Teachers, school administration, and parents are under stress. There seems to be never enough time or resources. It can feel as through life is moving faster. Just keeping up with Facebook and email, let alone house, work, and relationships, seems to be huge.Because children don’t miss anything, they also don’t miss this. Our children see hurriedness happening on many fronts. We also certainly can miss deeper connection with our kids when feeling overwhelmed.
Yikes, I recently had to force myself to slowly breathe, enjoy my backyard, and appreciate our summer gifts of warmth and green. I became aware of feeling overwhelmed, coupled with frantically wanting to push to the next thing. I had to wrestle and love the urge to keep pushing to the ground. I was kicking and screaming as I gave myself permission to breathe and listen deeply to myself.
The fact is, the decisions will be made and the projects will be done, whether I take a break or not. I’m willing to let a small step toward a big dream be enough for this moment.
It makes me stop to ask myself what I want children to see and experience through me. I want to:
- Support myself and others by showing the courage to stop and breathe.
- Remember what I’ve learned about the brain and how this all relates to stress.
- Remember that by connecting to my breath, my heart, and connections in brain, my nervous system can help you connect to yours or a child’s. We help each other. (Check out HeartMath.com and The Whole-Brain Child by Daniel Siegel.)
- Show that accomplishment isn’t the soul of existence. Haven’t we often heard that many people, before taking their last breath, say what is important is the connection and love, not the accomplishments?
- Deeply appreciate all the small steps I have done which got me here. I want to say goodbye forever to to the guilt and shame of not having done enough, not being enough.
- Remember to experience all my sensations. Love of life comes from experiencing fullness, not from looking at a to do list.
- Schedule breaks and relationship time more, rather that put it off for last.