Today I had a wonderful opportunity to meet with an Assistant Superintendent who is relatively new.  We are in similar curriculum initiatives, and we decided to meet to brainstorm how to tackle what is before us.  We spent the first 30 minutes talking about how things are going, and I have to tell you that did me a whole lot of good.  Curriculum work is lonely, and since I am an interpersonal gal with a whole lot of need for interaction, the job sometimes seems to be too overwhelming at times.  What I discovered is that I need to take time out to meet with others and share and learn.  It was professional development at its finest and it costs me nothing but a small bit of gasoline to get there and back!  What is even better is that my superintendent gets this about me and the work that I do, and she is very supportive. 

After our 30 minutes of sharing successes and struggles, we dove into the curriculum piece.  What I discovered is that it was really good for me to articulate, sort out and talk with someone else about our Curriculum Review process. I learned, my thoughts became clearer, and I developed a few more questions for myself about how to make this work happen and be a good experience for teachers and students. 

My major thoughts from today:

1. Take time to do things that are good for you professionally.
2. Julie rocks!
3. My superintendent supports the work that I do, so she rocks too!
4. We are all in the same boat.  I don’t care where we are in all of this; we are all experiencing the same struggles.  Why aren’t we supporting each other more?  Why don’t we take the time? 
5. How can I convince others in our leadership team to do exactly that – go talk with others in your profession?  Make it positive.  This isn’t about venting (although I know we need it), but more about learning and sharing.  Everyone has something to teach us!

So, I am thinking that there are plenty of us who are not feeling so great today.  It could be a lot things: the threat of losing one’s job, the feeling of negativity from someone around you, a bad morning, stress and so on. 

I am just thinking that we need to all stop just for a moment and look at what is good in our lives. 

I am healthy, and I am going to cherish that feeling today. I think that my health is very important, and I would not trade my day with those who are very sick and not feeling so well.  I am a lucky one…today.

I got to meet with a great person this afternoon for some good conversation, and I am going to feel good about that right now.  It is nice to listen others, hear their stories, and build a picture of who they really are as a person.  Let’s not always treat people about the job.  Let’s treat them with respect as a person and cherish what they bring to the world. I am lucky she is in my life…today.

I had a good lunch.  Yes, I had time to pack a nutritious lunch this a.m., and I am thinking that is a good thing.  I have a refrigerator that stores lots of treats, and I am happy that I can wallow in the joy of a good meal.  I am lucky to have that food…today.

I got a few things done on my desk, and that means fewer things for tomorrow.  I refuse to let the piles get to me.  Slow, systematic, doing it well and doing it because no matter how trivial the task means to me, it means something to someone else!  I am lucky for the work that I have…today.

Let’s focus on something good.  No sighing; just  a big deep breath and a smile for something good in your life….today.