Today I read this blog post by Jon Acuff. (I love Jon Acuff and his message. I read Quitter and loved it. In fact, it's part of the process I went through to get to this new adventure.) Jon's post really hit me - well, as I was driving to school after reading it, I kept reflecting on it and then it slowly dawned on me.
I need to remember those two words - More You. That's what I bring to the table as a first grade teacher - me and my own unique blend of experiences, knowledge, and "talent." That's what my classroom needs - more me. I have thought about this before (see this post), but I still struggle with what I "should do." So I entered the classroom today with the thought - bring more of me - in the back of my head.
I don't remember consciously thinking of this again during the day. But I did a few things in a different way. I went with what felt right at the moment instead of relying so much on my notes for the class activities. I took a deep breath and plowed on through. The quiet powder resurfaced for our trips in the hallway. Things felt "right."
At the end of the day, as I was walking to my car, I realized that I didn't feel as exhausted as usual. Oh, I'm tired, of course. But not as mentally exhausted and not as anxious. (Maybe getting some report card stuff done helped contribute to that feeling.) As I was driving home, the post and "more you" popped back into my head. And I thought that maybe today I was more me and less "should be."
So tomorrow - more me.
(See, I'm listening!)