Original Insights - Issue #5
"If your compassion does not include yourself,
it is incomplete."
-Jack Kornfield
Greetings!
Yesterday, as I left the good care of a long-time teacher and friend, these words reverberated through my head--There is no amount of self-improvement that is equivalent to self-acceptance.
The unicorn in the photo above is outside my friend's office, and truth be told, it is a horse that I decided to accessorize. Why not? As a child of the 80s, I remember being enchanted with this mythical creature emblazoned on wallpaper, clothing, stickers and trapper keepers. There is something fundamentally powerful about being "one of a kind."
This morning, as I process my debate hangover--a special cocktail of adrenaline, cortisol, and HUH?-- I am contemplating the depths of our true power as human beings. As my work in education has evolved, I continue to be struck by the unique and diverse ways that human beings experience the world, and how they tap into and employ their personal power.
As self-care September comes to a close, my invitation to all of you beloved educators is to remember the power you hold in your body. Listen to its wisdom. Tune in to your sensations. Honor the "yes" and "no" inside you whether it is a whisper or a shout. This is self-acceptance.
After speaking with teachers and school administrators this past month, my advice would be to say YES to rest, time that is aimless and unproductive, creative pursuits, being in nature, movement, and connection with people you love. In the classroom, say YES to social-emotional learning, following student interests and humor.
Conversely, maybe it is time for some more NOs. What could you say NO to? Working too many hours, taking on more responsibility, buying in to the striving culture. No more hustle and grind. In the classroom, where can you meet a minimum requirement instead of going above and beyond? Our deeply rooted and oft rewarded ways of being in the world--hyperproductivity, perfectionism, striving for excellence--will not solve the problem before us: teaching in crisis. While innovation and creativity are the consolation prize of this experience, this is not the time to pressure yourself with being/doing better.
The term "COVID Era" came in through my ears this week, and it affirmed for me that though the acute crisis will wane and this level of intensity will subside, we are facing a long-term journey. This is temporary and this is a marathon.
We (and we are very much a WE) are a group of teachers, specialists, administrators, facilities staff, support staff, school-based health providers, and mental health professionals who are a strong and vital contingent of helpers. AND among this group of essential workers... you are one of a kind. You are a unicorn. Let your own voice, your own needs, your inner YES and NO be heard, even if only by you. This radical act of self-acceptance is a building block of resilience.
I see you.
Shine On,
Dr. Sara Knickerbocker
Chief Empowerment Officer