The Little Things

Week 4 – June 12, 2023 – Being Present

It feels good to catch up. I feel rested and present. I needed time to gather myself and I have not quite felt 100% since returning from Italy. Returning to work and the last 6-weeks past by like a whirlwind. I have report to write as well as grants and many, many other things to attend to with respect to my research program, but I am very grateful to feel like I am can a breath, reflect, and blog once again.

I am catching up with my blogging and anticipate to blog in the next handful of days but I’ve been wanted to get to this place of being to consider what I have learned and how I can move forward. I am learning that blogging on weekends when I’m out of town is not possible, so Tuesdays seems like a reasonable day. Look at this photo!!! It’s just gorgeous. I feel very connected to the water.

My friend and I went camping this weekend with UNBC RecOrg. She had a trailer and we have not had many opportunities lately to connect. For me, it was a time to SLOW DOWN (even though I did some work on Saturday). It was a fun event. Apparently, I was the only faculty member attending. That’s OK. I enjoyed meeting new people, grateful to the organizers, and loved the potluck (aka. the brisket).

Practicum has finished last week and I should be writing final reports while catching up with so many things I need to catch up on and things put on hold. One of things I wanted to return back to was my blog. I am left thinking after many conversations and moments with self to reflect on my work, my values, and my life. I can’t afford to not trust myself and stand tall in my position and my location.

I am left with appreciating the little things and celebrating the small victories, like enjoying the sunset, the sound of the rushing water, and playing board games with friends (even though I lost a couple of times and was being eaten by mosquitoes). I appreciate that I have a warm and safe place to live, I love living and being with my kid, and I enjoy the work I do as it contributes to K-12 and teacher education.

I have a lot to be grateful for and I am learning how to be more resilient and dare I say, independent. As I look at myself, I am driven by being in community, to have connections, and to collaborate with others to co-construct good things together. I appreciate all of that, but what I am also learning about is how to appreciate being alone, to feel confident in my work, and to have the strength to move forward.

The message I just shared with a friend and colleague the other day is, when you are rejected or you experienced failure, it’s not the moment to quit or give up. It’s telling you that this is not the right way to go. There’s another door that’s open and you’re job is to find it. I am reminded of this and it’s not to dwell on what could have been or what you want things to be, but other opportunities to consider.

In the meantime, focus on what’s going well. That’s telling you one thing, but also pay attention to what’s not going well. It’s telling you the same story. The goal is to take a few steps back to look at the big picture to navigate next steps. Be clear about your goal. If a rock gets in your way, work around it. Don’t fight it. This is your journey to explore and wonder about. Enjoy. Learn. And, take a deep breath.