I'm kicking off the week with a new blog feature--10 Things, every Monday and Friday. Monday's list will be helpful and inspirational because we could all use a little boost at the beginning of the week. Friday's list will be anything but serious. Think funny, snarky and strange.
As I write this, rain is pelting the window beside me. Rain on a Monday is typically reflective of my mood--gray, gloomy and irritated. Not today. I feel relaxed and ready for what the week will bring. I want to share 10 quotes with the hope they bring you a smile or a bit of inspiration. Some of these are personal favorites, and few simply struck me this morning. Enjoy!
1) Twenty years from now you'll be more disappointed by the things that you didn't do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. ~Mark Twain
2) Imagination is more important than knowledge. ~Albert Einstein
3) Life is too important to be taken seriously. ~Oscar Wilde
4) There is no greater agony than bearing an untold story inside you. ~Maya Angelou
5) We have more possibilities available in each moment than we realize. Thich Nhat Hahn
6) When you dance, your purpose is not to get to a certain place on the floor. It's to enjoy each step along the way. ~Wayne Dyer
7) Wrinkles should merely indicate where smiles have been. ~Mark Twain
8) To see things in the seed, that is genius. ~Lao Tzu
9) The greatest oak was once a little nut who held its ground. ~Author Unknown
10) Nothing is worth more than this day. ~Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
Cheers to an amazing, inspiring week!
Jess
Monday, April 11, 2011
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Honor Your Teachers
I am, at heart, a teacher. Mostly a "do as I say, not as I do" sort of teacher, but still. I love teaching. And I hold a great appreciation for those who do it for a living. I'd like to tip my hat to the educators out there who make a difference. Every. Single. Day.
I've always loved to learn. I would be a perpetual college student for the experience alone, if life and family didn't prevent me. Thankfully, I have the opportunity to learn from someone outside of a classroom. Every. Single. Day.
We meet regular people throughout our lives who teach us. Some of us are able to see these people for who they are--a gift. Teachers come in many shapes and sizes. From many backgrounds and in many disguises. If you pay attention, you'll recognize them. Here are a few of my favorites:
1) Start with those closest to you. Your family and friends. Maybe your parents taught you everything. Maybe your best friend is brilliant. Even your children are master teachers. Mine go out of their way to teach me patience, boy band songs, how to build with Legos and why limiting sugar is always a great idea. Your loved ones hold valuable information. Take the time to listen.
2) Pay attention to those who irritate the hell out of you. They are teachers in disguise. When negative emotions run high, it's difficult to recognize a teacher when your mind assigns them another name. Some days it seems that everyone you meet is determined to make your day worse. Ask yourself why? Maybe they're your reminder to take a breath and a big step back. Maybe your attitude is the problem. Maybe you need to avoid the place you see them. There are multiple possibilities. Only you know the lesson, but you have to be willing to recognize them as teacher. They're offering you a valuable experience.
3) Be around those who inspire you to be more than you currently are. I try to spend as much time as I can with those who make me smile, those who challenge me to think bigger, those who push me beyond what I think I'm capable of. Again, these people can be those closest to you. They can be people you are frustrated by. Or a mentor, religious figure, supervisor--anyone you pick up tips and ideas from. These people help you move out of your comfort zone, and that's where amazing things happen.
4) People you've never met. Sounds odd, doesn't it? For me, some of the most important people in my learning process are people I've never met. Authors. So many I couldn't name them all. I have a serious book addiction, and these authors, who so generously shared their time and words, have made a monumental impact on my life. For you it might be someone on TV. Or someone who created an organization you believe in. All are teachers.
5) Everyday people you encounter throughout your daily activities. The clerk at the store, the person at the gas station, or the lady walking her dog past your house. Each of these people are potential teachers, if you choose to interact with them. Now, you might only hear about their hernia or the latest soap opera drama. But you might also hear about a new opportunity. A better way of doing something. An emotional life lesson. As long as you're open to the potential knowledge, anyone can be a teacher.
Once you've identified your teachers, then what? Acknowledge them. Honor them. Appreciate the gift they've given you, however large or small. This can be done in your mind, out loud, an email or note. "Thank you" is a magical phrase. A genuine word of thanks is one of the best gifts to give or receive. I recently sent a word of thanks to an author who made a big impression on me months ago. She said my message made her day. What I don't think she realized is how pivotal her gift was for me. Thank you seemed inadequate, but it's not.
Honor your teachers. If you're able, let them know they made a difference. One exception: if you're thinking of someone who infuriates you, a few choices words aren't going to make the same impression as "thank you." ;)
Jess
I've always loved to learn. I would be a perpetual college student for the experience alone, if life and family didn't prevent me. Thankfully, I have the opportunity to learn from someone outside of a classroom. Every. Single. Day.
We meet regular people throughout our lives who teach us. Some of us are able to see these people for who they are--a gift. Teachers come in many shapes and sizes. From many backgrounds and in many disguises. If you pay attention, you'll recognize them. Here are a few of my favorites:
1) Start with those closest to you. Your family and friends. Maybe your parents taught you everything. Maybe your best friend is brilliant. Even your children are master teachers. Mine go out of their way to teach me patience, boy band songs, how to build with Legos and why limiting sugar is always a great idea. Your loved ones hold valuable information. Take the time to listen.
2) Pay attention to those who irritate the hell out of you. They are teachers in disguise. When negative emotions run high, it's difficult to recognize a teacher when your mind assigns them another name. Some days it seems that everyone you meet is determined to make your day worse. Ask yourself why? Maybe they're your reminder to take a breath and a big step back. Maybe your attitude is the problem. Maybe you need to avoid the place you see them. There are multiple possibilities. Only you know the lesson, but you have to be willing to recognize them as teacher. They're offering you a valuable experience.
3) Be around those who inspire you to be more than you currently are. I try to spend as much time as I can with those who make me smile, those who challenge me to think bigger, those who push me beyond what I think I'm capable of. Again, these people can be those closest to you. They can be people you are frustrated by. Or a mentor, religious figure, supervisor--anyone you pick up tips and ideas from. These people help you move out of your comfort zone, and that's where amazing things happen.
4) People you've never met. Sounds odd, doesn't it? For me, some of the most important people in my learning process are people I've never met. Authors. So many I couldn't name them all. I have a serious book addiction, and these authors, who so generously shared their time and words, have made a monumental impact on my life. For you it might be someone on TV. Or someone who created an organization you believe in. All are teachers.
5) Everyday people you encounter throughout your daily activities. The clerk at the store, the person at the gas station, or the lady walking her dog past your house. Each of these people are potential teachers, if you choose to interact with them. Now, you might only hear about their hernia or the latest soap opera drama. But you might also hear about a new opportunity. A better way of doing something. An emotional life lesson. As long as you're open to the potential knowledge, anyone can be a teacher.
Once you've identified your teachers, then what? Acknowledge them. Honor them. Appreciate the gift they've given you, however large or small. This can be done in your mind, out loud, an email or note. "Thank you" is a magical phrase. A genuine word of thanks is one of the best gifts to give or receive. I recently sent a word of thanks to an author who made a big impression on me months ago. She said my message made her day. What I don't think she realized is how pivotal her gift was for me. Thank you seemed inadequate, but it's not.
Honor your teachers. If you're able, let them know they made a difference. One exception: if you're thinking of someone who infuriates you, a few choices words aren't going to make the same impression as "thank you." ;)
Jess
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