Writing as Stress Relief

How could I forget? Writing is one of my favorite forms of stress relief. I LOVE writing! Whether I share it or not, whether anyone reads it or not, writing soothes me. Yet over and over again, I find myself reflecting AFTER a period of extreme stress, realizing that I never made time to write. So I re-enter a cycle where I remind myself to build in time for this important-for-me habit, I write regularly for awhile, I get busy, then I stop writing regularly, and the busy-ness turns into major stress, and I realize I haven’t been writing.

a cycle

 

I have jumped on and off this roller coaster a lot over the last few years. But I continue to remind myself that writing is a stress reliving tool for me and one that I want to maintain as a positive habit.

 

 

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Mindfulness Routines

During August I tried something new. Instead of setting the alarm for 5:00 AM and jumping on the treadmill right away, I set the alarm for 5:30 and eased my way into a new morning routine.

CCC licensed work

CCC licensed work

I spent my first five minutes awake writing in a journal, capturing any dreams remembered or any thoughts already running through my mind. Then I went through a guided meditation using one of my mindfulness apps. While I have wanted to do that more often, I usually felt too rushed in the morning to dedicate a full 5 minutes (or longer!) to a practice. But with my new routine, I had the time built-in. I also had time to try some other mindfulness practices from the “box of mindfulness” a friend gifted me when I first chose my word for this year.

Ways I benefit from this new routine:

  • My morning is calmer as I ease into the day
  • My body aches and pains have time to rest and heal
  • I feel more centered and less stressed out in the morning
  • Meditation is getting easier

Things still on my mind as I decide how my routine will evolve next:

  • Without my morning treadmill time, I’m not reaching my daily step goals
  • I have a hard time motivating myself to workout after work
  • Building in time for daily reflection and meditation is important to me

August also brought me a break from blogging as I participated in the annual August Break, created by Susannah Conway. I loved taking a picture a day (posting on Instagram) and reflecting on the daily word prompt. I missed blogging, but I appreciated an entire month dedicated to being more mindful everywhere. Mindfulness has become more of a habit as this year progresses!

CCC licensed work from Flickr

CCC licensed work from Flickr

  • Do you have a focus word for this year?  
  • If so, how has it helped you?
  • If not, might you consider one for this year or plan ahead for next year? 
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Updated Book List

I thank #read15in15 for inspiring me to keep track of the books I read throughout this year. Since my last update, I have read 10 more books. I keep updating this list for my own future reference, but I’d love new book recommendations from my readers – please add comments with your suggestions! After this round, it is my goal to read more YA books.

22. Remember Mia by Alexandra Burt- This was a mystery about a mother suffering from postpartum that was both engaging and heartbreaking at times, with various twists and turns. I enjoyed the story!

23. I Suck at Relationships so You Don’t Have To by Bethenny Frankel (I listened to the audio version of this)- This was an amusing book to listen to on my commute for a week or so, with insight into the differences between men and women.

  • Side note: I also recently discovered the podcast Undisclosed, going into more depth about the case from the Serial podcast. I have enjoyed listening to all of these stories during my daily commute! I anxiously await a new episode each Monday afternoon!

24. Silent Girls by Eric Rickstad – This was a mystery recommended to me by a work friend who is a prolific reader (Thanks Melanie!). I enjoyed the darkness to this and am happy to have discovered a new mystery author.

25. 61 Hours by Lee Child- I have been a fan of the Jack Reacher series by Child for years. I’m just now going through a stack of paperbacks my father gave me after he finished reading them. I have enjoyed every book in this series! If you are a fan of mysteries, check it out!

26. Overcoming the Achievement Gap Trap: Liberating Mindsets to Effect Change by Anthony Muhammad – Our district leadership team has been reading this book after we had the privilege of hosting Dr. Muhammad as our keynote speaker in July. What I appreciate about his newest book is the realities he confronts (racism still exists) and the clear lists of indicators for schools working to creating a liberation mindset. Our schools do need significant transformation on behalf of the students we serve.

27. Furiously Happy: A Funny Book about Horrible Things by Jenny Lawson- I have loved Lawson’s hysterical, real, honest blog for years. I also loved her first book and couldn’t wait to get my hands on her newest book. I wish I had listened to this one on Audible instead of reading it, because some of her stories are meant to be enjoyed audibly! There were funny parts to balance out the more serious elements, where Lawson bravely addresses her mental health challenges. I recommend this book to anyone who suffers from depression and anyone who loves anyone who suffers from depression.

28. Nothing to Lose by Lee Child- I never get tired of the Jack Reacher series. Each book has it’s own setting and new characters, with only Reacher as a commonality. His larger-than-life persona make for an interesting read every time!

29. What Remains: A Memoir of Fate, Friendship and Love by Carole Radziwill.  A good friend recommends this book to me and though it was heartbreakingly sad, I’m glad I read it. Carole married Prince Anthony Radziwill, who was a cousin and best friend of John F. Kennedy, Jr. Carole became good friends with Carolyn Bissette. Kennedy and Bissette died three weeks before Carole’s husband. Despite the tragedies that impacted her marriage and life (and the fact that one of Anthony’s first doctors was the same doctor who treated my mother’s cancer at Memorial Sloan Kettering), Carole’s writing paints a moving story.

30. George by Alex Gino. I set a goal to read more YA books and found this on my shelf (thanks Dad!). This is a very sweet story about a fourth grade child born as a boy who identifies herself as a girl. Before this book, I had never read/ heard of a transgender story about a child so young. It was well-written and something that I would have in my classroom library if our class or school needed to understand the transgender experience.

31. The Good Girl by Mary Kubica. This was recommended to me by a friend, who has the same reading taste as me, so of course I bought it and read it right away. I loved this book! The chapters are told by various characters, flashing back and forward frequently. You learn bits and pieces of the stories from different points of view and I was captivated through to the epilogue. I highly recommend this if you like mysteries at all!

What books do you recommend?

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9-12

13-16

17-21

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August Break 2015

For the last three years I have participated in the August Break, created by Susannah Conway. Each year Susannah creates a list of daily photo prompts and encourages people to share their daily pictures in the hashtag (#augustbreak2015). I post my pictures on Instagram and I love seeing the way others interpret the single word that serves as the daily prompt. Here are the prompts for this month.

 

 

I’m sure I will post some of my pictures here, but since the point of the August Break is to take a break from blogging, I will also be trying that! Have a great month!

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2015 Reading List Update 2

When 2015 began, I knew I would read more than 15 books in the year. As my doctoral program wrapped up, I found myself with a lot more free time in which to read for fun! I have enjoyed keeping track of the books I’ve read here on the blog. As a teacher, I used to keep a list of the books I read each school year on my classroom door, since I was always reading Young Adolescent books to share with my students.  Thanks for following along on my reading journey this year!

keep calm read

 

Here is what I’ve read so far in 2015:

  1. Outviews by Brandt Legg
  2. Stuck in Downward Dog by Chantel Guertin
  3. Panic by Sharon Draper 
  4. Word After Word After Word by Patricia MacLachlan
  5. The History of Us by Leah Stewart
  6. A Mango- Shaped Space by Wendy Mass
  7. The Miraculous Journey of Edward Tulane by Kate DiCamillo
  8. The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins
  9. Leaving Time by Jodi Picoult
  10. Eternal on the Water by Joseph Monnigner
  11. The Department of Lost & Found by Allison Winn Scotch
  12. Pieces and Players by Blue Balliet
  13. Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty
  14. Hold Fast by Blue Balliet
  15. Roots of the Olive Tree by Courtney Miller Santo
  16. Gone Tomorrow by Lee Child
  17. Back Luck and Trouble by Lee Child
  18. Openly Straight by Bill Konigsberg
  19. Small as an Elephant by Jennifer Richard Jacobson
  20. Most Talkative by Andy Cohen
  21. The Vacationers by Emma Straub

 

#17- As soon as I finished Gone Tomorrow (#16), I was reminded of my love of Lee Child’s mysteries. I immediately found another Child novel on my bookshelf to read. This one was different than a typical Reacher story in that there were other main characters who joined in the adventures. It was a fun read!

#18- This was a YA book I found in a box of free books from my father’s donations. It was a great read, but definitely for high school students, not younger. The content delves into one teen’s journey toward being comfortable with himself, as a young man who happens to be gay.

#19- Another free read from Oysterbooks. Ironically, this was the second book I’ve read this year about elephants. While this was no where near as good as Leaving Time, this was a quick, YA book with a sweet story.

#20- I listened to this as an audio book read by the author. If you know anything about the Real Housewives franchise, you know who the author is and how humorous he is! This was a funny “read” to listen to while commuting.

#21- There was a long gap after I finished #20 where I read nothing. Then I realized that I was missing the feeling of holding a real book in my hands. So I went old school- I drove to a bookstore, looked at books, and purchased two. I enjoyed The Vacationers for what it was, a fun poolside summer read. I loved that it took place in Mallorca, Spain, and was about a typically dysfunctional American family on vacation.

 

 

 

Previous 2015 Reading Updates:

1-4

5-8

9-12

13-16

 

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Introverts are People Too!

I publicly declared myself an Ambivert in a past post. While I still believe that there are elements of both introversion and extroversion in all of us, after a few recent experiences, some readingand reflecting on my personality, I would like to amend my thoughts. I am a true introvert who leans towards extroversion in some specific situations.

CCC licensed work

CCC licensed work

The more I read about introverts, the more the reality resonates with me. In social situations, with large, loud crowds, I become exhausted. After three days of workshops surrounded by many colleagues, where we ate and learned together for 8 hours a day, I was physically and mentally drained.

CCC licensed work

CCC licensed work

Extroverts, from what I read, gain energy from these kind of environments. But as an introvert, I recognize that I lose energy in large groups. After days like that, I seek out solitary time, or time with close friends in more intimate settings. A walk to the beach with a friend just about saved my life after one of these days. As did eating my lunch alone in my office the following day. A few people questioned what I was doing and why I chose not to eat with a group. No explanation seemed to satisfy them.

I find that people who are not introverts are baffled by the needs and behaviors of us introverts. They can’t imagine anyone not feeling the rush of energy being surrounded by others. They can’t imagine people choosing to be alone. Susan Cain does a phenomenal job of exploring this in her book, Quiet. So does Sophia Dembling in The Introvert’s Way. Both books, with very different styles and approaches, share specific examples of experiences of introverts. While research suggests that close to 45% of people may be introverts, much of our society is grounded in the beliefs of extroverts. I know I would appreciate if more people read and understood what life as an introvert was like.

After having written the first half of this blog post, I had the opportunity to hear Dr. Anthony Muhammad speak. One of his points about transformational leadership was the importance of leaders building trust and enhancing their emotional intelligence. Muhammad identified five factors that school leaders need to work on:

  • openness to experience
  • conscientiousness
  • extroversion
  • agreeableness
  • neuroticism

Seeing extroversion as a factor surprised me. Dr. Muhammad went on to explain that not all leaders naturally have all five of these factors, but that it is a leader’s job to build these skills in ourselves where we are weak and to surround ourselves with teams that compliment our weaknesses.

This made me reflect on my time as a school principal. That was the first leadership job I had where I had to work on becoming more of an extrovert. It was uncomfortable, but it was a necessary part of helping me feel successful in my job. So while I am clearly an introvert by nature, I am able to hone in extroversion skills when needed. However, I hope that those around me realize that even when I push myself out of my comfort zone, I am still emotionally drained from the experience.

energy mills

So often when we try to make things in life black and white, we realize that there are so many shades of color in between. I continue to reflect on myself personally and professionally, and how my introversion can positively and negatively impact me.

  • Do you gain or lose energy from crowds?
  • Are you an introvert, and extrovert, or an ambivert?
  • Do you ever have to compensate for what you are not, as a leader? 

 

 

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3 Words Per Picture

I was inspired to emulate this blog style by this healthy living blogger, who often shares photos to tell a story of her day or weekend. Here goes my first three words per picture post with some recent summer photos!

Doctor of Education

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Fun with Play-Doh!

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Meeting etiquette guidelines 
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Teacher teaching colleagues!

teacher teaching colleagues

Old Phone Booth
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What three words describe your recent pictures?

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Happy 3rd Birthday!

Some days I don’t even think about this blog. Other days I have 55 blog post ideas running through my mind and I can’t reach pen and paper or phone and app quick enough to record them all!

I started this blog after attending ISTE 12 here in San Diego, when I worked closely with a colleague who got hooked into blogging and twitter with me! It was so much fun sharing our learning together during that time. I miss working with that colleague (you know who you are!).

The first year snuck up on me. I reflected on it here. The second year blog birthday fell in the middle of my doctoral journey, at the end of my Abecedary of Reflection, and after a few committed posts on Mentor Texts.

And now here we are, three years into a journey I didn’t know I needed to take.

Mom and I and The Statue of Liberty

I think that blogging filled a void that was created when I went into administration. Up until that point, I was a teacher and a Literacy Coach, and I spent HOURS writing, reading about writing instruction, practicing my writing, and coaching others about how to teach writing to young adolescents. When I moved out of those roles and into the roles of Vice Principal, Principal and then Director, I didn’t realize how much I would miss the writing. Though I shouldn’t have been surprised.

I’ve shared before that one of my life ambitions is to write my own book. My mother and my father instilled in me a love of reading and encouraged my desire to write. Mom knew I would become a writer at some point. Neither she nor I would have expected that my first published book would be a dissertation.

Dissertation

I appreciate that I am able to use blogging to fill the unexpected void. It also serves as a reflection tool for me, as well as a way to collaborate with a broader global community. Knowing that someone, somewhere might read these words is both fear-inducing and awe-inspiring at times. So many people, including many teachers I have known, are afraid of writing. It is my belief that every teacher should consider themselves a reader and a writer and they would benefit from practicing both skills daily!

I still don’t know the final destination of this blogging journey, but I am enjoying the ride and appreciate the company of my loyal readers.  Thank you for joining me!

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Yet Another Day in the Life {Summer Edition}

This is a glance at a typical day for a district administrator during the summer. As you will see, “summer” has a very different definition for those of us who work at the district office! I’m waiting to see one of these written by my friend and colleague Barbkeep calm summer

7:30 AM – Arrive to work. I go straight to the district conference rooms, where we hold our Professional Learning workshops. All three of my team Coordinators are already in various rooms, setting up for today’s workshops- on the new California ELA/ ELD Framework and on 6th grade Mathematics.

8:00 – 8:30 – I pop over to my actual office to greet my office staff. They know we are all in professional learning all day (as they have helped set up and prepared along with the rest of the team!). From there, I walk in between our conference rooms and our Auditorium to support the coordinators as they get ready to start the workshops. I greet the 65+ teachers who have taken time out of their summer to attend one of these workshops.

8:30-9:00 – Our workshops begin. I start in the ELA/ ELD room, supporting some technology needs that pop up. Our workshop materials are all available online so we help teachers access our materials through websites, Edmodo, and Google Drive.

9:00-9:30 – I move over to the Math workshop. I am pleased to see three of our principals in this workshop, supporting their teams.

9:30-11:30- I go back and forth (across a parking lot) to continue to visit both workshops, supporting wherever I can, observing and listening to the rich discussions of teachers learning lots of new things! I also check and respond to emails as needed during this time.

11:30-12:30 – During the lunch break, as the teachers go off to enjoy a relaxing lunch with their friends and colleagues, my three Coordinators and I eat our lunches in the conference room. We debrief how the morning went and make adjustments to the afternoon based on teacher feedback and our expected outcomes.

12:30-3:00 – Throughout the afternoon I continue to work my way back and forth between our two workshops (getting lots of steps tracked on my Fitbit for the day!).

3:00-3:30 – As teachers complete their end-of-day reflection, I read their thoughts and talk to many as they leave for the day. People are very positive about all of their learning and grateful for the support from each of our Coordinators.

3:30-4:45- The Coordinators and I meet to debrief the day and review the feedback from the workshops. Overall, we received lots of positive comments and some great questions for future workshops and next steps. Our team has hit our stride- we are a great group who work so well together, collaborating on so many aspects of our work. We could literally sit and chat about the work for HOURS, but it’s been a long day. We wrap up our conversation and I shoo them out the door to get home for some family and relaxation time!

As I make my commute home, I reflect on the power and the joy of working with an amazing team. The team I am privileged to surround myself with each day at work makes the days go by faster, and keeps the work engaging and exciting. It is so wonderful to know that we can have engaging, intellectual, difficult, and fun conversations about just about anything! We laugh together, we stress out together, we enjoy too many cupcakes together, we read professional books and articles and blogs together, we recommend pleasure books to each other, and we live and breathe the importance of our work together. I am so grateful to have an amazing team of diverse leaders who are all committed to the success of ALL students and teachers. They are each phenomenal facilitators of professional learning and are true models of lifelong learning.

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We even have tea together!

Thank you to my amazing team!

What does a “summer” work day look like for you?

 

 

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Surrounded by Mindfulness Reminders

I must begin this post with an apology for anyone who received the accidental first draft of this post (with all of two words on it earlier this week!) via email or through the bad link on Twitter.

Smiley_saying_oops

My word of the year is mindfulness. I have tried to keep the concept front and center in my mind all year by writing updates every month about the development of my mindfulness habit. Just as I was starting to feel guilty for not writing an update in a while, I began to realize that I was being surrounded by mindfulness reminders.

CCC licensed work by dimland.blogspot.com

CCC licensed work by dimland.blogspot.com

First, I began acupuncture treatments and find myself working on being mindful during each session. After all the needles are in their healing spots, the acupuncturist leaves me alone for the needles to “do their work”. During that 15-20 minutes, I am focusing on my breathing, meditation, and being aware of the here and now. Some days it is easier to control my wandering thoughts than other days, but that is why it’s called practice!

Second, this month’s focus for the meetings at Weight Watchers centers on being happy. We have recently discussed mindful eating. During last week’s meeting our leader actually took us through a two-minute mindfulness practice, where we concentrated on our breathing. This was a simple reminder to slow down once in a while!

While I was on vacation in Hawaii recently, I was more mindful than ever. I think relaxing on the beach helps! Watching sea turtles floating in the waves, or following a pod of dolphin while aboard a catamaran trip, naturally puts you in the present, being aware.

CCC licensed by simple.wikipedia.org

CCC licensed by simple.wikipedia.org

Finally, I just purchased a new car and because I am SO HAPPY with my choice I am finding myself more aware of my commute, how I feel while driving, and what is happening around me as I drive. I appreciate the added comfort from the new car, which helps alleviate some of the pain that I have to treat via acupuncture (see that connection?!).

Mindfulness is all around lately. Where have you seen it, heard of it, or practice it yourself?

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