Hello and thank you for joining me.
It’s February! Time flies! Well, if time is a construct, and there’s truly no such thing as time…then the day ahead is full of infinite possibilities!
One personal goal that I’ve shared with a few family members, friends, and students has finally materialized - my own website! You’re witnessing it right now! How exciting! To say this project has been a journey is an understatement. I truly had to burrow out from my own brain to overcome the fear, the laziness, and the other busy tasks I gave myself instead of working on my dream of publishing content, in order for this to launch. It is still a work in progress, so bear with me, but I am so happy that I can finally share my work with the world! I will be uploading blogs, sending out newsletters, and creating content for my students and whoever else wants to learn alongside me. Stay tuned for some fun updates!
Another one of my goals for 2023, and for life in general, is to keep reading as much as possible. I need to read anything and everything I can get my hands on. Why? I feel inspired by the written word. Books, magazines, scholarly journals, and articles. You name it, I’ll read it. Reading fuels my creativity. It is also a calming hobby. Ever since I was big enough to pick up a book, I’d copy the words onto blank paper and draw pictures, creating stories in my mind. I never stopped. In junior high, I felt insecure at a new middle school, finding it difficult to fit in and questioning my worth. I turned to my books. They fueled my spirit and I spent time at the library during lunch with my friends - my literature. As an adult, well, nothing has altered my relationship with reading! Although I’ve matured as a person and changed many times over, I still pore over historical fiction, mystery, sci-fi thrillers, non-fiction, and memoirs. Currently, I am reading Marie Benedict's novels, The Overstory by Richard Powers, and Purple Hibiscus by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie. The latter is a novel that Sage Hill School is studying, but it has become an instant favorite of mine. Adichie’s writing is insanely beautiful and truthful, exposing colonialism and its wrath upon Africa and its beautiful people. The novel also portrays love and abuse - complex subjects to navigate with my teenage students. However, the depictions provide a topic of conversation and critique - so important to the lifelong scholar. I may dedicate a post to her literature and TED talks soon. Another reading suggestion, The Thing Around Your Neck, is Adichie’s collection of superb short stories. She inspires me to think outside the box and write from the heart, exposing the soul of words. Do yourself a favor and check out her books!
Lastly, I’ve been trying to meditate every morning throughout the last few weeks. It’s hard! I am a thinker! I can’t simply “turn off my brain” to focus on nothing. What I’ve learned and what I’d like to share is this: I play meditative music once I wake up, while staying in bed. I envision myself protected and guided. When thoughts come in, I say “no thank you, not right now,” so I can continue to focus on the musical sounds, my breath, and my mantras. I keep my eyes closed. This lasts for however long I can stand. Three. Six. Ten minutes. I want to eventually get to thirty minutes! We shall start slow. Why meditation you may wonder? Well, this influenced me. And this. Start with these podcasts if you don’t like to read (cough cough). There are numerous benefits of meditation. Another reason is to prevent myself from instantly reaching for my iPhone to begin the endless scroll of news and social media first thing in the morning. I also feel more loving and positive when I start my day with happy thoughts and gratefulness. Last, I am CALM. Like really, truly, blissfully calm. Nothing rattles my cage. Meditation enables me to start my morning in a state of mindfulness before I plug in my IV drip of coffee. I’ll keep you updated on my progress. Right now, it’s a game-changer.
Some thoughts I’ve had for this month and encourage you to ask yourself: What inspires me? What are some limitations I’ve placed upon myself that I wish to release? How can I take baby steps each day to reach my goals? What brings me a little joy every single day?
I believe that when you take care of yourself first, you can be more present with the world.
I hope you find one thing to be grateful for today. Let’s take a deep breath. Thank you for this life, thank you for this body, thank you for this soul, thank you for my eyes and my brain and my laptop and my internet connection. Thank you.
If you’d like to connect with me about my blog post or any of the content I shared today, please reach out through email or my social links below!