Finding Optimism in Silver Linings Ep. 44

December 27, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers 1 Comment

Finding Optimism in Silver Linings S.3. Ep 44

Listen to this episode to discover ways to find optimism in difficult circumstances.

Show notes:

Episode Summary:

Have you ever been given the advice to look for the silver lining in a tough situation? Do you give that advice yourself? What does that really mean and what are the steps we should be taking to find the silver lining? Today we are discussing optimism and why looking for the silver lining can improve your work life, home life, health, and well being

In this episode:

The following is an excerpt of key points from the podcast. For the full experience, and to hear the examples and stories that help bring the ideas to life, please listen to the podcast episode.

Introduction

“Look for the silver linings” “What’s the silver lining in this situation?” “Well, at least the silver lining is that…..”

We are guessing you have heard these phrases, or some version of these phrases, many times.

How can you make the idea of silver linings something to live by, not just flippant advice?

Because it not just flippant advice. It is actually advice that can not only lengthen your life, it can improve the quality of your life.

Let’s talk about the phrase “silver lining”.

It is:

A phrase that is hundreds of years old
A metaphor comparing the shining silvery edges of a cloud backlit by the sun or moon to finding something good that comes out of a bad situation
A form of consolation- the outcome was not what you hoped but something good came about because of it.
A beacon of hope- there is a hopeful prospect in the otherwise hopeless situation.

Ultimately, it is a metaphor that sums up optimism.

It’s looking on the bright side and realizing that something good can come out of a bad situation.

We love the visual of the dark cloud with the silver lining around it telling us that there is beauty in that darkness.

When someone looks for the silver lining, it sounds something like this: “The silver lining is that even though I didn’t win the competition, I got a lot more fit in the process.”

Or, “Even though we didn’t get the funding, I met some great new friends in the grant writing process.”

Paula: What actually triggered this podcast is a conversation I was having with a young teacher the other day who was talking about a lesson that didn’t go well in the beginning of the year. She said, “The silver lining is that I learned early on what is NOT going to work with this group of students.”

Why Optimism and Silver Linings Matter

Looking for the silver linings in life can make your days more bearable.

Bad things will happen. We can choose the pessimistic route and decide that bad things happen because the world is just a bad place. We can let the negativity overpower us. There is a lot in the world that is negative and if we look for it we can surely find it. However, no one wants to be around a negative Nancy.

It also doesn’t help to have toxic positivity.

Silver Linings are in that spot in between sulking in negativity and toxic positivity.

We acknowledge that bad situations happen but there is good that can come from them. There are lessons that can be learned if we look for them. There are people we may meet or resources we might gain that we wouldn’t have otherwise had if not for that situation.

Optimism can actually be good for your health.

There are many scientific studies that show that having a positive attitude and approaching life with optimism is good for your health and can make you live longer.

According to Harvard Health, researchers have shown that people who are optimistic and have a positive outlook on life:

Have lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol
Lower levels of markers that predict heart attack and stroke
Stay healthier
Enjoy independent living longer than pessimists.

Optimism appears to protect the heart and circulation AND increases our life span.

There was a US study of almost 7,000 college students who took a comprehensive personality test in the mid 1960s. The researchers followed them for 40 years. The most pessimistic individuals had a 42% higher rate of death than the most optimistic. Two Dutch studies followed, showing that the optimists were 55% less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than the pessimists, and the optimists enjoyed a 45% lower risk of death when not just narrowing it to heart disease.

To us, that sounds like a convincing reason to look for silver linings. So why doesn’t everyone do that?

Because sometimes it is really hard to find the silver lining. It is much easier, and less work, to just see the dark cloud.

Sometimes you really have to look for the positive.

Sometimes, just by the genetic make up of being a person, we can be risk averse. We are looking for things that challenge our physical or psychological safety. It is a negativity bias that helps us to stay safe and alive. It can be easy to see threatening things and to ONLY see those things.

Also, sometimes when life and work throw a lot of things our way, it is much easier to see things as hopeless instead of looking for things to be hopeful about. The hopeless things are the big dark cloud. They are easy to see without looking too hard.

Looking for the silver lining can be difficult because you are doing two things at once- acknowledging the bad AND looking for the good in it.

For example, think of the students who are the most challenging, the ones that force you to do things you’ve never done and who try your patience. These are the students who make you a better teacher. With time, you will probably recognize that those experiences ended up creating some of your most rewarding moments.

You can take steps to find the silver lining in adverse situations.

Look for the small glimmers of hope. They may not shine too brightly in the dark of the clouds but identify those slivers of light on the edges of the situation. It is likely they are peripheral to the actual situation. Look on the outside of the situation.
Make a pros and cons list. If it is tough situation there will likely be more cons, but any of the pros you find are a part of your silver lining.
Ask others to help you find the silver lining. Friends who are not as engrossed in the situation as you are can sometimes have a more distanced perspective and can see things that may not be as clear to you.
When you find yourself listing all of the negatives of a situation, step back and give yourself time and space to look at it from a different perspective. Take a few deep breaths, change your environment or put it aside until tomorrow. Come back to it later with a fresh set of eyes and you may see that silver lining you did not see the first time.

Recap:

Negative situations will happen in your work and home life. Intentionally taking time to find the silver linings can improve your work life, home life, health ,and well being. Pessimism, and choosing to see only the dark cloud is easier, but choosing optimism and finding the silver lining will benefit you now and well into the future.

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

If you are dedicated and caring but often overwhelmed and exhausted, join us at Inspired Together Teachers. We’ll give you inspiration, strategies and tips that help you navigate life’s challenges as a stronger, more confident, and more joy filled person, both in and out of the classroom.

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Co-hosts Paula Schmidt and Michele Vosberg are award winning educators with the experience and skills to help teachers thrive in life and work. They’ve taught at all levels, worked with thousands of teachers, and conducted workshops around the world. They are also the authors of the #1 best-selling book The Inspired Teachers Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Finding More Joy Ep. 31

September 27, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Finding More Joy S.3 E. 31

Listen to this episode to learn ways of finding more joy in your work life and home life.

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

Call them glimmers, shimmers, or moments of joy- we all want more meaningful experiences in our lives. These small, joy filled experiences make our days better and more better days add up to happier lives. If you are looking for more happiness and life satisfaction, don’t miss this episode.

In this episode:

For the past few years, one of the most downloaded posts on our Inspired Together Teachers website is a post called, 8 Simple Ways to Create a Joyful Classroom.

At first, this surprised us, but in thinking about it, it makes sense. Teaching is hard work. Teachers are often exhausted and overwhelmed with all they have to do. Since the pandemic, students also seem to be more stressed and in need of positive social connections.

The popularity of that blog post was the inspiration for this episode as we look at small ways of finding more joy in your life and work.

Here are some ways of finding more joy in your life by paying attention to what is around you.

One of the ways of finding more joy is to notice what is already existing around us. Sometimes we get so busy and so focused on our work that we don’t take time to stop and notice what is already around us. We often take for granted positive things that are right in front of us.

Sometimes the world hands us moments of joy. Think of rainbows. It is hard not to stop and notice them, and they are always fun and uplifting.
Our pets seem to have a sixth sense that causes them to come and cuddle up just when we need it most. Take the time to pet your dog or let the cat snuggle up on your lap for a few minutes.
Speaking of animals, social media is sometimes a source of small positive moments. Think of funny animal videos. Or maybe you love happy, laughing baby videos, or beautiful home videos. Which videos make you smile?
Children, either your own or your students often do or say funny things. Take a moment to laugh with them. Think about the last time you had a really good belly laugh. Look for opportunities to laugh with your family or friends. It will definitely bring you joy.

Quote:

“Sometimes your joy is the source of your smile, but sometimes your smile can be the source of your joy.” —Thich Nhat Hanh

Our brain will naturally scan what we are telling it to scan. If you are constantly scanning the news for negative or dangerous things, you will start to notice more of those things. The good news is that the opposite is also true. If you start noticing positive moments, your brains will start showing you more of them. You can train yourself to focus on the positive moments.

Create more joy in your classroom.

Joy helps students love learning. If students love learning, they will be engaged, reducing the need for complex behavior management systems. Joy encourages creativity, which opens the door for creative problem solving. Joy encourages curiosity and self-motivated learning. When students love learning, they will become life-long learners.

We talked about ways to create joy in your classroom in episodes 23 and 24. This is a good opportunity to remind you of simple things you can do to create more joy in your classroom.

Smile. We learn better from those we like. Smiling makes you approachable and likable. Smiling is contagious, and research shows that the act of smiling can actually help you to feel happier.
Laugh. Laughing reduces stress. Look for opportunities to inject humor into the day’s activities. Show a funny video clip, play a funny song. Invite a student to tell a joke of the day.
Incorporate acting. Act out a story or some content material. Students can act out almost anything. Think about science content, events from history, sections of a novel, high schoolers using foreign language skills or whatever you teach. Reader’s theater fits into this one too. It is a lot of fun, and students love it. It can also fit into all areas of the curriculum.
Add Music. Project music onto your white boards as students enter or exit the room. Students can also take content they have learned and rewrite lyrics to favorite songs.
Use fun reinforcers. You can quickly teach students to give themselves a “round of applause” by clapping while they rotate their hands in a circle. Another way is to stretch your hand up high and then reach back and “pat yourself on the back.” These are quick and simple movements that can add joy and a sense of satisfaction.
Use fun call/response attention getters. You probably have some fun call and response phrases in your classroom. Consider adding a new and novel one to your repertoire.
Use game days as a review or way to learn. You know about Jeopardy or Kahoot, but think about taking an old game board and making new cards for it that relate to the content you are teaching. Some of your best teaching can be when your kids don’t know you’re teaching. Paula used to have game day on Fridays. The students thought they were getting the day off, when in reality, they were reviewing work or previewing work for the next week. They didn’t even realize they were learning because they were so wrapped up in the fun.

Joyful classrooms are less stressful, less anxious places. Neurological studies have shown that students’ comfort levels can influence long-term information storage and transmission. Teachers and students face many challenges in today’s educational climate, but living without joy does not have to be one of them.

Our final suggestion for finding more joy in your own life is to create it.

We have talked about international life coach and motivational speaker, Brendon Burchard many times on this podcast. In one of his episodes of TLC’s Charged Life, he said ….

“Bring the joy. This is my favorite advice to give to people who say, ‘I want to change my life.’

I’m like, ‘Great. Bring the joy.’

You know, people always say, ‘Brendon, what should I bring to your seminars.’

I go, ‘Bring the joy.’

You know what I…’I’m going to come to your house on Friday for the party, what should I bring?’ Bring the joy.

I feel that it might be one of the greatest pieces of advice ever that if you’re going to show up somewhere, bring the joy. Intentionally decide to make that situation or that place you’re going better. And so many people don’t do that. They walk into environments and they say, ‘Oh well, you know; the energy is what the energy is.’

And they just accept the energy that is in the space. And I go, ‘Actually, why not try and challenge yourself to be responsible to bring good energy into that space to charge it up, if you will.’ “

This is a long quote, but we wanted to share it because it is so inspirational. Bring the joy.

Create moments of joy.

As we mentioned in the beginning, sometimes life hands you moments of joy. And the opposite is also true, sometimes life doesn’t. Then, it falls on you to create moments of joy. Here are a few simple ideas:

Smile at someone. It is so unexpected, and takes just a few seconds. Do it deliberately, and watch what happens!
Do something nice for someone else. It helps that person, but it likely helps you even more. You’ll get a hit of dopamine, the feel good chemical.
In a similar vein, send a positive email to someone. Maybe it is a thank you, or checking in with an elderly relative just to say hi. Who doesn’t like to get positive mail?
Give your self a small treat to look forward to. Maybe it is a cup of tea at the end of the day, or going for a walk with a friend. What is your favorite treat? Allow yourself to have it once in a while! Michele’s treat is using her favorite pens because they write smoothly and quickly. Paula loves to treat herself to a coffee from Starbucks or a local coffee shop. It always feels special.

Quote: We would like to close with this quote from life coach Martha Beck:

“ You were born to be open and honest and brave and playful, to laugh often, to love much, to be loved much in return. You were born for joy. Sit. Feast on your life.”

Recap:

Recognizing and creating small positive moments is a way of finding more joy in our days. More joyful days add up to more joyful lives. We’ve talked about how you can choose to live a caged life, a comfortable life or an inspired life. Paying attention to small positive moments is a way of thinking and living that will help us to live inspired lives.

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

8 Simple Ways to Create a Joyful Classroom

10 Tips to Get Your School year Off to a Great Start

Increase Student Engagement

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

The Power to Design Your Life E.19

July 5, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

The Power to Design Your Life S.2 E.19

We all want to live our best, truest, and most fulfilled life. You can leave that chance, or you can make it a choice. Today, we’re talking about how you have the power to design your life!

Show notes:

In this episode:

In the first episode of this podcast we discussed three kinds of life- the caged life, the comfortable life, and the inspired life.

In the caged life, you feel trapped. You feel stuck in your relationships or job or social groups. You are unhappy more than you are happy. You wonder, is this all there is?

In the comfortable life, your life is easier. You have every reason in the world to be happy, but often, you are not. Your go to expressions is, “ It’s fine.” Its fine is a tell that you are in the comfortable zone. Life is not miserable, but it is not great either.

In the Inspired Life, you have a lot of energy and are proactive in making things happen that serve you. You have high levels of engagement whether it is a work or with your partner or family and friends. You are generally optimistic and look forward to things. You know what you want out of life and you are willing to work for it.

If the inspired life sounds good to you, then you will want to listen today as we talk about how you can design your inspired life.

Let’s explore drifting versus designing.

There is a chance that if you want an inspired life, it will happen naturally. But there is a better chance that you are going to have to be proactive in making that life what you want it to be.

Many people just drift through life. They are like a leaf in a current, drifting along, never resisting the current and going wherever the current takes them.

If you are drifting, you probably spend your days reacting to the challenges that appear. You feel ambivalent or even unhappy about your work, your home, the activities you are involved- pretty much everything. You might feel resentful of others, but don’t see another way.

Drifting teachers might complain about things at school or home, but don’t really do anything to fix it.

The other route is to design your life.

Think about what a designer does. They have a vision for what they want, and they work on developing and clarifying their vision. They have goals and plans and take action to make those plans come to life. They look for the challenges and rather than just deal with them, try to prevent them from happening in the first place.

In their book, Designing Your Life, which is based on a course at Stanford University, Bill Burnett and Dave Evans say, “Designers imagine things that don’t yet exist and then they build them, and the world changes. You can do this in your own life. You can imagine a career and a life that don’t exist; you can build that future you, and as a result, your life will change.”

A formula to help you design your life…

Here are suggestions based on what we’ve have learned by watching and interacting with people who successfully design their life.

Based on this, we offer you this formula:

envision the life you want to live
choose your priorities take actions accordingly
create habits so that you do the most important things
surround yourself with people who support you

Envision the life you want to live.

This might be a good place to mention that everything we are talking about here is in our book, The Inspired Teacher’s Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self.

Have you ever made a vision board? It doesn’t have to be an actual board. It is also not just a cutting and pasting activity.

The purpose of vision boards is to keep your dreams and wishes close to you. You need to see them every day, and remind yourself what you want and what you’re working for. Without a clear vision, it is easy to drift through life, accepting whatever comes your way.

You’ve probably heard of manifesting. Manifesting usually starts with vision boards, and often stops there. That is not how we go about designing a life.

Developing your vision means doing some soul searching. You need to look within to see what is important and what you really want out of life.

Your vision can also become part of your purpose, it is your “why”. When the going gets tough, having a strong vision will keep you focused and motivated.

Here are some questions to help you find your vision:

If you were to describe your dream day, what would you be doing? Who would you be with?
What kinds of feelings do you want to have on a daily basis?
What do you love about your current life? What would you like to change about your current life?
Are you trying to fulfill someone else’s dreams for you?
Where or when are you your true, best self?
What do you love to do? What are you passionate about?
Who needs you?
What is worth fighting for?
When you look back on your life, what would you be proud to have done?

You need to own your vision. You can see it, and feel, it. The picture is clear.

Build support for your vision.

Support consists of action plans, personal habits, and how you connect with the people around you.

“Dream big and move your feet.”

You need action plans. How do you plan for action? You need a system to make sure you take action. What does it look like for you? Make sure you have a way to make things happen. If you leave everything until you get around to it, you’ll never get around to it.

You will need to devise habits that support building the kind of life that you want. It can be difficult to get rid of old habits and adopt new ones, but it is easier when you truly have a vision and goals you are working for.

Habits may be small, but they compound over time.

We often think of habits as something we HAVE to do, something that limits us. If chosen carefully habits can actually give us more time and freedom by eliminating choices and decisions we have to make. When it is a habit, you just do it.

In the book Atomic Habits, James Clear says, “Small Habits are a vote for who you are and who you want to be.”

Here are some examples of habits that support goals:

If your goal is to read more, plan to read 20 minutes per day
If your priority is quality time with your family, have supper together each night.
If your goal is to spend more time with friends and becoming healthier try exercising with your friends.

What habits could you incorporate into your life that align with your vision for your life?

Get support as you design your life.

Shawn Achor researched how people achieve happiness and success with 1000’s of people in countries all over the world. He shared his findings in the book Big Potential.

His found out that “Individual effort does not account for the most happiness or the best performance.”

Achor says, “You can be a superstar, you just can’t be one alone. What you need is a star system; a constellation of positive, authentic influencers who support each other, reinforce each other, and make each other better.”

Who is supporting you?
Who is someone who will dream with you?
Who can mentor you?
Who encourages you?
Who challenges you?
Who loves you unconditionally?

We end with another quote, this one from Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy in their book Living Forward,

“Real transformation happens when people take responsibility for their own lives and begin to live intentionally in every area. When they begin recovering their passion and start seeing progress, their lives change. Changed people result in changed families, changed schools, synogogues and churches, and companies and governments. And when this happens, you begin transforming culture in profound and lasting ways.”

We say if often, you are more powerful than you think!

Recap:

Designing your life is not impossible. You need to envision the life you want to live. You choose your priorities and take actions and create habits so that you do the most important things. And you surround yourself with people who support you.

You don’t have to drift along, accepting whatever comes your way. You have the power to create a life that you love.

Quote:

Designers imagine things that don’t yet exist and then they build them, and the world changes. You can do this in your own life. You can imagine a career and a life that don’t exist; you can build that future you, and as a result, your life will change.”

Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Resources mentioned in this episode:

The Inspired Teachers Journal: A Weekly Guide to Becoming Your Best Self, by Paula Schmidt and Michele Vosberg

Designing Your Life, by Bill Burnett and Dave Evans

Atomic Habits by James Clear

Big Potential by Shawn Achor

Living Forward by Michael Hyatt and Daniel Harkavy

Related Episodes/Blog Posts:

Inspired Together Teachers Podcast S1 E1. The Inspired Life

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Unwind and Relax with a Wallet-Friendly Staycation Ep.18

June 28, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers Leave a Comment

Unwind and Relax with a Wallet-Friendly Staycation

No money? No problem! Listen to this episode to learn ways to relax and unwind by having a fun and easy staycation!

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

Are you in need of a vacation and don’t have the time or can’t afford to take a trip? Everyone needs to get away, have a change of scenery and experience new things. Vacation-like experiences are closer than you think, and they don’t have to cost a lot. In today’s episode where going to give you ideas for having a great vacation close to home.

In this episode:

Are you feeling stuck at home, and wishing you could go on a vacation? Or maybe your vacation is over, or not coming up for awhile. Today we’re going to take about fun ways to take a vacation without leaving home.

When you read about or hear about staycations, they often involve doing house projects. Yes, you can clean out and organize your closets during a staycation. Some of us do those kinds of projects as a default- I can’t afford to go anywhere, so I’ll get my home projects done. But that doesn’t sound like a vacation to us. We all want, and deserve something that recharges us. We want to have the experience of getting away from it all, relaxing, and coming back feeling rejuvenated.

How do you get that “I’ve had a vacation” feeling? You intentionally create it. We’ve got some ideas.

Consider what you would do if you were on a vacation.

Maybe you like to relax at the beach.
Many people love going to museums and seeing new things.
Some people love shopping in new places and finding unique things.
Many vacations involve seeing the tourist sights of a local area.
Adventure might be in the mix in your vacation- engaging in some kind of sport or activity.
Eating our in new restaurants is something we often look forward to on vacation.
On vacation we often switch up our routines in terms of sleep- sleeping in, or staying up later than we usually do.

What would you like to do on your vacation? Make a list. Then, see how you could do things in your own area.

Take our list from above. How could you do these things on a staycation?

Maybe you like to relax at the beach- is there a local beach you can visit? A local park? A local swimming pool?
Many people love going to museums and seeing new things. Have you visited your local museums or historical sights recently?
Some people love shopping in new places and finding unique things. Have new stores popped up in your area that you have not yet visited? This is the perfect opportunity to support a local business and expand your shopping horizons.
Many vacations involve seeing the tourist sights of a local area. Many of the wonders of nature are free or inexpensive. There are often outdoor options like caves and state parks or indoor options like historic homes and symphony performances.
Adventure might be in the mix in your vacation. Engage in some kind of sport or activity. Have you tried geocaching? You would be amazed at the adventure involved in finding the hidden treasure!
Eating out in new restaurants is something we often look forward to on vacation. Give yourself permission to go to that upscale restaurant or the burger shop you have wanted to try or haven’t visited in a while.
On vacation we often switch up our routines in terms of sleep such as sleeping in, or staying up later than we usually do. Here is your chance!

Vacations also often involve people we don’t see often.

Friends and family from out of town
People we like to spend time with but are often too busy to see
People from out past that we miss- your best friend from high school
Often people from lots of different ages come together and share stories and memories.

How could you arrange time to see these people during a staycation?

Have a backyard cookout and invite people.
Plan a day to go see a friend who you don’t see often who lives near you- or involve them to spend a day with you.
Meet friends or family halfway between where you live for a day at a park, a lake or a zoo.

Find fun and creative things to do in your community that you don’t usually do.

We all probably live near a tourist attraction that we have never been to. If not now, when?
If you are interested in history, explore the history of your town. Even small towns often have a historical museum or historical site you may have never been too. The library likely has historical information of the area. It is also fun to look at historical pictures of places you see around you everyday.
Consider the towns near you- are there new parks to explore? Hiking is great exercise and you will feel like you are somewhere new. If you like to hike, find a trail. Even it if you have hiked it before the vegetation is always changing and it can feel like a new trail. State and country parks are fantastic and offer new experiences, boat rentals, food stands, and outdoor playgrounds for kids. You can pack a picnic lunch or pick up a pizza on the way.
Look at local events calendars on-line and see what is happening near you. Every place has local festivals, summer concert series, restaurants and bars, and other places you probably haven’t been to.
If you love to cook, go to the library and check out some cookbooks from around the world. Pick a few recipes and make them. You will shake up your eating experience.
If you love to read, grab some books and drinks, snacks and a lawn chair and head to someplace different to read.
If you have access to bicycles, bike around a new neighborhood. Bike trails are available in many places. If you don’t have a bike they are easy to rent or can be inexpensive to buy if you find them used.

Quote:

“How do you get that “I’ve had a vacation” feeling? You intentionally create it.”

Inspired Together Teachers

Recap:

If you can’t go away on a vacation it doesn’t mean that you can’t rest, relax and be rejuvenated. Give yourself permission to get out of your daily routines. You can slow down, let go of work and enjoy many wonderful experiences without going far from home or spending a lot of money.

Connect with the Inspired Together Teachers Community:

Download our FREE resource: The Inspired Teachers Guide to Taking Back Your Life.

Website: https:www.inspiredtogetherteachers.com

Instagram: Inspired-Together-Teachers

Facebook: Inspired Together Teachers

Facebook Teacher Warriors Group: Teacher Warriors Facebook Group

Linked In: Inspired Together Teachers

More About Inspired Together Teachers:

Are you a teacher struggling to balance your best work with your best life?

Inspired Together Teachers will give you practical tools to experience more of what matters most in your life.

Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Are You Making an Impact? Ep.14

May 31, 2023 by Inspired Together Teachers 2 Comments

Making an Impact S. 1 E. 14

Do you ever wonder if you are making an impact on your students? How do you know? In this episode we are talking about signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that what you do is making an impact.

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

Do you ever wonder if you are making a positive impact? You’ve been working really hard, yet it is human nature to question yourself. Does what I do matter? Do students even notice or care how much I am working for them? Does my family feel loved and cared for? Are my relationships with friends meaningful? In this episode we are talking about how to know if you are making an impact.

In this episode:

One of things we are all want to know is that our life and work have purpose and that we making a positive impact. Today, we’re going to explore what that might look like.

We all want to make an impact. It gives our life value and purpose. It brings us fulfillment- and we’re talking top of Maslow’s higher needs and self-actualization here.

When we know we are making an impact, we have the stamina to get through the tough times. We all have challenges, but sometimes, if we know that the result is going to make a positive impact, we can accept the challenges.

We know that questioning our impact can be an issue for teachers. We hear it at our workshops. Teachers question whether they are really making an impact. Teaching is unique because we can work on a project “a student” for 180 days and the results of our labor may not be recognized until months, years or even decades later….and we may never see that impact we made. However, there are signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that you are making an impact. Let’s explore some now…….

‌How to Know If You Are Making an Impact With Your Students

Do you call students by name?

We all want to feel seen.
One of the simplest ways to make people feel noticed is to use their name. We all like to hear our names. How do you greet students in the morning? Do you great them by name? How do you respond to students when they raise their hands? Are you calling students by name when they are engaging in positive ways or only when they are exhibiting negative behaviors?
If you are routinely connecting with students by using their names when you interact with them for a variety of reasons, you are already positively impacting them. They are feeling seen and heard.
Example: when teachers stand in the door ways and great students by name when they enter the classroom

Dale Carnegie said about names: “Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Do you give positive feedback?

You are reading student work. You are having discussions with students both in a large group and in smaller groups or individually. You are answering student questions. These are all opportunities to give positive feedback. Even an incorrect answer can result in positive feedback.
Here’s an example, “That is not the correct answer, but I can see that you have some good thinking going on.” You have just provided positive feedback.
If you are giving students positive feedback on work, behaviors, attitudes, thought processes, or social interactions, you are making a positive impact.

Do you help students to grow?

We all have a need for growth.
Teachers are in a position to help students grow not only academically, but socially and emotionally as well.
Do you meet students where they are academically and help them get to the next level?
Do you guide students in appropriate social behaviors?
Do you encourage students to have a growth mindset?
Are you challenging students or encouraging them to try new things?
If so, you are making a positive impact.

This is where students relationships enter the picture. When you have built relationships with students you can give them feedback that is personal. Or socially, you can remind a student this is not your best self- you can rise above this.

Paula’s example: When working with kids with cognitive or behavioral disabilities, sometimes it took a lot of repetition. We practiced, repeatedly, skills and behaviors until the students were able to learn them and then we would move on to the next goal. They often knew they weren’t at the same level as their peers. They didn’t need me to tell them. They felt it. However, what I could do for them was guide them as they got closer and closer and to be their biggest cheerleader along the way. Their steps were small but each step felt like a huge leap.

Do you teach the whole student?

You were hired to teach academic content.
You have all experienced teachers in your life who taught you something other than academic content.
They recognized something in you and helped you to see it in yourself.
They gave you advice about life, not just about homework.
They opened your eyes to something you are passionate about but might never have discovered by yourself.

These teachers were teaching the whole person, not just the student. If your interactions with students sometimes move out of the academic realm and into student’s lives, you are making a positive impact.

Do you still care?

This question is focused on you and your behaviors.
We all know people who have called it in. They do the minimum to get by. They stop any extra interactions. They don’t go out of their way to do anything extra for a student or colleague. They have a negative attitude. A student failed? Not my problem. A parent called? Why should I bother to call them back? Faculty meeting? I’m not going to show up.
You don’t have to work yourself into the ground, and you don’t have to be on call 24/7.
Good teachers still care. If there is a way to help a student, they will show up for that student.

Do you still care about your students? If so, you are making a positive impact.

You make more of an impact than you may realize.

In our experience, teachers make far more of an impact than they realize. Your student may be walking away with an important life lesson. A seemingly ungrateful parent may recognize the ways you have helped their child, though they may never tell you. It is a truth in life that you may never know who or how you may have made a positive impact.

You may not know the impact you have on a student. Some will never get the chance to tell you. Some will show up years later and surprise you.

Save the evidence: Positive Notes for Days I Really Need Them

Save those notes and cards and letters, and little gifts you get. There will always be there to remind you that you make a difference.

Michele’s room is filled with little reminders from students. I’m sure people come into my room and think I have a lot of worthless clutter. In reality, it is the cat a student made for me in wood shop, the butterfly pin with my name misspelled that a student bought me with his own money, the cup that holds my colored pencils that a student gave me 20 years ago. I don’t see it as junk. I see it as impact.

We recently worked with a high school teacher that had a student mementos wall in his classroom. He hung class pictures, newspaper articles about the sports wins, student artwork, graduation party invitations…anything students gave him. He said, “that wall reminds me why I do this.”

We all need those reminders.

‌How do you know you are making a difference with your family and friends?

People come to you to seek your advice or as a shoulder to cry on- they trust you. You don’t judge and love unconditionally.
You are a good listener. You are present.
You show up, emotionally even if others don’t always show up for you. Especially true of family members who don’t have the same level of maturity or goals that you do.
You show up physically.
You go to the funerals. There is a great episode of NPR’s podcast This I Believe where a woman shares how a teacher showed up for her Mom’s funeral, when she was an adult, and that it mattered.

‌Recap: There may be times when you question if you are making an impact. While it is human nature to question ourselves, you are making more of an impact than you know. You are making an impact in the classroom through your words and actions. The same applies to your home life. Though you may never be fully aware of the impact you are making, continue to care, to teach, and to positively impact those around you. You are more powerful than you know.

‌Quotes:

“Remember that a person’s name is to that person the sweetest and most important sound in any language.”

Dale Carnegie

“You cannot get through a single day without having an impact on the world around you. What you do make a difference, and you have to decide what kind of difference you want to make.”

Jane Goodall

Resources mentioned in this episode:

NPR Radio Program/Podcast This I Believe: Always Go to the Funeral

Related episodes and posts:

5 Ways to Know if You are Making an Impact – Inspired Together Teachers

Positive Notes for Days You Really Need Them

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More About Inspired Together Teachers:

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Paula and Michele would love to have you to join them on their quest to lived inspired lives.

Finding Optimism in Silver Linings S.3. Ep 44

Listen to this episode to discover ways to find optimism in difficult circumstances.

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In this episode:

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Finding More Joy S.3 E. 31

Listen to this episode to learn ways of finding more joy in your work life and home life.

Show Notes:

In this episode:

Here are some ways of finding more joy in your life by paying attention to what is around you.

Quote:

Create more joy in your classroom.

Our final suggestion for finding more joy in your own life is to create it.

Create moments of joy.

Recap:

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The Power to Design Your Life S.2 E.19

Show notes:

Let’s explore drifting versus designing.

The other route is to design your life.

A formula to help you design your life…

Envision the life you want to live.

Here are some questions to help you find your vision:

Build support for your vision.

Here are some examples of habits that support goals:

Get support as you design your life.

Recap:

Quote:

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Unwind and Relax with a Wallet-Friendly Staycation

No money? No problem! Listen to this episode to learn ways to relax and unwind by having a fun and easy staycation!

Show Notes:

Episode Summary:

In this episode:

Consider what you would do if you were on a vacation.

Take our list from above. How could you do these things on a staycation?

Vacations also often involve people we don’t see often.

How could you arrange time to see these people during a staycation?

Find fun and creative things to do in your community that you don’t usually do.

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Making an Impact S. 1 E. 14

Do you ever wonder if you are making an impact on your students? How do you know? In this episode we are talking about signs and signals you can be watching for to assure yourself that what you do is making an impact.

Show Notes:

‌How to Know If You Are Making an Impact With Your Students

Do you call students by name?

Do you give positive feedback?

Do you help students to grow?

Do you teach the whole student?

Do you still care?

You make more of an impact than you may realize.

‌How do you know you are making a difference with your family and friends?

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