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...on What is NOT Working in This Season... (One Thought Thursday 037)
Published 3 months ago • 5 min read
"Without reflection, we go blindly on our way." — Margaret Wheatly
In this week's podcast episode, I talked about five things that landed on my list of "What's Working in This Season".
As promised, I am sharing a few things from the flip-side - "What's NOT Working" - here.
As I mentioned in the episode, the practice of taking note of What's Working and What's NOT Working in my life is something well-engrained in my routine.
I think it benefits all of us, really, but you can hear more about that in Episode 157.
Without further delay, here are a few things NOT working in my current season of life:
Thing No. 1: My Inbox
Oh, friend. I have lost any semblance of an approach to keeping up on email. It's 100% out of control. I feel more and more behind, and catching back up feels impossible.
I don't even know how it came to this point. Little by little, I've let dedicated inbox time slip off radar.
Needless to say, if you are waiting on a response from me and aren't getting one, STAY PATIENT WITH ME. 😅
(See; naming these reflections is a terrific kick-in-the-pants to DO BETTER).
I sat down today and hashed out some strategies to make improvements on my relationship with my inbox. I'd share them now, but I think it's important to remember NAMING what's not working is different than working on solutions.
Simply naming your struggles - with no pressure to problem-solve your way out of them - is an important first step.
Thing No. 2: Ignoring My Body
It's such a tired, classic tale: girl worries about taking care of everyone else and completely loses touch of her own needs. I mentioned on the podcast that my anxiety has been at an all-time high this season. It's been really fun. 🙃
And, since anxiety presents itself in all kinds of ridiculous ways in your body, I've struggled for the past few months trying to decide what's-what.
I'm always thinking about a story Kelly Corrigan tells when reflecting on her first panic-attack. She promptly scheduled a meeting with a recommended therapist, who told her something-to-the-effect of the following:
Until you are consistently getting 8 hours of sleep each night, drinking X ounces of water each day, moving your body for at least X minutes each day, and limiting your caffeine, I have nothing for you. Make those changes and THEN give me a call.
It's all stuff we know, right?
I'm all for meds (when necessary), and I'm 100% on board with counselors anytime. But the truth is, our bodies have fundamental needs that are easy to neglect in the hustle-culture of today.
Again, I've been on a journey towards improvement, but that's not the point of this email. The first step is to name it.
(Don't worry about me; you can consider your girl here on the mend!)
Thing No. 3: Comparison
We all know this one. I hesitated to include it because I talk often about the Comparison Trap and how detrimental it is. At the same time, none of us are immune to comparison's charms.
It is easy to stew over why someone is getting something you're not. That seems childish to put in writing (but again; recognizing the truth is part of the charm of this exercise!).
I try to live my life in a way that is free from criticizing others. But when I *do* find myself picking someone else apart (inside my own head or otherwise), I always know it's stemming from something in the comparison/jealousy/discontentment department.
And - while it's super-unattractive to admit to you - I hope it's helpful to know I struggle with these things, too.
I've had a few moments lately where I find myself balking over something someone else is making/doing/receiving and it always leads back to unresolved questions in my own life.
Noticing this as a particular temptation in this season of my life is a valuable observation, because it does not align with the kind of person I aspire to be.
...and there you have it, my friends! Three things that are, notably, NOT working for me in this season of life.
If you want help tracking What's Working (and not) in your Teacher Life, check out my free Studio Reflections Printable.
Now that I've shared MY list of What's Working/What's Not, I encourage you to hit REPLY and tell me one of yours!
***Don't be put off by my complaints about my inbox; I *love* hearing from you (it's the replying part that I'm falling short on).
Engaging in dialogue here with you is one of my favorite parts of this community I've built.
🥂Cheers to reflecting on what defines our days in the current season, for better or otherwise. 🥂
As we've already established, Episode 157 focuses on five things that ARE working for me in this season of life. Phew! Those were a lot more fun to share than those in this email. 😅
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I didn't send valentines with my students this week, but I did have fun listing things I loved about my students' playing on these sticky notes and sending them home.
You know me: When it comes to studio communications, simplicity always wins.
If you ever feel at odds with your method books, I have good news for you: the solution is NOT necessarily to ditch your method.
This resource helps reframe the true role of a method series in your teaching, and equips you with an essential exercise to make sure YOU are the true leader of your instruction.
Life hasn't made space for me to give a final edit to the Studio Traditions list inspired by Episode 155, so we'll leave the public doc open one more week!
I'm collecting Studio Traditions from my teacher friends (that's YOU!).
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