Description: Dr. Boogren encourages the Squad to put something on the books that we can look forward to. Listen Now:
Transcription: Hi, and welcome to Self Care for Educators. I'm your host, Tina Boogren. This is episode 19 of our fourth season, and this week's invitation is to get something on your calendar in February that you look forward to. Here's what I know. I will speak for myself. February is one of my least favorite months. I just have come to terms with this. Many of you have been in workshops with me where sometimes we'll do kind of these get to know you questions as we're forming our groups in the morning. And, one of the questions is if you could get rid of one month of the year, what would it be and why? And, as I've listened to other people and thought about it myself, I've really narrowed this down to February. And, I think for me, what it is, is the holidays are over. That momentum that gets us going through January of like, you know, choosing the--just as we've done the last few weeks--choosing the word or the theme and creating our 24 for 2024 list. And, if you're a resolution person, that all feels really good in January.
And then, in February ... Kind of starts to fall apart ... And, like real life comes back into the picture where we, I don't know, we decide January 1st, everything's gonna change, and then February rolls around. And, I know for me, I'm like, nah, we're right back kind of where we started. For those of us, well, I'll just again speak for myself, I live in Colorado, and February can be cold and dark and dreary, and there's just not a ton to look forward to. It's kind of the letdown after the holidays, and so I know for myself that that's a pattern and a theme, right? Consistency is my word for 2024, and consistently I know that February is hard for me. So, for me personally, what I did is I took a couple of days off where towards the end of the month, I'm taking a trip by myself, a little alone trip that I'm really looking forward to. I am a big believer in alone trips if we're able to do it. And, it's been a few years since I've done this for myself.
I think it kind of, I lost it during 2020 for obvious reasons. And then, I never really got it back. Now, of course I travel for work, but this is going to be a trip for myself. A non work trip that I put in my calendar. I've already booked it. It's happening in February, and it gives me something to look forward to. Now, I realize taking a trip might not work for everyone, but I want you to think about what it you. It can ... You put into your schedule that you look forward to to get you through this month. This is something I think about doing all the time and like recognizing your own patterns. What is your most challenging month? I'll pose that same question to you. If you could get rid of any month of the year, what would it be and why? And, knowing that that's a challenging month for you for whatever reason, could you think about putting something in your calendar that you look forward to?
So, maybe it's taking a Saturday that it's just for you that you get to do whatever you want on that Saturday. Maybe you book a hotel room in your own city for one night, and you are going to have the remote to yourself and do a little Grub, Grub Hub to the hotel, whatever your thing is. Or, maybe it's getting a brunch with your girlfriends. Or, your friends or your family on the calendar, or it's planning a date night for you and your partner. I mean, there are so many things that you can do, but I think there's something about committing to it, putting it on the calendar so you know that it's going to happen, and then having that to look forward to. I purposely put mine towards the end of the month knowing, well, it's kind of how it worked in my calendar to be honest, but knowing that as I move through those first few days, that tend to be hard for me,
I've got that little carrot.
I have something to look forward to that light shining that I think, Oh, here we go. I'm just going to make it to, to this particular date. And, I know I'm going to be okay. 'Cause I've got this on my calendar, and then hopefully that will revive me and refresh me as they move through the rest of February and into March and spring. Spring in Colorado can be rough. We typically get the most of our snow. Then, the majority of our snow happens in the spring, waiting for that time to change all of those pieces. I just love having something to look forward to. And again, I think for me, for years, it felt hard to do this. 'Cause it felt ... I hate to use this word, but it felt selfish to do it.
Taking a trip by myself feels like this indulgence, and it is. But, I've decided, you know what? I deserve it, and I can do it, and it really is important to me. And, my husband supports me in this and loves that.
I get so excited about it and we take our trips together. We've got lots of time together. I just need a little refresh for me. And so, I put it on the calendar, and I can't wait for it to come. It gives me something to look forward to. So, I want that for you, as well. As you think about moving through the rest of January and into February, those can be kind of a slog, right? As we move through them, what might you be able to put into your calendar? Lock it in, give a little thought and reflection to what would feel really good to you. Talk to your people to figure out how you're going to make it work, and then commit to it. Get it on the counter. So, you have that carrot, that light shining that you're moving towards that will feel really good. You deserve it. You can take it. Make it happen. I'm cheering so hard for you.
If you're trying to decide, should I do this? I'm going to say, yes. Do the thing. Do the thing. Make it. Make it happen. Put it on your calendar, so that it really happens. Yes.
As always, a huge thank you to Brooke for making this happen. Thank you to Solution Tree and Marzano Resources for this crazy job that I have, but it does allow me a little bit of flexibility to take a couple days that is going to then help me turn around and be the best I can possibly be in this job and serving others. And, to you, my bad-ass Self-Care Squad. Let's get something on our calendar that we are excited about. I'm cheering so hard for you. Feel my hand on your back. You're amazing.
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