Last year at about this time, I took on a challenge to wear a hair tie around my wrist. Doesn't sound like much of a challenge yet, right? But here's the catch. Every time I complained, criticized, or gossiped, that hair tie had to switch its wrist. Let me tell you that it was really important for me to think about how many times I had to think of something else to say or switch my wrists, as my husband termed it.
When I sat down this afternoon to think about my second post, I found myself heading down the pathway of complaints and rants. My work has been hard this week--there's some objective truth to that statement.
But it's also been good.
Here's an email I received this morning:
This teacher was sharing a few pictures of her students filling out compliment sheets as a celebration of their information writing unit. This was an activity we'd done together last year, and she remembered.
Tomorrow, I will send an email to someone letting them know about the impact they had on my work.
Happy Slicing,
I am always in awe of how one little email or letter can turn a day around. You have inspired me to send a thank you email to someone today! Thank you.
ReplyDeleteOne message can change the temper of a day. Just goes to show how powerful words are.
ReplyDeleteI love the exercise of recognizing and owning a behavior by manifesting it physically, in this case in the hair tie. I might have to try that next time I get too caught up in gossip and bad moods!
ReplyDeleteBeing conscious and deliberate about how we focus our time, energy, feelings and thoughts is so important. We do make choices all day, every day. I love the idea of the hair tie - a physical reminder to catch yourself. I bet it would work for a lot of things. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteClare
At first I thought, why is this a big deal. But then I read further and it is a HUGE reminder of how to stay focused on what really matters and on the words we utter. Great post, Mel!
ReplyDeleteI love that you are paying it forward instead of complaining. If we could all do this, the world would be a better place.
ReplyDeleteGreat post! It is always amazing when we get a message that means so much. It's like the comments during this slice. Sometimes I think my post is really awful, and then people see so much in it. Thanks for the reminder that we need to pay it forward.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this, Melanie. I need to wear a hair tie tomorrow, and send an email or two!
ReplyDelete