Back to School

Children all over the nation are returning to school. If you are like me, you long to know they will:

be safe
be genuinely cherished by teachers, family, and friends
be challenged and really encouraged to stretch outside their young comfort zones
be taught how to celebrate their victories AND their lessons learned (aka *failures*)
learn to protect and grow their confidence.

And in the process of all of this, I truly hope they catch a life-long love of learning!

The start of this school year has been bittersweet for my extended family as our youngest member began kindergarten. Despite selecting her first-day outfit weeks in advance and a happy readiness to “Meet the Teacher” Thursday night before classes began Monday, there was the Sunday night meltdown with “I don’t want to go” tears.

With encouragement from her “elders” (7 & 9-year-old brother and sister) she soldiered on, tentatively walked the long walk into the school building and took the seat in a room full of strangers where her name tag was laminated and taped to a desk. For all kindergartners, in a single day, at only 5 years old, life as they have known it is forever changed.

Do you remember your first day of school? Can’t we all relate this scenario to something we’ve faced in our adult world? Great anticipation and preparation followed by dread and angst. And somehow, we do what she did: we listen to those who have gone before us, we suit up, and we show up.

Is there someplace in your life now where you need to suit up and show up?

Think about it.

Chances are, there is. This takes courage, a willingness to try, and a willingness to be vulnerable – starting with yourself. Perhaps you could step up and suit up at work, or help your team grow and develop. Learn more about how group coaching for professionals can help.

Summer is winding down and we come to the final quarter of 2018. Suit up and show up and make this last quarter count. Now is the time to be building your plans and “what I want to create” for 2019.

In the broadest sense coaches specialize in supporting “becoming.” Every day we are becoming something. The beautiful part is we get to choose the “what.” I’m here if you need me.

I’ll close this note with my favorite bulletin board from Meet The Teacher night: