Last night I started working on this post and gave up, curled up with a book, and read. I realized that I had nothing new to say. I could talk about how 2013 was a challenging year and I was glad it was over, but then I realized that seems to be a pattern that I fall into. I suspect others do too. I could talk about goals, but I seem to forget them as quickly as I make them. So far this isn't looking good for the new year. And then I realized that there is one thing that I can focus on. I can focus on how I react to what life places in my path each day. I can actively choose to engage with life and to try and respond to it with class.
For the past couple of years, I have felt that in some areas of my life, I have been letting life go by. I have lost some of my zest, passion, confidence, or whatever you want to call it but it has resulted in a general apathy. This is not me. So, 2014 needs some mix-ups.
Some things you will be seeing on the blog in 2014....
1. Celebrate This Week (Saturdays) and 5 Things I have Loved Last Week - Awhile back, Colby Sharp started sharing 5 things he loved about the previous week. Ruth Ayers started Celebrate This Week. Colby merged his concept with Ruth's Celebrate This Week. I like Ruth's concept and Colby's format. I think this will help me focus on the good things happening and keep my focus on a positive and thankful attitude.
2. Book Recommendations vs. Book Reviews - Reviews take me a long time. I have tried various techniques but they continue to take me several hours to write up. As a result, I end up not sharing as many books as I would like. I am moving from the concept of doing book reviews to doing book recommendations. This will allow me to share more books that I love with readers of this blog.
3. Celebrating Diversity - I am not sure how this is going to play out on the blog. Will it be a challenge or a series of blog posts? Not sure. However, I do know I want to spotlight more books that will reflect the lives of the children in my very diverse school community.
Some things I will be focusing on in my reading life....
1. Reading and Re-reading - I am going to give my permission to re-read books and stay with a book longer if I love it that much. I give children permission to re-read books like Diary of a Wimpy Kid over and over again until they are ready to move on. Can I give myself the same permission? Though I have more confidence in my ability as a reader to pick books or find ones I will love, I still find that some books resonate so much with me that I am not ready to move onto another story. However, in an attempt to read a greater number of books, I am reading through books too quickly and hence not enjoying what I am reading as much.
2. Permission to read more of the genres that I like. - There is a part of me that would be happy to read only mysteries, historical fiction, and science fiction/fantasy. In an attempt to read more widely in order to keep up with book buzz or to make recommendations, I have ignored what I love to read. I still want to read widely, but I also want to indulge a little bit more in some other books, including books written for adults.
Some things in my professional life....
I have no idea what this will look like? I have no idea whether it will be taking classes towards a new degree or an additional credential or if it will be serving on a new committee in an area that I would like to build more skill and expertise or creating a PLN to try new teaching strategies. I do know that I need to find new challenges in order to be better able to support the teachers and schools that I am assigned to work with. For some accountability, I will share my journey with you through on-going blog posts each month.
Remember...
Every year will bring challenges - some years more than others - and we cannot control those things. We can control how we respond. How will you respond to life in 2014?
