Warner Update
Making a difference, one person at a time
I'm Already Here, But I'll Keep Going (Oct. 19 - 26)
Excerpt taken from Stephen Guise's blog, Deep Existence
One morning, I woke up with anxiety. The tension raised my shoulders and tightened my stomach. I sat down to think for a moment about what was going on, and I realized the root of my problem. I was discontent.
I wasn’t discontent in the way that I typically think of the word. I wasn’t sad or depressed about my life. I have a great life, which is why I found it so interesting.
The discontent, I realized, was the result of a nagging false belief I had let overcome me in recent days. It was the belief that I wasn’t good enough yet, that I hadn’t reached the arbitrary next level I was looking for. I felt a massive burden to work much much harder to master certain aspects of my life. I felt so far from the finish line.
But once I realized that, I gained significant power over my anxiety. Why? Because I shut down those beliefs easily by subjecting them to the truth.
Truth one: We are good enough in this moment.
There’s no special gauge to tell us that we are or are not good enough. There are no blood tests for this. The false notion that we aren’t good enough can only be supported by its vagueness.
- Will making more money make me good enough? No, my worth is separate from money.
- Will greater success make me good enough? No, others’ opinion of me doesn’t define me.
- Will fewer mistakes make me good enough? No, I’ll always make mistakes, and that’s okay.
Truth two: Timing is our own. Lifestyle is subjective. Mastery is optional.
Don’t be so critical of yourself, be critical of the measuring stick you’re using.
There are certainly things we all want to master, but there’s no rush. Let go of the pressure to live 36 hour days in 24 hours. The pressure to do everything now can move us forward in the short-term, but it will only wear us down and cripple us in the long-term.
Truth three: There is no finish line.
Life is a journey. It doesn’t matter how cliche that is, because it is the profound truth.
Yes, there are desirable achievements to reach. Yes, there are proverbial mountains to climb. But contentment is not found on top of a mountain, it’s found before, during, and after the climb (including the top).
The truth is that there are no final destinations so long as we are alive. The end of one adventure is the beginning of another. No checkpoint can fulfill a person. Only the love of the journey can fulfill us. Thus, let’s focus more on the experiences we have instead of the milestones we desire. It’s the experiences that define our journey.
Conclusion
“I’m already here, but I’ll keep going.”
This phrase sums up my thoughts. I’m here. I have everything I need to be content in this imperfect and beautiful life.
You and I, we’re already here. Let’s keep going because we enjoy the journey.
Next Week At A Glance:
Tuesday, October 22nd: Rescheduled Tornado Drill AM
Wednesday, October 23rd: Grades 3-5 Assembly at 8:45am
Wednesday, October 23rd: Grades Due for Quarter 1
Wednesday, October 23rd: PLC
- Quarter 2 begins...
- Q1 What do we want our students to know? (Essentials for Quarter 2)
- Q2 How will we know they learned it? (Discuss formative assessments)
- Is there common misconceptions with student understanding?
- Q3 What will we do if students didn't learn it?
Thursday, October 24th: Countywide Principal Meeting AM
Thursday, October 24th: CPFCU in the afternoon at Warner
Thursday, October 24th: 5th Grade Camp Parent-Orientation at Bean El. 6:30pm
Friday, October 25th: Halloween Themed Fun Night at Warner (after school - 6pm)
* Shout Out to our Warner PTO and supportive families for multiple days of meals provided for our staff. If you get a moment please recognize them for their support and generosity.
* Signed IRIP's should be turned in to the office or Angela Kolb
* Western Trunk or Treat is scheduled for October 31st from 5:30-7:30pm
- Still in need of candy donations
- Still in need of more "trunks"