Who needs a life coach?

The idea of a life coach is an interesting one to me. A professor, who I greatly admire and respect, often talks about things like life coaches and creativity coaches. I'm fascinated by this idea. I also think she is perfect for this. If I ever need a creativity or life coach in my life, she would be who I would choose. Anyway, I was at an end-of-year holiday party for my writing group recently (although I guess it has been about a month...where does the time go?), and one of the activities is choosing "life coach" cards as I call them. I have no idea what they are actually called. We did this the previous year at the party and I loved it. These cards are aesthetically pleasing and contain one simple word or short phrase on the front, then a description of what this means on the back. Our little group passes the cards around twice. The first time, you are to randomly pick a card without looking. I think of this as God showing me what I need to focus on. The second time, you can look through the cards and pick ones that apply to you. Today, I want to share the cards I chose and what they mean to me.

Charity

"Mine is a charitable heart. It is rooted in the wisdom of compassion. It is fed by the springs of self-love. Taking a compassionate view of myself and others, I act in the world with gentle temperance. I am not rash in action, harsh in judgment, quick in condemnation of those I see."

Charity is the card I drew at random, and I have typed what is written on the back of the card. I was definitely going through a rough patch at the end of 2013, and this card could not be more appropriate for how I was feeling. I wanted to cry when I pulled this card out of the bunch (because I was feeling emotional already but also because it painted a harsh picture for myself). Yes, I am compassionate, and yes, I have a charitable heart. My sole reason for pursuing a Ph.D. is because I want to help children learn to read because I believe that is foundational in living a life you are proud of. End of story. What this card reminded me of is that daily I fall short in my judgment of others. For me, this card represents what I need to change in my heart. It is one of my greatest goals for 2014 and a constant reminder that I need to be more compassionate daily and more tolerable in my work.

Enthusiasm

"I am blessed by the gift of an enthusiastic heart. I respond to life with lively interest, with contagious joy, with ardor and delight. My enthusiasm is a spiritual wellspring."

One thing I have become acutely aware of in graduate school is that I am an optimist. I used to believe myself to be a "realist" but now I know that I definitely favor the optimist side. I constantly try to find the silver lining in bad situations and want to go to sleep happy. I don't like to be grumpy and I cannot stand to believe that the worst will happen. This is not the norm, and I have found myself criticized for my belief that everything happens for a reason and there is good in every challenge and hardship. Despite that, more than ever, I want to be optimistic. Why go through life feeling anything but blessed and overjoyed at the hand you've been dealt? 

I chose the enthusiasm card, and I feel it is appropriately me. This card is my reminder to not change my optimistic heart and to continue to be happy and blessed with where I am. I'm overjoyed and fortunate enough to get to chase my dreams, and I really do have the opportunity to make lasting changes for the better in education. What more could I possibly ask for?

Humor Lights the World

"I am blessed by wit and humor. I see the light side of dark times. I see the antic grace in awkwardness, the comic foibles in human nature. I am serious in my commitments but I am lighthearted in my fulfillment of them."

This is the second card I chose. It resonated with me because humor is the elixir of life. I grew up in a household that was filled with laughter daily. Few things make me happier than stomach-cramping, rolling-on-the-ground laughter. My teaching style is grounded in my ability to tell stories filled with emotion and wit. I'm a serious person and definitely uptight, but I can laugh at myself. On the days that I am most stressed, I just laugh at my misfortunes. Why not? I want to always remember how much I enjoy my laughter and wit and continue to bring them into my daily work.

So, who needs a life coach? Well, some days, I do. 

I'm glad this card-pulling has become something of a tradition at our annual holiday party. It gives me a constant reminder of the good I have inside me, the blessings I can offer my field, and what I need to improve and change within myself to reach my goals.