Building the New

“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” ~ Socrates

A lot has happened over the course of your life. Let’s be real - a lot has happened during this school year! I can imagine you can look back on many joyful and challenging times. You may have been hurt or disrespected. You may have experienced extreme moments of unexpected trauma or grief. From these circumstances, your life most likely changed in a way it will never go back to. Perhaps unhealthy habits have formed, leaving you feeling stuck or stagnant. 

Consider your students - their life experiences and the year you’ve had so far together. I wonder if they are also wrestling with past experiences they didn’t ask for or actions they feel ashamed of taking. Are they walking into your classroom every day, trying to fight the old ways of being? Do you find yourself in this place as well?

This is an immense amount of emotional pressure to place on yourself. It’s easy to get caught up in this idea, however, that you need to break the old habits, fight the past demons, and overcome every difficult experience in order to reach a sense of peace or growth. I often find myself in this way of thinking, which is why today’s reflection quote brings a fresh perspective of freedom. What if, instead of placing blame on yourself or others for past mis-steps, you treated yourself and those around you with grace, considering the opportunities that are ahead? What if instead of spending energy trying to undo what’s been done, you invest time and passion into creating the life you truly want to live? Pursue forgiveness and reconciliation. Be intentionally loving and thankful. And invite space to envision how you want your life to look and feel. Then start building.