Limitless: #OneWord 2017

You. Are. LIMITLESS. You have more potential than you give yourself credit for. With hard work and perseverance anything can be made possible. I can say this because I’ve lived and experienced it.

Very few individuals know that the beginning of 2016 was one of the toughest times in my life. For several reasons my #oneword for 2016 was courage. I needed this word to be my central focus. Focusing on the word courage allowed me to take a challenging time and flip it for an all out incredible year filled with new opportunities and growth. I have so much to be grateful for that happened in 2016, but it wasn’t by chance. Rather, it was by choice. In life we choose how to react to situations or move forward toward goals. This takes strength, courage and the ability to be resilient. 

Throughout 2016 I called upon courage often in all aspects of life, and the way I started with the word courage isn’t the way I ended the year using it. The word courage evolved over the course of 2016. A few examples of how I focused on courage professionally was as #LeadUpTeach developed and went live on several social media platforms. I called upon it again as I began having more opportunities to speak and present beyond my district level professional development that I facilitate. Through these experiences I learned to adjust my thinking. Instead of feeling nervous, I convinced myself that it was actually excitement that I felt. As humans we have the profound ability to reframe our thoughts and emotions. I learned this wisdom from a Podcast by Christina Canters and also an interview with Simon Sinek. People often avoid doing what they love because fear, doubt or nervousness holds them back. I’m truly invested in all I do, and I’ve developed great joy from it all. Deep within we all have courage and it’s a choice if we want to ignite it or allow it to remain inside us.

This past fall I was honored to become an ambassador for Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® (developed by @LaVonna Roth) and also have my students be the first group of student ambassadors. This has been transformational for both myself, my students, and the culture of our classroom. Together we’re exploring who we are as individuals through each section of S.H.I.N.E.: Self, Heart, Inspire, Navigate, and Exceptional.

Ignite Your S.H.I.N.E.® not only amplified my courage, but it inspired me to feel fearless and view life as limitless. Courage goes hand-in-hand with being limitless. I began to focus more deeply on how I could navigate my passions to inspire others. One of the most impactful ways that I employed this was when I began sharing my ambitious dreams with others. It was a risk to take because I wondered, what if my dreams don’t materialize? What if this person doesn’t believe in me or ridicules me? Nevertheless, I believe that sharing my aspirations aloud has a different level of accountability. I compare it to throwing a mountaineering axe into the side of a mountain. To achieve our goals we benefit from envisioning our path and maintaining a firm mental grip to move toward them. Today, I no longer have the same worries that I once had. I know that I’ll face challenges, they’re a natural part of life. Fortunately, I also have the tenacity to learn from and overcome them.

While 2016 kicked off with such uncertainty, it was my choice to demonstrate courage. Through this I learned how life itself is limitless.

A year ago I was told by someone in the field of education that without an administrative degree or experience as a building principal, I couldn’t do some of the things I’m currently doing such as speaking and supporting teachers outside our district. I recall mulling this comment over and how it affected me in the moment. Today, I’m actually thankful that this event occurred because I have used it as fuel to demonstrate what I’m capable of. While there’s a lot of benefit to having an administrative degree, and it may be something I pursue at some point, I also find immense value in speaking on behalf of what’s occurring in the classroom and how to maneuver through all of the expectations. Many teachers strive to integrate PBL, passion projects, edcamps, technology and making. At the same time, they feel the pressure to maintain all of the mandated programs and initiatives that come along with education. While it’s an epic time to be in education, it can also be overwhelming. My goal is to support teachers in seeing that the possibilities are limitless and provide inspiration as they move forward toward their goals. Following the day that comment was made to me, my mindset was charged to proceed forward and my determination has only grown stronger since then.

In addition to supporting fellow educators, my objective is for every child to realize that they themselves are limitless. They are NOT a score, a reading level, or what someone else thinks they’ll become. They have capabilities and passions that have yet to be discovered. As educators it’s our obligation to support students in learning how to ignite their S.H.I.N.E. and to inspire them to identify their passions in order for them to be limitless in life. We can do this through helping others to learn how to navigate their strengths and refine other areas for growth. When students learn to ignite their S.H.I.N.E. and the S.H.I.N.E. within others, greater growth occurs within each individual. Living a limitless life isn’t happenstance, but rather an intentional way to approach life with fortitude.

As individuals we decide how limitless we want to live. We control this through our daily choices. However, we often put limits on ourselves or allow others to put limits upon us. What’s stopping you from being limitless? Together we benefit from connecting, challenging, inspiring and supporting one another to pursue our highest potential. I believe in living life to the fullest and leaving a footprint as a part of a legacy. Join me in embracing a limitless life, and helping others around you to ignite their S.H.I.N.E. to make a lasting impact on our world, one day at a time.