I can’t wait to get the 2022-2023 school year started and enjoy the journey we are all going to take together. In fact, before we left on summer break in June this past year, I shared with our staff that I can’t remember being so excited about the start of school…and we hadn’t even left the building yet! I’ll be honest, that excitement has only grown over the summer. I think there are a lot of reasons why I feel that way, and after a conversation I had this past week, I think I know why.
The last two weeks have been filled with preparation and learning. August is like new years for teachers – we turn the page to the start of a new school year and set big goals. During one session our counselor, Mrs. Nieto was talking about practicing mindfulness as adults and with our students. Part of being a leader is being able to self regulate, which starts with having tools to pause and breathe. When sharing she said something along these lines, I know she will excuse me if it’s not verbatim:
Anxiety lives in the future, regret lives in the past, but being mindful helps us to remain present.
Wow, right? I’m not sure I can think of a better sentiment to describe how I feel going into this year. As we begin our first post-pandemic school year, I can see how all of these three pieces, likely, reside in all of us. It’s easy to look back on the challenges we’ve endured as a community these past few years. It’s equally easy to be nervous about what’s around the next corner that could throw us for a loop. But, what a fantastic idea to put both of those thoughts to the side and focus on what we have right now, a brand new year with endless possibilities for adventures, experiences, and growth. That sounds like something I can get behind 🙂