Okay, lovely friends. I’m sharing my action plans, as promised. Please keep in mind that I only came to these plans after a TON of work but the experience and the process were so valuable! I highly recommend this workbook to anyone who is looking to make real change and progress towards a meaningful life living their “core values” (as Jess Lively would say). If you can’t afford them this year or aren’t sure if they will work for you, start with Lara’s blog post series and use this walk-through video to help you. I’m making it a priority to purchase from Lara to support her continued mission because I wholeheartedly believe in the work she is doing (even if I’m not really there in terms of the religious aspects). Sometimes, you’ve got to put your dollars where your heart is.
Enough plugging for the Powersheets. Onto the goals.
For each goal, there is a why, an action plan of starting steps, and important checkpoints to help my goals become more concrete. Also, EVEN THOUGH THIS IS NOT EXPECTED OR TYPICAL, I felt very strongly that I needed the word NOURISH (my #woty ) to start every single goal this year. This doesn’t work for everyone, and it probably honestly won’t ever work for me again. It’s just WHAT I PERSONALLY NEED right now. Do what’s best for you. As Lara always says, there are no rules here – so make things work for you!!!
1 | Nourish my physical and mental health {so that I can still be present, thriving, and making a difference when I’m 80}.
Ooh, friends, this one was painful. I’m watching my 81 year old grandmother slowly deteriorate, and it’s awful because I know that it didn’t have to happen like this. It’s the result of several deliberate choices.
I’m terrified of being like that, because I can see some of the seeds planted within myself.
Action Steps
- Get enough sleep as often as possible. This means 8 hours of actual sleep because that’s what my body NEEDS, and usually 8.5 hours physically being in bed. This is really, really, REALLY hard for me as I’m already extremely pressed for time.
- Make exercise a part of my daily and weekly routines.
- Ice skate often, for both physical and mental benefits (this is hard to be consistent with because of conflicts between rink times and other commitments).
- Learn to be more comfortable with water, certain foods, and balance.
- Make small, consistent efforts regardless of setbacks.
Positive Results That I May See
- Being more healthy for short- and long-term, as well as positive self-images
People to Ask for Help
- husband, family, find reliable child care for things that don’t fit into our schedule, psychiatrist, new PCP
What Progress Looks Like
- Continued body progress and less lost time/days
How I Will Celebrate
- Enjoy extra time in my daily life from good mental and physical health
- Buy new ice skates (blades and boots) so that I can work on new moves that I can’t currently attempt
2 | Nourish my daily quality of life {because it affects me more than anything else, and small changes could make a big difference}.
Action Steps
- Examine and redesign daily routines for both school and non-school days (this has been completed as a preliminary design. Working on implementation and refinement now).
- Set limits for certain activities (work, mindless social media) and minimums for others (self-care, reading, painting, exercising, meditating).
- Utilize technology for good, not for comparison
- Give myself GRACE when things don’t go to plan, and don’t use setbacks as an excuse to stop trying
- Keep the little things from piling into big things
- Don’t fill up extra time gained with striving for perfection or overcommitment
Positive Results That I May See
- Calm, even when there’s chaos
People to Ask for Help
- husband, family
What Progress Looks Like
- Daily peace and better ability to handle disasters
How I Will Celebrate
- Mental peace and better quality of life
3 | Nourish my family {because they are the most important thing to me by far}.
Action Steps
- Schedule time for myself so I can be the best version of me when I’m with them.
- Be present and proactive, even in simple interactions.
- Make sure that positive interactions outweigh negative interactions
- Push out of my comfort zone to do more experiences with them.
- Snuggle each boy independently at least once a week, giving him my full attention.
- Eat dinner at the table at least 3-4 times per week.
Positive Results That I May See
- Better relationships with meaningful memories
People to Ask for Help
- Family, mentor that I have in mind
What Progress Looks Like
- Less yelling and more connecting
How I Will Celebrate
- Ongoing experiences with family
- Add more opportunities to spend time together (passes to favorite places, plan picnics or other fun activities)
4 | Private
5 | Nourish my relationships with friends {so that we will continue to be supportive of each other and actively involved in each others’ lives}.
Action Steps
- Add each close friend to my tending list and make contact once every week.
- Video conference or long phone call once per month
- Become more active with local friends one/twice per month
- Help extroverted friends understand my anxiety and reluctance to meet in large groups
- Pick one friend for a care package each month
Positive Results That I May See
- Connected and deeper relationships
People to Ask for Help
- Friends – schedule contact/times to video chat
What Progress Looks Like
- Friends reciprocating contact
How I Will Celebrate
- Periodic trips to visit far-away friends
6| Nourish work life and teaching outcomes {so that I maximize impact and effectiveness but find a much better balance between work and my other priorities}.
A.K.A. THE BEAST
Action Steps
- Schedule one full 12-16 hour day per month to dedicate to planning and creation of materials – NO grading. NO parent contact. NO updating Schoology. Use personal days or sick days (preventative mental health days) if there are no built-in days off in a month. THESE ARE SCHEDULED THROUGH APRIL 2018 in my planner and on our family calendar.
- Complete all tasks by 4:30pm each day and LEAVE, or they don’t get done. No more than one hour of work after 7pm each night at home.
- Spend no more than 3 hours on the weekends on work.
- Focus on quality target language use by both teacher and students.
- Re-evaluate curriculum and methods during the summer. Develop steady, routine summer work schedule with a daily work overview.
- Focus on patience, relationships, and quality.
Positive Results That I May See
- Less stress, longevity in the classroom
People to Ask for Help
- Shannon, Toni, blogs
What Progress Looks Like
- Ability to complete routines in the time allotted, increase in student performance and happiness
How I Will Celebrate
- Savings towards a family summer trip abroad
7 | Private
8 | Nourish mindfulness and spirituality {because outer calm starts with inner calm}.
Action Steps
- Develop a true meditation habit, with proper form and effort.
- Use Grid Journal daily, and change grids as needed.
- Push past discomfort with meditation and God to develop comfort.
- Actively seek God, even it it’s not in the traditional sense or in a way my parents understand.
- DO THE WORK.
- Wallow in being uncomfortable and asking the hard questions so that growth comes from the struggle.
Positive Results That I May See
- Feelings of control and being settled/grounded
People to Ask for Help
- MYSELF – I have to make myself do the work
What Progress Looks Like
- Patience, calm, better handle on anxiety
How I Will Celebrate
- Bubble baths!
9 | Nourish simplicity by sprouting through the dirt {because nothing ever grew without the tremendous effort of pushing the dirt out of the way}.
This goal is based on Lara’s constant references to gardening, and specifically to, “let the dirt be dirt.”
Action Steps
- Change “sorrys” into “thank yous” (EX: I’m sorry I was late > Thank you for being patient with me as I needed extra time) to change the way I express gratitude in relationships
- Look for the growth in every challenge
- Say something to validate my self-worth every day
- Declutter and organize, physically and mentally
- Change the way I approach social media (develop a plan)
- Make no more commitments unless it complements all of my goals
Positive Results That I May See
- Overcoming anxiety and guilt
People to Ask for Help
- Cultivate What Matters
What Progress Looks Like
- LESS of so many things (in a very positive way)
How I Will Celebrate
- LOVING myself (and taking a nap!)
10 | Nourish the desire to burn steadily with passion {because going deeper and being balanced will keep me from burning out}.
Action Steps
- Limit and focus my passions. “You can do anything, but not everything.”
- Be the best teacher I can be RIGHT NOW, not the best teacher ever/period.
- Long term > short term – examine all choices
- Learn to live in the discomfort of new experiences
- Hang up my new favorite quotes in my classroom, work space at home
- Cultivate my French-speaking skills
Two Blue Pillars 