First blog post of the New Year! 🙂

And not only is this the first post, but I have students watching me write it…..ohhhhhh scary!

I’ve toyed with a number of “one words” over the last few days. I’m not a great wordsmith, so the idea of a single word is often daunting for me. My wife, the writer, she could could up with something fairly easily I’m sure. However, she kind of poo hoos the whole blogging thing (Why do you do that? Who reads it? What in the world are you writing about that for?) so it makes it easier for me!

I’ve thought about these words:

  1. Balance: I’m constantly seeking a balance between school and home. Sometimes, when I’m not doing school work on a Saturday (my selected day off) I feel guilty about all the stuff I do have to take care of and how behind I’m getting.  But, when I’m missing something because I am doing school work, the guilt goes the other direction. Finding that balance has been a life long struggle, and one I’m sure will continue.
  2. Steady: Similar to balance, there’s been a ton of change thrown my way. New classroom, new job title, a ton of new kids, new life experiences soon with oldest daughter graduating, just a lot has happened over the last year.  This year doesn’t seem to be slowing down any either.  Finding that ability to keep life steady, not to rock the boat or allow the boat to rock me will be key for me going forward.
  3. Focus: This is something that, oh look a squirrel!! 🙂  Seriously, I’ve always lacked a certain degree of focus, whether it’s professionally, socially, personally, and it’s been a bother. To work on finding that focus, to maintain it, would certainly benefit me in so many different ways.

 

However, I’ve decided that my word for the year is “be”.  It’s an interesting choice, but it as I’m played with it, so many places it can take me.  Be balanced, be focused, be steady – all those other choices can be brought in.  It gives me ownership: be happy, be positive, be on time, be in the moment.  And, it gives me that power to be what I want.

So, welcome to my word: be.  Be sure you connect with me through my blog, through  Twitter (@AnIowaTeacher or @AnIowaCoach) and be active, both online and off.  I look forward to our year together, to be able to grow, be able to connect, and to be in the moment.

Because you don’t want to be boring, do you? 🙂