Treat and Release

"Treat and Release" is a tad like "Catch and Release". Let me explain why I find this to work in my mind. You might find it to be a stretch. That's okay. Maybe, someone else will find it to be useful in their effort to make it a happier school year for themselves.

Dilemma:
This thought process all started this summer break when a dear friend of mine was sharing their difficulty in letting the intense stress of work go. This person's job within the school system is massive. It requires mental and emotional stamina like I know I don't have. This person deals with every level of adult workspace drama, special student needs, and the specific and very taxing line that must be walked to provide all the state requirements, the parent's demands, the educator's needs, and most importantly the student's best interest. Whew! All of this must be served at all times. (Personal Note: said person does their job extremely well) This is the dilemma we were both having. How to let it all go? How to come home a happy person at the end of the day? How to be mentally and emotionally at peace with having done our best in that day? How not to make the people, we love at home, live in our school world stress daily?

We both decided we were going to work on our own personal method for doing better in the next school year. Challenge on! After all, being a happy, well-adjusted person at home is key to being a happy, well-adjusted person in the academic setting. What I realized immediately after our conversation was I wasn't alone. I mean, I knew I wasn't alone, but I had this super together person with much more responsibility, lots of degrees, who always seemed to be keeping the ducks lined up....open up, lay their heart out. This friend was in need of a listening ear. My listening ears completely understood what they were hearing.

Mission for Happiness Increase:
I was on a new mission to pursue a game plan for combating my "school war fatigue". "School War Fatigue", or SWF, can wipe out the Happy School vibes. Picture this. The unhappy vibes come home in the car with us. They march right up the front sidewalk and crash our family time, our supper conversation, our family movie night, our bible studies, our yoga time. Pretty soon, our spouses and children wish we would get back in the car and find any empty closet at school to call home. Sounds familiar to many of you. Doesn't it?

It's one thing to share the day and pack it away. It's another thing to bring it on every single, dang day! How do I know this? Because, my almost saint of a husband has had to stop me from ruining my own afternoon and evening with left over school angst countless times. He did it for me. And, he did it for our "happiness level" at home. Sometimes, I have to do the same for him. Which brings me to this little "God Thought". It popped into my head earlier last week, as I wrapped my 75 day, summer break, mind around the start of school. Stop the madness!

Hold on to this crazy analogy. I LOVE to fish!! I day dream about it randomly. Just ask my husband.
Fishing, for me, brings calm and meditation. It's a quiet activity. I feel connected to the nature around me. Therefore, I feel close to God. With fishing comes the over used phrase, "Catch and Release". It suddenly dawned on me "Treat and Release" is what I should be doing everyday! I want to go into the school building everyday to help the children I'm assigned with a brand new attitude. All I am expected to do is my best on each given day. When I am finished, as I exit the building, I want to release the trials and troubles of the day into God's hands. (You may be of another faith---fine, release it). This is my new goal.

I shared it with my friend this weekend. I'm praying we will both be able to do this activity until it becomes an interwoven part of our healthier, happier behavior each day. Realistically, I know some days aren't ones we can let slide. There are "doozy" days that leave us rattled. We have to process those days. Still, I'm feeling good about this experiment. I have found the best plans usually start out simple. Simple choices with large outcomes for the better. That's what we are aiming for this year.

Choose Happier Days:
I'll close to this first blog of the brand new 2016-2017 year with an invitation to all of my education staff friends everywhere to "Treat and Release" this year. You deserve to go home happy. Your family deserves to have you at your best. We tell children everyday, "Choices...you can make positive ones or you can make negative ones. It's up to you." Make the best choices. Best wishes for a Happier School Year!