Seven Reasons Why We Are Educators: Reason 3- Self-Care (267)

 “Self-care is never a selfish act—it is simply good stewardship of the only gift I have, the gift I was put on earth to offer to others.” -Parker Palmer

Our gift is education. Our gift is creating communities. Building relationships. Seeing potential and amplifying it. Sponsoring hope and curiosity. But if we are unhealthy- mentally or physically, our spark of optimism and camaraderie is stunted. Our voice is muffled. Our gift gets obscured.

We need to reach far distances- we need to cross tough terrain- swim vast oceans, to reach the minds of our students. Minds of such great thought and potential. We have to tear down walls created from being told they cannot do it, or that they are without. We have to calm nerves and anxieties. We have to inspire, intrigue, and engage.

This is just one avenue we must travel down. We also have to engage ourselves. Listen with intent. Answer with humility. Inquire with concern. Display as a center, an anchor, a mentor. All the while, balancing home life, professional responsibilities that are outside of our classrooms, and our own mental and physical health.

Self-care is as vast as our responsibilities as an educator. Exercise, eating right, lowering our stress levels- these are aspects that might take a back seat to our classroom preparedness and delivery. We often get hyper-focused on the presentation, and to our detriment, for it can never be perfect.

We have to let some of our expectations go in order to stay healthy. We have to realize that our spirit needs to escape this coil of education. We need to let go. We need to focus on ourselves. Like the quote says- it is not selfish to say no, to focus on yourself- rather, it is a responsibility. Because if we don’t our students will suffer- they need us at our best and the only way to stay in the realm of prime- is to make it happen.

I know I forget to do this. Then I get the flu or so worn down I am pretty much useless. I am then forced to retreat, and I am scrambling to get my substitute prepared, my students covered without worksheets and videos.

So, reason three, why we are educators might not seem like a reason. Self-care is not a reason why but more like how. How we can stay present, focused, and fully charged. I meditate, reflect a lot through writing and I unplug a lot. I spend my weekends with family playing board games- not grading papers. Although a few weekends a go I had to. So again, nothing is perfect.

But, if we self-check daily. Ask ourselves what we need. Then we can make sure we are covered first. Then our gift- it will be more beneficial to others and this my friends is a beautiful circle of gift giving.