New Year & A New You

I always felt fortunate as a teacher and administrator to get to experience two New Years! Of course, we all experience the traditional January New Years, where we can look in reflection at the year gone by and implement new changes to begin the fresh start in the new year, but we also get to experience this new beginning of school in September and work to implement new change in our classrooms or schools.

As a teacher, and now as an administrator, I relish both of these times in the year and the new beginnings that they offer each of us. I am one of those traditional people that spends a good amount of time in reflection around the New Year. A long walk or hike in nature with the dog gives me the personal space and time to reflect in a meaningful way.

This year is no different.

2018 brought changes.

Big changes.

Unexpected and unexplained changes.

And with big changes comes big growth and big opportunities. I can see that now. That has taken some work to move from confusion and frustration to clarity. As I set my resolutions, although I do not like that word, I have perspective on the top of the list. Keeping perspective.

Perspective- Noun: A particular attitude toward or way of regarding something; a point of view. Perspective is everything.

Change + Positive Perspective = Resiliency. Change + Negative Perspective =

With the big changes that came this year, some I chose and some were chosen for me, my perspective is what was the constant. What I discovered was that keeping a positively-centered perspective directly impacted that change. I was not perfect and it was not easy, but as with anything new, it takes patience and practice.

So to bring this full circle, starting with this January New Year I am keeping my September New Year "resolution" of welcoming change with open arms and a positive perspective. There may be times when this is not as easy as it seems, but those often are the times when we need it the most.