3-17-2017

Mary’s Minute

“The spring wakes us, nurtures us and revitalizes us.  How often does your spring come?  If you are a prisoner of the calendar, it comes once a year.  If you are creating authentic power, it comes frequently, or very frequently.”

                                                                        ~ Gary Zukav

I have to admit that I love the exuberance of fresh starts:  a New Year, the beginning of a new school term, and spring.  They give me an excuse to start anew, and to make changes in my life.  The truth is that we don’t need a day on the calendar or a change in the weather as an excuse to be empowered.  It never hurts to draw inspiration wherever we can, so if budding trees or turning the calendar page can help you, that is great, but I like the idea of seeing every moment as a chance for change – a chance to live the life that we imagine.  What are we waiting for?  Today is the day to put a little more spring in our step, to smile a little broader, to focus on what matters most, to try something new in our teaching, to say the things that need to be said, to make a bold move, or maybe just to whisper something silently to ourselves.  Spring is almost here, and while I am excited for the budding trees and singing birds, I want to be empowered today and every day to live life with passion and mindfulness.  Milestones may create an extra inspiration for change, but every day can be the beginning of spring if we empower ourselves to think it so!

                                                            Happy Spring!

                                                                        Mary  

3-10-2017

Mary’s Minute

“Start living within the great grace of this day.”

                                         ~ Wm Paul Young

To-do lists are a way of life for busy people.  While we are checking things off one list, we are in the process of making our next list(s).  Sometimes to-do lists do not take the form of a written document, but rather they manifest themselves as stacks of things to do: the piles of papers on our desk that need to be graded, the stack of reports that need to be submitted, the inbox full of emails in need of a response, the sink full of dirty dishes, the knee high grass in the yard –you get the idea!  The trouble to-do lists and looking to all we have to do in the future is that the gap between where we are and the completion of the tasks, is a source of anxiety.  Likewise looking backwards at our mistakes - at our “could have,” “should have,” “would haves” - cause stress.  Ideally what we need to do is to stop and breathe in the moment.  Making lists and focusing on what we need to do tomorrow or later in the day, does not allow us to take in the glory of the present.  On this sunny Friday before a cold and cloudy Saturday, inhale the moment!  Listen to a bird sing or a child’s laughter and be thankful for the present.

                                              Enjoy the moment!

                                                     Mary 

3-3-2017

Mary’s Minute

“Today you are you! That is truer than true! There is no one alive who is you-er than you!”         

                                                                      ~ Dr. Seuss

I think the happiest and most successful people are people who are comfortable in their own skin.  Dr. Seuss puts our uniqueness so eloquently. Two things that are important are that we realize that we are unique and that we embrace that uniqueness.  This is something we need to do for ourselves and also to help instill in our students.  Learning and life can be challenges, but they can be made easier when we feel good about who we are and see competition as a competition with ourselves to be the best we can be.

In today’s world there is a lot of discussion around accepting one’s self relative to physical attributes, but I think if we feel good about who we are at the core the physical security will follow.  In today’s society we are constantly comparing ourselves to others.  As our students take ISTEP this week, this point is painfully clear.  Society forces us to compare!  At Perry Central we do our best to let students know that they do not need to compare themselves to others, but only need to look within and do their best, knowing that, “There is no one alive you-er than you!”  By feeling secure about who we are we can succeed.  According to Dr. Seuss, “And will you succeed?  Yes! You will, indeed!  (98 and 3/4 percent guaranteed.)"

                                                         Have a great week!

                                                             Mary