“Greatness is a road leading towards the unknown.”- Charles de Gaulle
We are officially into the new year and the district is back in business. Having had time with family and friends to refresh and rejuvenate has given us time to reflect on the past and ponder the road ahead. All of that said, we are still in this together, and life continues to be lived one day at a time.
We never really know what is coming next. It is easy to get so caught up in trying to figure out our path that we overlook the obvious. At this time of year, when people are thinking about the big picture, it is important to look at the small steps that are right in front of us. Rather than getting so caught up in the destination, it is once again time to enjoy the process.
I was talking to my wife, Jennifer, about some of the things that she wants to accomplish. She is excited to pursue some of her creative dreams, and has a few ideas about things she can do now, that will move her in the direction of those bigger desires. As we spoke, it became obvious that, while she knows what to do, she was feeling resistance to actually getting them done.
It is in times like these that it is helpful to write down where we want to go and any inspired steps that we can take in service to those goals. Then, it is time to let go of figuring things out and start taking action in simple ways. Life is a dance between the things we can control and the things we cannot. When we simplify our thinking and tend to our lives with care and a joyful patience, then the things we cannot control start to go to work in our favor.
This week I had a heart-to-heart talk with a student about some things that have been troubling him at school. He has been having difficulty maintaining relationships with his peers because he feels targeted by them for being different. I noticed that in response to the negative energy that was being directed toward him, he was firing back with his own negative comments.
I reminded this young man that he was on a mission. His job was to be true to himself and not let that negativity get inside of his heart. I pointed out that it would not benefit him to become a mean-spirited person in response to those perceived attacks.
In a moment of emotional honesty, his voice cracked and he told me that I do not understand what he is going through because I get respect from the students that pick on him. I reminded him of the many challenging lunch groups that I have faced, when I did not get the respect I felt I deserved from those very students. I told him that we must choose to respect ourselves, even when others may not be willing, or able, to return the favor.
We can only control half of the equation in life. If we want to effect positive change in our lives, we must find a way to cultivate a positive perspective. It is a choice to construct a point of view that fuels our hope and inspires us to take steps in a positive direction.
When we do this, we open ourselves up to new possibilities and opportunities that we might have missed if we hung our heads and wallowed in resentment or disappointment.
A great example of this is a friend of mine who had been going through some challenging times. He had experienced difficult changes in his family life and lost touch with his inspiration. This lead him to gain weight and give up on the thing he loved, surfing.
Last week I saw him and he looked like a new man. He told me that he had begun working with a trainer and had gotten back in the water. I could see the fire in his eyes and hear the stoke in his voice as he described the positive effects of those simple choices he made to get on with living a happy life.
If you are having trouble figuring out what steps to take in a certain situation, slow down. Write down your desires and make a list of any small steps you can take, right now, to advance toward your dreams. There is something amazing waiting to happen, and your willingness to focus your energy and attention in a positive direction will set off a new series of outcomes. There are people to meet, and experiences to be had. Your job is to take it all one inspired step at a time.
Edward Biagiotti is the Inclusion Specialist for Culver City Unified School District. He is also co-host of the popular radio show, Funniest Thing! with Darrell and Ed, to find out more go to www.DarrellandEd.com. Visit www.TappingIntoGenius.com for more articles and a free, inspirational parenting download.