But GREAT teachers work so hard they often over do it.
They push themselves.
They overextend themselves physically, mentally, and emotionally.
They forget all about this tiny little thing called balance.
And an integral part of maintaining the balance and equilibrium of life is learning to listen to our bodies.
Why? Well at the risk of waxing too poetic, it’s because our bodies are like the dashboard to our souls. They send us signals and messages about the vehicle in which we are traveling.
To wit:
Our body tells us when we’re hungry.
Our body tells us when we’re comfortable.
Our body tells us when we’re in pain.
Our body tells us when we need rest.
Our body tells us when we’re energized.
Our body tells us when we’re hot or cold.
Our body tells us when we’ve eaten too much pizza and when a Sandra Bullock movie is on cable.*
Our body tells us when we need exercise.
Our body tells us when we need to stop.
Our body tells us when we need to go.
Our body tells us when we need to be touched or hugged.
Learning to heed the messages our bodies send is one step toward not only being an effective teacher, but for becoming a complete and healthy human being–a pesky little detail dedicated educators often overlook.
You wouldn’t continue to drive your car when the “Check Engine Light” comes on, would you?
Of course not.
So now is the time to pay attention to the dashboard of your soul is while you can still hit the accelerator and put the pedal to the metal (I am from the 70s, after all. . .), and before you have to pull over to the side of the road, hit the hazard lights, spark up a flare or two, and dial Triple A. TZT
As a hard-working, committed educator, do you overextend yourself and ignore the signals your body sends you? I invite you to leave a comment telling me what that looks like and how you’ve dealt with it. TZT
*That might just be me, but after all, it is MY blog.