The other day my colleague/friend called to let me know that she might be late for the morning debrief because she had seen my horse Shorty standing still, further up the paddock. When she went to investigate, she discovered he had got stuck in the wire fencing trying to reach the grass on the other side. She had to cut the fencing to release him and then re-fence it to keep him in. If she had not discovered this before work, he would have been there all day without access to water and shelter. This was not the first time it had happened and fortunately, he was not hurt. Shorty often stretches his long neck in to the next paddock despite being surrounded by plenty of green grass. He will snort and flick his nose at treats such as carrots and apples but will nicker into the palm that offers him fresh grass.
As you approach the end of the school year, life gets busier and frantic with report cards to be written, end of school functions and trying to fit in assessments and other tasks that need to be done. It is possible you are feeling tired and discouraged, running on less sleep than you need. This is the time that you need to remind yourself to stay focused and remember the blessings of each day. At the start of each day, remind yourself of 3 things you are thankful for as you enter your classroom.
When you are tempted to look to see if the grass is greener in another paddock, consider:
1. What are my goals professionally? Short-term or long-term, as a teacher, consider what you want to achieve. If you are teaching in Australia, look at the Australian Professional Standards for Teachers and use this document to guide you. I went to a PD recently and one thing that was said was to use templates such as the one I just mentioned, to keep it objective.
2. What are your passions/interests? Consider your personal interests and hobbies, your family, your leisure time pursuits and decide if you have a good balance in life with work and with pleasure. If the balance is uneven, one of those is getting short-changed.
3. Are you simply just tired and needing a holiday? When we are not getting enough sleep, refreshment and/or not eating or exercising, not just our physical health is affected. It is a lot harder to make objective decisions when our emotional health is at a low ebb.
4. Seek wise counsel. Talk with those who know you best and who are willing to tell you the truth even when it's not what you want to hear. Talk with those who will walk beside you in the hard times and who will encourage you to persevere when you are slowing down or who will help you make a break for it, if it is the right time.
When all is said and done, even if the grass is greener on the other side of the paddock, it doesn't mean it's the best thing for you. There are some horses who behave as though they have had a 'sugar hit' when they've had too much green grass and some of them put on too much weight when it isn't controlled. Know your limits. Acknowledge your blessings. Take care of your health.
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