“Sharpening the saw means preserving and enhancing the greatest asset you have - you.” Stephen R. Covey
I am innately curious and love to learn and so sharpening the saw in terms of learning is a strength for me. I am constantly assessing my own teaching and thinking about how I can improve. I like learning, even if it makes my brain hurt or I become frustrated. Learning is a positive challenge. I also realize that I need to learn to continue to support my students in their learning. I am definitely open to learning about new ideas and renewing my own teaching practice, even if it means change.
Maintaining balance in my life to preserve and enhance myself can be a challenge. If life gets too far off balance or a significant change happens, I feel it. I really feel it - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Anxiety takes over and it affects my ability to function like my usual self. Luckily, I have learned ways to enliven my own self-renewal. I go for runs on the local trails. I head to the tide pools to find amazing creatures and enjoy the ocean. I spend time conversing with friends - over dinner, over the phone, or doing something we both enjoy. I spend time in prayer and reading scriptures, or cook a tasty recipe. Intentionally choosing one of these avenues for self-renewal takes practice. I am continually learning to adjust my own balance through the lens of my own expectations and self-reflection.
It isn’t easy to make a forward move when you feel out of balance. However, I cannot grow or really experience the joys in life if I stay stuck with my anxiety. I am encouraged by others, and specifically my classmates and professors in my masters program. Their discussion posts remind me that I am not alone in my thinking. Their comments on my blog let me know that someone is reading. Their feedback is personally powerful, and an example on how I want to work with my own students. I definitely feel blessed by the people in my program.
I am innately curious and love to learn and so sharpening the saw in terms of learning is a strength for me. I am constantly assessing my own teaching and thinking about how I can improve. I like learning, even if it makes my brain hurt or I become frustrated. Learning is a positive challenge. I also realize that I need to learn to continue to support my students in their learning. I am definitely open to learning about new ideas and renewing my own teaching practice, even if it means change.
Maintaining balance in my life to preserve and enhance myself can be a challenge. If life gets too far off balance or a significant change happens, I feel it. I really feel it - physically, mentally, and emotionally. Anxiety takes over and it affects my ability to function like my usual self. Luckily, I have learned ways to enliven my own self-renewal. I go for runs on the local trails. I head to the tide pools to find amazing creatures and enjoy the ocean. I spend time conversing with friends - over dinner, over the phone, or doing something we both enjoy. I spend time in prayer and reading scriptures, or cook a tasty recipe. Intentionally choosing one of these avenues for self-renewal takes practice. I am continually learning to adjust my own balance through the lens of my own expectations and self-reflection.
It isn’t easy to make a forward move when you feel out of balance. However, I cannot grow or really experience the joys in life if I stay stuck with my anxiety. I am encouraged by others, and specifically my classmates and professors in my masters program. Their discussion posts remind me that I am not alone in my thinking. Their comments on my blog let me know that someone is reading. Their feedback is personally powerful, and an example on how I want to work with my own students. I definitely feel blessed by the people in my program.