The timing of this assignment was impeccable. As I experienced a family emergency at the same time the school year was starting with a crisis unlike any other I ever experienced in my class my planned time to work on my own priority of achieving my master's degree and learning a new grade level was interrupted. Stopping to prioritize my time was hugely important. When I allowed myself the precious time to complete my assignments I was met with this idea of developing habit 3 which is to put first things first. It truly resonated with me. Throughout the last few challenging 3 weeks, I must have told myself several times to focus on what needs to be done now and be okay with pushing other things aside. Life is full of challenges and struggles. It always has the audacity to present those challenges on its own schedule. Life never considers my packed schedule nor the time of year or day. As family members we are faced with medical emergencies, family crisis, or unexpected changes. As an educator I am faced with a new group of students and sometimes new staff or admin that will bring forth their own challenge. We plan for things to be a certain way and then they are not that way at all. How dare things reveal to be out of our control. With that being said, it was important for me to reflect on this idea of putting what is important to me and my true north first. Putting first things first demands that one take the time to have that personal discussion with one's self about what is important. What is my focus? What do I need to feel successful and happy? How will I achieve that? What do I need in order to stick to my list?
It is challenging to stay to focused, but when I look up to see where I am along the path to reaching my goals it is satisfying to see it coming closer to my reach. It is also important to know that along the way there will be bumps in the road and sometimes roadblocks. How we deal with those will lead to developing my professional and personal character. Sometimes we can't change what faces us, but we do have control over how we approach it. Under all this pressure, I have been able to set aside the smaller things such as chores, searching for engaging lessons to try in the future, and the interview over coffee being done via email instead. I appreciate that I can stay calm and have the skills to focus and prioritize. Learning that I should always prioritize in order to remain focused on the larger goal is valuable. I understand that re-evaluating the list of priorities is a habit that will help me to be successful. I also understand that some things are not as important and only when I am faced with something that challenges those priorities will the true priorities appear. That larger personal goal, or my true north, will always reveal itself no matter how muddy the waters become with urgent issues. I must make it a habit to stay focused and put first things first. I am working towards living to that truth.
It is challenging to stay to focused, but when I look up to see where I am along the path to reaching my goals it is satisfying to see it coming closer to my reach. It is also important to know that along the way there will be bumps in the road and sometimes roadblocks. How we deal with those will lead to developing my professional and personal character. Sometimes we can't change what faces us, but we do have control over how we approach it. Under all this pressure, I have been able to set aside the smaller things such as chores, searching for engaging lessons to try in the future, and the interview over coffee being done via email instead. I appreciate that I can stay calm and have the skills to focus and prioritize. Learning that I should always prioritize in order to remain focused on the larger goal is valuable. I understand that re-evaluating the list of priorities is a habit that will help me to be successful. I also understand that some things are not as important and only when I am faced with something that challenges those priorities will the true priorities appear. That larger personal goal, or my true north, will always reveal itself no matter how muddy the waters become with urgent issues. I must make it a habit to stay focused and put first things first. I am working towards living to that truth.