Energy #KidsDeserveIt

Photo via @theiowahawkeyes Instagram acct

I love sports. I have always loved sports.

I love the competition that sports creates, but I also love all of the other things that lead-up to the competition. I love the commitment. I love the focus. I love the teamwork. I love the preparation. I love the enthusiasm. I love the excitement. I love the anticipation.

Last weekend, I was at an Iowa Hawkeyes basketball game with my son, my brother, and my dad. As we sat in our seats, waiting for the game to begin. The video board showed the team, gathered outside of the locker room, enjoying the final moments prior to taking the court for the tip-off. The team huddled around individual players taking turns dancing and getting the team hyped for their game. I love this. I'm long past my days as a competitive athlete, but watching these type of things, still, always, gives me chills.

And every team does this, or something like this. Athletes are so focused and they do such a good job of energizing themselves prior to competing. It is crystal clear that they love what they do.

Far too often this is the case

I write this blog as a principal of an elementary school. And as I write this blog, in February, the days are long. Spring break is still weeks away, and we're just over half-way to summer. There are mornings when it is hard to get going. We definitely don't always have the same level of energy prior to teaching that athletes do prior to competing. Why not? Can you imagine if ALL educators brought that type of energy to school every day?! What an amazing place that would be to work! What an amazing place that would be to learn!

So what can we, as individuals, do? Commit to smiling, all-day, every-day. Commit to remembering why you got into education. Commit to finding balance in your life so that you don't burn-out. Commit to searching for positives. Commit to vulnerability. Commit to #CelebrateMonday. Commit to #FlyHighFri. Fake-it-til-we-make-it. #KidsDeserveIt.