all parts of your life and not just work?
It is finally here, summer! As the Memorial Day weekend passed, our summer is here for us to enjoy. If you are an educational leader, you are probably finalizing your end of year reports and closing the chapter on another year in the books. You also might be looking at how the year went and what the organization did well and what needs further review. I am happy to say, my teacher meeting to start next school year is set and all planned out. For a moment, I felt ahead of the never-ending race to plan next year. No worries, I have other things that are not ready yet. Last week we discussed holding ourselves to high standards for the health of your organizations and the people who help make it a success. This week, the topic I would like to share is on personal reflection.
Reflection is important to the improvement process. If you are in business, you are looking at quarterly reports and end of the year reports to see that your bottom line is where you want it. In education we look at assessment results and behavior reports. What we fail to do at times is reflect on ourselves. Stop your focus on work. If this year has taught us anything, we must assess our social emotional health, our belief in self, and are we where we want to be? We will not have a bottom line, or a report on ourselves to review if we are on target. We must do a check-in on ourselves from time to time. I have mentioned before the use of journaling as an effective means to evaluate our mental and emotional well-being. I have struggled to keep up with my journaling, to the point I needed to set a timer, so I remember. Journaling can offer us a place to put our repetitive thoughts that cloud our judgement or something that keeps nagging at our emotions. Write down your worries as well as your victories. Write your thoughts or things you have learned each day. At some point, you will see how journaling benefits your emotional and mental health.
I have touched on your values and core beliefs in previous posts, and I cannot emphasis their importance to your mental and emotional well-being. We must stay true to who we are. If we say family is important, we must make sure our time with them is a priority. If our spirituality is important to us, we must take time to let it be part of our everyday life. Often, we forget what is of value to us when we are too focused on the day-to-day activities and the world around us. What makes up your core beliefs and what should you value? Seek out what makes you tick, because that is where true value is. Focusing on these things will ensure you are taking care of you.
Finally, have some fun! Visit family and distant relatives. Enjoy time with friends and laugh with one another. Enjoy the little things in life that may seem insignificant, like a sunny day when the birds are singing, a day at the lake, or a coffee date with a friend. Find your joy in the little moments of life, they are there if you are looking. Stop getting caught up going here or there as you run errands. Slow down and smell the roses. This takes intention, or you will fail to see the beauty in your life.
Have you ever considered starting a journal?
What do you value in life that you may have been neglecting?
What will you plan each day that will offer you a moment of peace?
We get so caught up in life and we forget to pay attention to our mental and emotional health. Many of my readers may not have a position that allows them to put more focus on these parts of their lives. Be intentional today to find time to contemplate your life by finding what makes you happy. Take care of yourself each day because you are important too! Thanks for checking in this week, and please leave a comment below. Have a great week!
Steven C. Bucks-Leading Conversations
