Google defines a zombie as a “reawakened corpse with a ravenous appetite or someone bitten by another zombie infected with a “zombie virus.” Zombies are usually portrayed as strong but robotic beings with rotting flesh. Their only mission is to feed.” ...I feel like a zombie.
To be honest, October wasn’t a month I was at my best. The flooding in my apartment continued until very recently, now my AC isn’t working, a coworker and I had to have a heart to heart about what they were saying behind my back, and my running wasn’t going well. Mix all those ingredients plus observations, Rock Your School, Red Ribbon Week, STEAM week, and you create a zombie.
To add to my Zombie concoction, I was given the lowest group of 4th graders to tutor, I work an extra four hours on Saturday to earn money, and I’m running 4 days a week to prep for my November half marathon. October. Was. HARD!
Besides everything I’ve already mentioned, I’ve been out of sorts with my routine the last two weeks because of my workload. I’ve slept, eaten, and read less. Those are the cherries on top of a bad mix Zombie milkshake.
The bad news: that was my October. The good news: tomorrow is a new day. It doesn’t have to be my reality. Tomorrow is November. Tomorrow is a restart! Heck typing this blog post right now is a restart!
That’s exactly what I told my students the other day when they were struggling with long division. For the first time this year they were saying some fixed mindset words that hurt my heart. They were literally saying they weren’t smart and were ready to quit. Cue the tears!
I reminded them my plan going into my race for last Saturday (that I hadn’t run yet). After a disappointing week of running I could quit running and not show up to the race. (They made it clear that wasn’t an option.) So, I responded back when something isn’t going our way we can do a few things. We can keep trying over and over again. We can try new strategies to see if that gives us a new, better solution. Or…we can be reminded that our failures and mistakes are reminders of learning taking place. I told them, come Saturday, no matter how difficult my runs have been, I was showing up to that start line and giving that 10k all that I got. Whatever happens on the racecourse, I’ll live knowing I did my best on that day.
I say all of this to remind myself to SLOW DOWN. This month I was (attempting) to move as fast as I could at all times in order to get done with everything I needed to get done. Instead, it felt as if the finish line kept getting further away. I missed opportunities to refuel my energy, friendships, and hobbies to run a race (teaching) that is never done. When I take the time to breathe, pace myself, and walk, I can still get everything done at much better and healthier speed. I’m a big checklist guy. I love to get everything done, but then as result my health and attitude don’t get the same balance to successful. “Pace yourself Jordan! You got this! Keep running!” November will be a great month. …I gotta run!
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