Greetings UWCEA Community,
This week, we continue the theme of climbing as we ask you to think about where you want to “plant” your flag(s) of accomplishment at the end of the school year. Although we have continued to encourage everyone to focus on the present and not to get overwhelmed by thinking too far into the future, it is important that you take time to consider what you hope to achieve this school year in order to set a course of action. Once you have a clear idea of what your “summit(s)” look(s) like, you will be ready to start thinking about what it is going to take to get there.
Goal setting is something we constantly hear at the beginning of any journey, from the start of the calendar year to the beginning of a school year, and many other aspects of life. There is a reason why this is such an essential part of defining and achieving success in life. Think about what it takes for a mountain climber to accomplish what they set out to do. Initially, they see that beautiful mountain peak and decide that they want to see the world from that vantage point. They gather all of the required materials and begin to plan the best way to reach the peak. Ideally, they do not do it alone, and gather a group of supportive individuals to join them in their climb. Along the way, they must take time to rest, refuel, and always remember to breathe. Although there may be times along the way where they get frustrated or feel like they cannot go on, they look up and see that peak is closer than when they began, and they persevere to the next level. Eventually, they reach the peak and as they soak in the view, they reflect on how far they have come and may even forget all that they went through to get there.
This school year’s climb has just begun, but it is essential that we take a moment to create a strong vision of what we hope to achieve at the end of this journey. Taking some time to set goals and prepare for any obstacles that might come our way, will make the experience less daunting and more meaningful. There will be challenges along the way (hopefully not like the major one we faced in March of last school year), but they do not have to stop our ascent. We need to be proactive about determining what strategies need to be in place to cope along the journey.
Thank you to the 50 members of our community who have completed the survey that we are using to build our Wellness Wednesday initiative and determine the best way to support the mental health and well-being of our school community. If you have not had a chance yet, please take a few moments to complete the survey on this link by Friday, 28 August. Thank you for helping us design our mental health and well-being initiatives this school year.
