Colleagues,

Back on April 19-22 we had a four-day challenge to be present. Reader and assistant principal extraordinaire Emily Parks shared (with permission):

I accepted the challenge to be fully present. I noticed conversations were longer (perhaps leading to deeper conversations and reflection), people were more open (and probably more honest), and although it took time away from other tasks I could've been doing, I felt better about these interactions. I have realized I have to be human and honest with my people, so when someone asked "Are you busy?" or "Do you have a minute?", I had to respond honestly in order to be fully present, which meant sometimes scheduling a better time to talk if I was busy and unable to be fully present.
 
The first takeaway: “I felt better about these interactions.” Being present doesn’t just help others, it help us too.
 
The second takeaway: “I had to respond honestly in order to be fully present, which meant sometimes scheduling a better time to talk.” Being fully present doesn’t mean you have to be fully present all the time. That’s not possible. The acceptable alternative to not being fully present is to not be present at all! 
 
It is in the space of being absent that you do the tasks that then allow you to be present.
 
The key is to not be partially present. Being partially present communicates partial value of the person and the relationship.

Cheers!

​Frederick

Colleagues,

Mara here!
 
There is a lot happening in the world right now, and in our own individual lives that not everyone sees. Sometimes that requires us to pick up some slack. Sometimes it requires us to recognize our own needs and ask for help. 
 
This week I challenge us all, myself included, to search for actions. Whether it’s taking a task off of someone’s hand, communicating your own needs and asking others help carry your load, or just giving someone a smile: let’s try and recognize the raw human in all of us. 
 
Check-in on yourself and check-in on your people. 
 
Sending love and sunshine,
 
Mara

Colleagues,

Day 5 of the five for five challenge: Reflect

• What have you learned about yourself?
• What is one thing you will hold onto from this week?
• Why that thing?

 
Please, please, please…
 
Email me here and give me some feedback. 

• Was this worth doing? 
• Should I do more of this in the future? 
• Did you have an Aha! moment?
• Do you prefer the more straightforward messages?

 
Have a great weekend
 
Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

Day 4 of the five for five challenge: Find a picture of yourself as a child.

• Tell that child what you love about them.
• Include some of your affirmations.
• As you go about your day, think about that child, and treat yourself the way you would treat them.

 
This is the one I use. I always wonder what he was thinking, and what possibilities he saw in the world.

​Cheers!
 
Frederick

Colleagues,

Day 3 of the five for five challenge: Identify the most damaging negative thing you say to yourself.
 

• Designate it as public enemy number one.
• Write its affirmation on a sticky.
• Put the sticky on your computer or someplace prominent. Bonus points if you put it on the home screen of your phone!
• Read and say it three times throughout the day.

Cheers!

Frederick