Description: This week, we revisit a challenge that can help reinspire and redirect the Self-Care Squad.
Resources:
1. Get your copy of Atomic Habits and join the conversation!
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Transcription: Hi and welcome to episode 22 of season three of Self-Care for Educators. I'm your host, Tina Boogren, and this week's invitation is one that I think we've probably talked about before, but it's worth bringing back again. Isn't everything worth bringing back again? We need reminders constantly. It's just a super simple invitation, and that is to write down quotes and live by them. I am a huge quote person. I love quotes. It's why I'm so attracted to quotes on Instagram or on Pinterest. I love quotes in books. I'm constantly highlighting things and writing them down. I am sharing quotes. I like to send quotes to people via text when I think of them when I read a quote. I just love quotes, and I know that I am not unique in this. And so, here's the reminder to like use that to our advantage. And, I love the idea of making part of our weekly ritual choosing a guiding quote for the week ahead. There's something so powerful about being on the lookout for words that in that exact moment seem to speak to us, and then putting the quote in places where we're gonna see it and live by it for the week.
So, I usually take a screenshot of it if it's something I've seen while I'm browsing on my phone, or I will write it down. I write into my journal. But, that's not enough to just keep it in my journal. I also write it on a sticky note, and I put the sticky note in my paper planner. Whatever works for you. I know I've got some friends that'll write it on a sticky note and put that sticky note like on their bathroom mirror. Maybe you put it in your car dashboard. Just a way to recenter yourself, to set an intention for yourself as you move into a new week. And, I wanna share with you the quote that really I have been thinking about a lot, and I'm going to use it to guide myself and my choices as I move into the week ahead. This quote is particularly important to me in this stage that I am, because I'm in the midst of some really hard travel. I think I'd figured out that in the next three weeks I'm home for less than 36 hours, something just crazy, and so I know that I really need to take care of myself. So, I think that's why this particular quote stood out to me.
So, this quote is from James Clear, the author of Atomic Habits that many of you know I am a little bit obsessed with. It's my favorite book on habits, and I got this quote from his newsletter. I signed up for his newsletter, and it's fantastic. It's filled with wonderful quotes, and this is the quote that I'm taking with me into the week ahead. "It doesn't make sense to continue wanting something if you're not willing to do what it takes to get it. If you don't want to live the lifestyle, then release yourself from the desire to crave the result but not the process is to guarantee disappointment." Oof. That just like stops me in my tracks every single time I read it. It is like, ooh, some hard truth right there. And, quite honestly, some hard truth that I kind of need to hear right now. If you're like me, I'm not a really great auditory listener. So, I'm gonna read the quote again just in case it kind of stood out to you as well, and you wanna kind of ruminate on it alongside me. So, here's the quote one more time. "It doesn't make sense to continue wanting something if you're not willing to do what it takes to get it. If you don't want to live the lifestyle, then release yourself from the desire to crave the result but not the process is to guarantee disappointment."
Oh, as I said, that's one that's really just kind of stopped me in my tracks and given me a lot to think about. That's what I love about quotes. They just kind of find us in the exact right moment that we need them and inspire us, propel us forward, give us something to reflect upon. And, that's why I want this to be our invitation for the week. I want you to find a quote. I want you to go digging for one or just kind of oof open, open it up to the universe and see what finds you. And, when you find that quote, commit to living by it, whatever that looks like for the week ahead. Now, the hardest part, like most things, is remembering to do it. So, this is where, again, I suggest that you screenshot it. Write it on that sticky note. Maybe you take a picture of it, so that it becomes your screensaver on your phone. When you pick up your phone, it forces you to kind of think about that quote, or again, on the bathroom mirror or sticky note on your desk or on your computer.
This is a great thing to do with students, as well. Try it out. See, see if it works. And, what I'd love, if you wouldn't mind maybe sharing the quote that you're living by, I always love to gather quotes from other people. Maybe you kind of even start a notebook or part of your notebook where you just keep quotes. What a cool thing to go back and look, look at. I think this is, you know where Pinterest started. I know I've got a whole board that's just quotes that I love to kind of go back, and isn't it interesting how different quotes hit us at different times or are meaningful for different reasons? So, that's it. It's a simple one. This week, let's keep it real, real easy. Let's find a quote, and let's live by that quote for the week ahead, and see if it makes us any happier or healthier or more calm or whatever it is that we desire. However it is that we want to feel this week.
As always, a huge thank you to Brooke for making this happen. Thank you so much, Marano Resources and Solution Tree for this amazing job that I get to do even when the travel is hard. And, to all of you, my bad-ass Self-Care Squad. I'm able to survive the travel, because I get to see you guys when I'm on the road. Being on the road means I'm in community with all of you, and I never, ever take that for granted nor do I take that lightly. It's a privilege and an honor. Make it a great week, you guys. I'm cheering so hard for you.