Description: This week, the Squad is challenged to rethink an old phrase and how we might use it to motivate us to make positive steps.
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Transcription: Hi, and welcome to Episode 9 of season 4 of Self-Care for Educators. I'm your host, Tina Boogren. This week's invitation is to think about this phrase, all I think we know the phrase for sure, all or nothing, and this is a little twist of that, that feels pretty good, especially when we're really busy. And, here's the thinking behind it, all or something, meaning we can do the thing we need to do, but if we can't do it, can we at least do something? For me, I've really been thinking about this in terms of movement and working out. When I get really busy in my travel season and I'm on the road, it just, it's always a challenge and sometimes I can get stuck in my head that if I had planned to do, say, a scheduled strength training session where I work with a coach, and I've got everything mapped out, if I don't have time, let's say that takes about 45 minutes, if I don't have time to do that, I feel like, ugh, forget it.
And, there's a feeling of like all or nothing. Just don't do it. Either do it or don't do it. And, in reality, that's just not the case. That I can do something. So, even if I can't do the full 45 minute workout, maybe I've got 10 minutes, and I can do some squats and some push ups. Just do something. And, when I think about this phrase, all or something, I feel like it just applies in so many areas. Many of us struggle a bit with perfectionism and wanting to do everything perfectly, and get all the things done, and check everything off of the list, and we feel bad when we don't. And, what this kind of reframing does for us, it just reminds us that it's okay if we don't get it all done, or do it all perfectly, or check everything off our list, that in fact, something is. So, as you move into this week, I want you to think about what does that look like for you?
What areas can you apply this phrase and this reframing and this thinking of all or something? So, maybe you can't grade all of the papers, but could you do some of the papers. Maybe you can't get all of the lesson planning done, but maybe you could get some of it done. Maybe you can't meal prep for the entire week, but could you pack a lunch tomorrow? I just think there's so many places that we can do this and it just feels like an exhale in a certain way when I think about this phrase. And so, I sometimes get these great new phrases and ideas and then I forget about them. And so, you know me, I like to write things on my wrist. I like to put things on sticky notes as reminders or maybe set a phone reminder.
Just think about how you can remind yourself of this and maybe even think about keeping track of all of the ways that you were able to do. Something this week maybe you couldn't do it all. Kudos if you can do it all, but this kind of lets us off the hook in the kindest way. It doesn't, it's not an excuse.
It's not, it's legit, right? You're busy a gazillion things going on. So many expectations. And, I think we really place high expectations on ourselves. And so, when we're able to back off a little bit and think about, okay, what does something look like? I love because this also taps us back into the brilliant, brilliant words of wisdom from James Clear, author of Atomic Habits about just 1 percent better every day. 1 percent better. One teeny, tiny, little percent. When we get that mentality in our mind, that just helps to reiterate that. We don't have to do all of it. It's not 98 percent better every single day instead. What is that just teeny tiny little baby step that 1 percent better and you know, he shows in his book that if we get 1 percent better every single day for a year, we are 37 times better at the end of that year.
And so, when it feels like, Oh gosh, you know, I don't have time for my 45 minute workout. What is five squats gonna do well, the reality is it's gonna do a lot. I did something. I kept my habit going. I feel good. I might be able to squeeze in a few more, and if not, excuse me. It's okay. I did something and something is better than nothing. So, that's what I wanted us to think about this week. I want us to apply this principle of all. Or, something and help move us away from the mentality that we're so used to of all or nothing. I'd love, excuse me, if you would jump on over to the Facebook group and tell us like, in what ways and areas of your life did you apply this? Things that I probably haven't even thought of yet. I just love the brilliance of this group. So, I can't wait to hear how you were able to take a deep breath this week and think about all or something.
As always, huge, huge, huge thank you to Brooke for making this happen. Thank you to Solution Tree and Marzano Resources for this incredible job that I get to do. And, as always, to you. My bad-ass Self-Care Squad. Make it an amazing, amazing week, you guys. And, let's pinky promise that we're going to try to change our thinking to all or something. I'm cheering so hard for you.