As I reflect over the course of this year in the Leadership Program and all the meaningful relationships and joyful experiences I have had, I wanted my last post to be about the reality many of us maybe facing-- Being Tired.
and I am not speaking in the sense of physically tired (although this maybe applicable, especially during the week), but the type of tired one gets when balancing graduate school, careers, job opportunities, job displacements and/or personal matters.
If anything, this post is more about encouragement. As we wind down the semester, I am in need of encouragement. I see the light at the end of the tunnel, however, the tunnel is so far away, yet so close.
Does anyone have any great resources, motivational speakers to listen to or short-texts I can read to revamp my spirit and energy level as we finish this prepare for graduation, prepare for the Georgia Milestones and continuously set and meet high expectations for students even when others lose their momentum also?
I listen to "Every Child needs a Champion" maybe once or twice a week, however, I fall back into the mindset that this isn't applicable in my capacity. This then forces me to reflect on my experiences working with children, working with adults and growing leaders.
I am on a quest to ignite my fire as I complete this school year. Do you have any flames I can continuously burn?
Hi Michael!
ReplyDeleteBig plate of leadership inspiration coming your way:
http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/75-inspiring-motivational-quotes-on-leadership.html
http://momastery.com/blog/2014/03/26/5-path/
http://brenebrown.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/DaringGreatly-LeadershipManifesto-8x10.pdf
And just for fun :) -- https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qR3rK0kZFkg
Thank you for your post. I feel you! Here are a few practices I've worked on to keep my flame from burning out:
- Each day, write down either 3 positive affirmations to yourself, 3 things you're grateful for, 3 things that went AMAZING that day, or all of the above! (Inspired by "The 5-minute journal" -- http://www.fiveminutejournal.com/)
- Hang out regularly with other leaders, even if it's just monthly People who GET IT. Swap stories, encourage each other, commiserate. Sharing the struggle is powerful and restorative.
- "Fake it 'til you make it." Work on inspiring and motivating your team, even if you're struggling yourself, and it will inevitably have a positive effect on you, too! Write them cards, send them quotes, simply ask how they're doing. Positivity is contagious.
Only 6-8 weeks to go (depending on your school's calendar). We got this! I look forward to seeing others' ideas as well. Thanks for this post!
Michael-Hang in there! I hate to say this, but it is likely you will stay just as busy even when you finish graduate school. For years, I always thought things would get less busy once I finished a major committment (coaching, grad school, principalship, etc). However, it always seems that there is something to take the place of the work you complete. My encouragement for you would be to really think about how to balance work and your personal life. As you move into other leadership roles, it is possible that your work can consume you. Decide what is most important and focus on that!
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