|
Reflections
PUBLISHED BY REFLECTIONS RESOURCES, LTD. Summer, 2006
Working with schools, parents, and organizations to reflect on
and improve the quality of career, relationships, and life transitions.
A MESSAGE FROM MARY MCGRATH
Handling the Unexpected
You start the day like any other “normal day”. The phone rings. Your friend on the west coast tells you that her marriage is falling apart. You were in the wedding years back. A true sad start to the day.
You call your dad and he hems and haws around. Then he tells you that your sister has just been diagnosed with a life threatening disease.
You plan on a summer study tour at an institute in another country. You study and prep and plan and arrange. A week before you are set to go you receive a letter explaining that due to unforeseen circumstances the program had to be canceled.
And on it goes. Though we would love the best to happen to those we love and we would so much enjoy it if our plans went “according to plan”, yet due to the natural order of things, life is more like disorder!
So, what to do when the rug gets pulled out from under us? Perhaps we could consider to the following five steps to “maintain cool” over unexpected events during this hot summer.
- Stop and take a deep breath. Try to come to grips with sudden sad or unexpected news that has just taken your otherwise normal or ok or even great day to the other end of the spectrum. Realize that perspective will come, that you are not in control of the universe and that somehow over time, good things do happen too.
- Get Concrete. Pick up the rock you brought back from the shore. Go for a walk and pay attention to your feet hitting the pavement and the breeze touching your face.
- Do What You Need to Do. Cry, pray, journal, scream, take some time for yourself.
- Assess the situation and act. If there is something you can do to help the person in need, do it. If possible, adjust the circumstances to the benefit of all.
Once you have begun to manage your emotions and the situation, perhaps peace and perspective will gain ground. If not today, maybe tomorrow.
RELEASED IN JUNE:
The Teachers Reflective Calendar and Planning Journal (done with Bev Johns)
www.corwinpress.com
RELEASED IN SEPTEMBER:
Teachers in Transition: Growing Forward Through Retirement www.rowmaneducation.com
UPCOMING IN AUGUST:
SURVIVING INTERNAL POLITICS WITHIN THE SCHOOL (with B. Johns and S.Mathur)
www.rowmaneducation.com
UPCOMING SPEAKING:
July 8, 15, 2006, “Writing Helpful Articles from Life Experience”, The Loft, Minneapolis, MN
February 12, 2007 “Being a Growing and Knowing Teacher Before, During and After Retirement”, Delta Kappa Gamma, New Brighton, MN
Permission granted to copy and share this newsletter with others. When printing the article section please include attribution and contact information as below.
Mary Z. McGrath Ph.D., Speaker/Author/Educator
Reflections Resources, Ltd.
Phone: 952-894-7707 Fax: 952-890-3229
E-Mail: info@maryzmcgrath.com
http://www.maryzmcgrath.com
“Self-care keeps you there!”
[ Back to Top of Page ]
|
