GRACE
Let's face it, we all have a lot on our professional plates. Often times the jobs we are tasked with can create drag on our desired need to move forward. In the midst of having full plates, it is important individuals process frustrations. Notice, the focus is on processing frustrations versus venting frustrations as there is a fine line between the two. When the focus is on processing we can then grant grace to ourselves and/or others. We must employ graceful listening so that we can unveil the compassion and dedication underlying initial frustrations.
GRATITUDE
As compassion and dedication bubble back to the surface so too does our gratitude. We can now see beyond our full plates and remind ourselves why we are in the profession we have chosen. Gratitude renews our spirit! It cleans the lenses with which we choose to look through! Making amends with your own frustrations will release the resistance you were feeling thus allowing you to move forward again.
GRIT
Hang in there! You got this! The last ball to juggle is grit! Grit is your ability to persevere through frustrations and circumstances. How you go about it is completely up to you. You get to choose what and how to dig your heels into moving forward. Choose something on your plate that you are passionate about! Perhaps it is investing your creative energies into an amazing lesson for students or a committee project you believe in! For a moment, put aside all the other items on your plate. You will find that by successfully implementing or completing something you are passionate about will reveal new insights to other projects. Tapping into your passion will renew your efforts to tackle what is on your plate. Once you have jumped back into the trenches it is inevitable that you will again feel frustrated, overwhelmed by your full plate or even become stagnate with progress. It is a cycle that touches everyone. Grit is the act of picking up the dropped balls to find balance again.
Indeed this takes the act of juggling! However, if we each continually juggle grace, gratitude and grit we will find ourselves always looking forward to what is possible versus focusing on what is not.
