What We Practice, We Become

 

Last week during one of my workouts, I was reminded of the phrase, "What we practice, we become." While the point being made was related to consistently working out and achieving specific health goals, my mind started to wander and I inevitably started to think about my job as an educator. I began taking inventory of my words and actions and started to wonder if what I have been doing is actually helping me become the person I want to be. I don't want to say that this moment was an existential crisis, but it definitely got me thinking and carried me through the rest of my workout. After all, I am always looking for ways to take my mind off of things I really don't like doing and running is certainly one of those things.

As I pondered the question of what I am currently practicing, I found myself in a pretty deep self reflection and taking inventory on how my actions are contributing to where I am currently at on my professional journey. I started asking myself if I have been trying to act the part or actually doing things that are moving me forward. I questioned whether or not I have been modeling what I expect from those I have been charged to lead. What I discovered was that I am excelling in some areas, but falling behind in others. I definitely have work to do, but I can also embrace the areas where I have made significant progress.

In terms of successes, I feel like I have made great progress with mindfulness in SOME areas. I have become acutely aware of my body's tolerance for stress and how I can go about managing it. I'm working out more, eating better, getting more sleep, and learning when to turn the computer off and stop working. This has manifested itself in me being more engaged in other areas of my life where I struggled to find balance. In terms of opportunities for growth, I have learned that my mindfulness needs to become more well rounded. I've learned that as the COVID-19 pandemic continues, I have become more jaded, cynical, and less tolerant of certain behaviors. I get easily irritated over some pretty small things and I can flip the switch on negativity pretty quickly. It is in these moments that I'm a bear to be around.

The great thing is that I am surrounded by amazing people who have gotten to know me and have learned that they don't need to walk on eggshells around me. They are gentle in their approach, but they give me the hard feedback that I need to continue moving forward. They aren't making things personal by attacking me, but rather, they let me know how my actions are impacting their ability to find joy in what they are doing. That, my friends, is the mark of a great culture and is what will carry me through the remainder of this pandemic because I know that I have people who have my back just as much as I have theirs.

Practice makes perfect, but the reality is that we can never be perfect. Therein lies the opportunity for growth. Ultimately, we have two choices. We can draw a line in the sand and expect everyone else to conform to our standards or we can realize that each of us is a work in progress and our line in the sand needs to be adjusted based on our growth as human beings. If we commit to being a little better each day in spite of our flaws, we can achieve something special. If we will each do a little self reflection each day and practice what we want to become, we have an amazing opportunity to impact those that we teach and work with on a daily basis. After all, what we practice, we become.

#OwnYourEpic #Forge