Daily writing prompt
What things give you energy?
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Good morning, blogging friends and happy Sunday!

I’ve found even if I don’t write about the WordPress prompt, it’s got me thinking about things I’ve not thought about much, which is always a good thing!

#suresuresure

What? I can’t enjoy having my brain challenged?? 🙂

Anyway, today’s prompt about bringing energy takes place at just the right time. I’m pretty worn down with four plus weeks of school, trying to nagivate a new job, new students, and literally, a new culture (70% of our school is something other than caucisan). It’s pushed my own thinking, the way I teach, and just how I view education, again, never a bad thing. So a prompt about energy is just what I needed.

So, things that bring me energy:

  1. Family: To start, it was my immediate family. There was always an excitement when we packed the car to head off on the next adventure. Then, my family changed with my wife and her excitement and energy when adventures presented themselves. Having kids, my goodness, the energy was always there. Whether it was the first time they walked to when they started driving (whole different energy), to their eventual fledging the nest, all of it gave me energy to try, each day, to do right for myself and for them. Right now, family gives me energy when I have the chance to see them.
  2. Teaching: I mean, you have to come in amped up every day or the kids smell that blood in the water. I’ve told my students, I do what I love and I love what I do. Most days, I can match student energy without much effort, which is why when I leave for the day, I’m physically and emotionally tapped out. I care and want the absolute best for my students and they feel when my energy doesn’t match theirs. It keeps me in touch with my inner kid, keeps me in tune with what kids like or don’t like, but most of all, it gives me that outlet to be just a bit of a nerd! 🙂
  3. Coaching: I never knew coaching would be as big a part of my life as it has become. Teaching on a court, giving life lessons, how could it not bring you energy? I’ve spent a majority of my life coaching basketball, and each season, each game, I get butterflies. The first time I don’t, I’ll know it’s time to quit and turn over the reigns to someone else. Until then, a new season is fast approaching and I won’t know the girls for the first time in 10 years. That nervous energy will be there for sure!
  4. Competition in general: There’s a meme out there somewhere with a Orca leaping out of the water and blurb below says, “When you are chubby but feel athletics”. I love to run, bike, walk on the treadmill with the incline cranked way up, lift weights, and just be active. Yet, I’m a fat, balding, slow white guy. Chubby but athletic. The energy when competiting, whether against a group or yourself, gets me going. And it’s not just the doing of sports that gets me going, I love to see them. Coaching (as mentioned above) does it for me, but attending events. We went to a college gymnastics meet in 2020 right before Covid and that was so awesome! My daughters both swam and ran cross country. The energy there was electic! Going to an Iowa Hawkeye football (or any big game), it’s hard not to feel your heart rate pick up with 70,000 of your closest friends rooting for the same team.
  5. Gardening: “Why do you garden? It seems like so much work.” Don’t get me wrong, gardening IS a lot of work. From the starting of seeds to harvest, there’s always something to do. But, I love doing itl Fresh food is never a bad thing (it seems I say this a lot) and the money we’ve saved along the way is in the tens of thousands of dollars. It’s always been part of me, from an early age, and both of my daughters, while not gardening, appreciate good food. That energy on a canning day or the day when the garden is finally shut down for the season is unmatched! It is truly a labor of love and I’m all for it.
  6. Sunday mornings: Honestly, I was up a 6:30 this morning, found this post, and it’s been on my mind every since. I love making coffee and doing just a little writing. I can see how people who are real writers love the mornings. Ideas are fresh, the coffee is fresh, and it’s just easy to sit, getting thoughts on a screen. We’ll head to school to work for next week, which is a bummer, but Sunday mornings are slow and give me energy to tackle what’s ahead!

What gives you energy? I’d love to hear about it in the comments!