Two Things To Share Every Day

0:00Well, what's going on everybody? I hope this finds you striving and thriving and doing absolutely amazing. Now today was the first day of school for my crew. And we're always one of the last ones out there to get the school year up and running. But with the school year starting, there's always this excitement in the air when that first day comes around and it just feels good to have the building fill back up. And as I sit here and reflect on that first day, there's two things that are really sitting with me because on that first day, these are things I try to be extremely deliberate and intentional with. And that's the words that I speak and the energy that I bring because they matter. Our words, our energy, their contagious. They impact each other and that impact. They can be pushing others up or it can be pulling others down.

1:04And the one truth is, we always get to choose the words we speak. And I was once listened to a gentleman by the name of Ed Mylett. And if you don't know who he is, he's one of the top motivational speakers out there. He has a huge podcast called the Ed Mylett show. And he was saying that he's very aware of the words that he speaks because we only speak so many words a day. And he says he doesn't want to waste any of those words, dragging other people down. That he chooses to use the words that he speaks to elevate, to encourage, to show others that he believes in them. And he says he's not perfect, he's human, but he really tries. And ever since I heard that, it really stuck with me. And I've really tried to be deliberate with my words.

2:06And they're not always perfect, but I do try to make the most of them. Try to elevate those young minds that we get to work with every single day. Use those words to let people in my classroom, my colleagues, those around me know that they're seeing, that they're heard, that they're valued because people need that. One thing that I've learned over the years is that every single person that we pass, they're carrying something. And oftentimes we might not know what it is. Might be somebody worrying about their family. They might be exhausted. They might be faced with a tough decision and their questioning themselves. They might be having one of those days where you just keep looking up at the clock, waiting, just trying to make it to three o'clock.

3:09And sometimes it's just as simple, hey, how you doing? You're doing a great job. Or I'm glad you're here. Sometimes it's just a little smile. And those things, they can mean more than we realize. There's so many that could use a kind word. Or they just need someone to point out something to know that they're valued. And along with the words that we speak, it's that energy that we bring because there's something special about starting something new. Is that new school year, a new goal, a new season, a new chapter? There's possibilities that are awaiting us. But then that routine kicks in. And we get drugged down by that daily grind. Those small things, they start chipping away at us. It's those times when you go to the copy machine and it stopped working or it jams on you.

4:16You're teaching a lesson and all of a sudden that technology collapses. You look at the stack of papers that you need to grade. And all of a sudden, that amazing first week energy that starts to fade. And it happens. It happens to the best of us. That's the nature of the beast. So you need to ask yourself, how do we keep that energy alive once the newness wears off? Well, maybe it's developing a grad to practice. Maybe you make it a point every single day to notice something good. And it's not just noticing it, but actually taking the time to express it. Telling someone that you're thankful for them. Telling a student that you're proud of them. Telling a colleague that you appreciate what they do. It's putting some positive energy back into the world.

5:21Keeping that energy going, it can be as simple as just moving your body. Taking a walk at lunch, getting outside, stretching some fresh air. Maybe it's taking a minute to turn on some music in your classroom when you can. Maybe it's taking five minutes and taking a deep breath and resetting before you take that next challenge. Maybe it's simply just surrounding yourself with people who you know bring out the best in you. Who make you smile, who make you laugh, who make you feel good. And we don't have to wait for the perfect day to have a good day. Because there's always going to be challenges. There's always going to be difficult conversations. There's going to be paperwork. There's going to be meetings. There's going to be emails.

6:23There's going to be a lot. But in the middle of all that, we get to choose what we bring into the building. We get to choose our words. We get to choose our attitude. We get to choose our energy. And those choices that we make, they make a difference. Not just in our days, but in the days that everybody around us. So as you kick off this school, yeah, be intentional with your words. Use them to encourage, use them to build, use them to remind somebody that they matter. And be intentional with your energy. Protect it, refuel it, share it. Because there's a lot of people walking into our schools every single day, who could use a little bit of that good stuff that you're carrying.

7:23And off, when we share it, that good stuff, it comes back to us. So be intentional, my friends. Now my goal is we start out this new school year is to put out a few more episodes of week. We've been on a little hiatus with the last month of summer vacation, but we're back now, we're back at it. And if you want a friend to travel through this school year with you, make sure to subscribe to the podcast. And always remember my friends, we've been blessed with another sunrise. I hope you have an awesome day.