So I just finished reading Shift, by Etahn Kross the other day, and honestly, it was just what I needed. You see, there is a lot going on in the world these days, and if we aren’t careful it’s very easy to let the state of the world, and all of the emotions that come along with the constant bombardment of negativity, affect our well being, our mindset and how we show up for others. Like the rest of us, I too have been struggling a little with all of it, and this, coupled with the unexpected death of my Mother just a few short months ago, had left me feeling unbalanced and a little out of sorts. It’s not that I turned into someone completely different, but in my quiet moments I was struggling to process many of the feelings and emotions that kept rushing to the surface. After reflecting on the book however, and finding the right approach and strategies to navigate how I was feeling, I have finally come up for air so to speak, and I found my energy, my optimism and hope, and my smile once again.
It all started with a small but powerful “shift” that very quickly and very profoundly changed my days for the better. This shift allowed me to focus more clearly on what I actually have control of in my life, ensuring that I don’t miss out on the joyful moments that are just waiting to be discovered. Essentially, It had to do with how I spent the first 30 minutes of my day. Before last week, the first half an hour was mostly about meetings, or trouble shooting the issues and emails that had come my way the day or night before. Basically, the first 30 minutes of work was all about looking at fixing problems and putting out fires, and it didn’t allow me to really notice or appreciate the absolute magic that is the beginning of a new day. I was missing all the smiles and all the joy that comes along with the excitement and the promise of a new day at school, and I was not starting my days in the right frame of mind. So last week, I decided to shift to spending the first 30 minutes of every school day being a smile hunter…looking and listening for joy, and beauty, and laughter, and excitement, and smiles, which as it turns out, are everywhere, all the time, and screaming out to be noticed.
I decided to count the number of times that a child or a child’s actions made me smile as they arrived through the gates and began classes, and I’m sure it’s not surprising to you that I lost count before the first minute of class even started. It was overwhelming to see kids literally skipping to class, holding hands with their friends and families, excited to show off their science or social studies projects, talking about how well they played in their soccer and volleyball games the day before, completely prepared to crush an assessment that was coming their way, and more often than not, just genuinely thrilled to get started on another day of learning. I walked back to my office after touring my division for 30 minutes and I was smiling from ear to ear. My 30 minute routine, or shift, has now become the best part of my day, and I’ve found that the belly laughs that I inevitably find on my smile tour stay with me, and keep me constantly searching for the small and beautiful moments that make up my day at work.
It reminds me of one of my favorite Paul Simon lyrics, which goes, “All I have to do today is smile”, from the song, The Only Living Boy in New York…and as simple as it sounds, this little change in practice allowed me to take back a part of the daily narrative that we are all in control of, and to begin the day in a joyful state of mind. We are all dealing with a lot of negativity these days, and like I said before, it’s easy for all of the noise and difficult emotions to impact the way we are showing up for others, and for ourselves.
Just to be clear, I was a very happy person before I read this book, and it was, and still is very rare to find me without a smile on my face because I love, love, love what I do…but life is hard sometimes, and grief is a very real thing, and being intentional about how you navigate difficult times can make a world of difference. This shift hasn’t changed the state of the world, and it isn’t bringing my mother back, but it has allowed me to focus on what I find most important in my work, which is seeking out the beauty of our students and celebrating them for being the amazing young people that they are.
There is so much beauty in the run of a school day that it will make your head spin, that’s the truth, and if you focus on spending some uninterrupted time seeking out that beauty, you allow yourself the opportunity to revel in it. Schools are the most beautiful places on earth if you open your eyes to the magic, and if you get into the habit of becoming a daily smile hunter. What do you have to do today? All I have to do today is smile! As a side note, Ethan Kross wrote another book called, Chatter, which in my opinion is the best unconventional leadership book that I have ever read. I recommend both Chatter and Shift if you are looking to proactively and positively manage not only your emotions, but the internal thoughts that we all deal with privately throughout the day. Okay, have a wonderful week everyone and remember to be great for our students and good to each other…happy smile hunting!
Quote of the Week…
I love those who can smile in trouble, who can gather strength from distress, and grow brave by reflection. — Leonardo da Vinci
Inspiring Videos –
The Hidden Power of Smiling – TED
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