It’s here! I’s finally here! It’s finally time to start. For those of you in education like me, you know exactly what I’m talking about. School is finally starting! This is the moment we’ve anticipated since March: the moment when our students (the very reason we chose education) will arrive. And for those very students, it’s also the moment they’ve anticipated since March when they will arrive both face to face or online and see their friends again. So much has happened since we were all together last this spring. Many things in our world, in our nation, in our neighborhood, in our school, in our home, and in our very own hearts have changed since then but many things have remained the same like...Back to School Shopping!!
I always enjoy the days leading up to the first day of school like picking out my school supplies; picking out what I will wear on my first day of school; and for our family tradition - where we are going for ice cream to celebrate our first day. My boys still know on their first day of school (even in college) I ask them to send me a picture of themselves eating ice cream somewhere on their first day. I love traditions. They give me a sense of reassurance in an ever-changing world that there are some things I can count on! I also enjoy packing my backpack (of course now a clear backpack) with everything I’ll need for that very first day. Which leads me to my question for today: "What are you packing in your backpack this school year?"
What am I packing? There of course will be the usual things for me like pens (of all colors), pencils, sticky notes, my laptop and cord, papers, binders, etc. But I’m not just speaking of the physical items in your backpack, I’m talking about all the things that truly matter in life. These are all of the things that make you who you are. Our backpacks of life can get pretty heavy as we move from one point to the next. They can get full of stress, worries, regrets, anxious thoughts and lies we tell ourselves that really weigh us down. Before we know it, we aren’t really sure how we got here but we know it’s time to stop and clean out that backpack before the weight of it takes us down. As a school counselor, I work with students all the time to help organize their physical backpacks because they just can’t seem to figure out where their homework went and then surprisingly, we find it hidden all the way at the bottom folded and crumpled! We spend time sorting through items to keep and items to throw away. At the end of this process, it’s amazing how much lighter the load is for them.
This is exactly the same process I’ve found myself in during this time of quarantine. Sorting through the things in my life that I want to keep and the things I need to let go. I’ve been asking myself, "What are the things I want to keep that make my heart sing and what are the things to let go of that make me so angry I could scream?" I’m choosing to pack my backpack a little differently this school year. Over the next few weeks, I’d like to share with you some of the different ways I’m packing lighter and here is one:
I used to be really good about keeping a journal and then life happened and well, I got out of practice. During quarantine, the very first thing I committed to was to start journaling again. As a counselor I know the value of processing my thoughts on paper but hadn’t been living it out. So, I took my own advice, found my special place (my back porch pictured below) and made myself get still for several moments and just flood my paper with all my thoughts. This allowed me to get still for an extended period of time (very hard for me) and allowed me to write without judgement and “see” my thoughts on paper.
Journaling is the best way I know to sort through the clutter in my brain just like I would my backpack when it gets cluttered. It helps me see the things weighing me down and refocus on the things that bring me joy. Today, as we start a new year and many of you are packing physical backpacks for yourselves or your children, I encourage you to pack a journal and get writing as well. Maybe start off this week by simply making a list worries that you have and put a star by the ones you actually have some measure of control over. Then, commit this week to put some purposeful action to one of those items on your list.
For example, writing this blog has been on my mind for many months now, and I’ve written about it in my journal several times. I decided this morning, it was time to stop thinking about it and actually do it. Now I can take that off my worry list! Let journaling be a source like it is for me of sorting through the things of life weighing you down and helping you to pack the things that bring you life. I’ll be sharing in the weeks ahead some more tools that you can put in your backpack - stay tuned!
Blessings,
Lisa
Comments