Welcome to episode 17.
This is going to be a really short episode as you are hopefully taking time to rest and be with your loved ones this festive season - as indeed am I.
Over the past few weeks, more than ever I have been struck by the generosity of so many teachers I know and the selfless and vocational nature of this profession. Some may even define it as a calling.
In a number of private online conversations with teacher friends, I saw teachers worrying about how vulnerable children and their families would cope over the holiday season without the safety net of school, teachers making every possible arrangement to keep those children safe, of providing children and their families with emergency helpline numbers and, in some cases, providing them with their own work mobile numbers so they can get in touch if they need to.
This is admirable and gives me so much hope for humanity at a time when so much is going on all over the world and here in the UK that feels, at times, very bleak. My love, respect and admiration go out to all you wonderful teachers who give so much of yourselves. I wouldn’t dream of asking you to stop doing that, or not to care for those who need you most.
But I do have a plea for you at this time. Wherever you are in the world, whether you celebrate Christmas or not, you now get a little much-needed time off. Having put everything in place and done everything you could to ensure there is a safety net for those vulnerable children you teach, now you need to make sure you look after yourself. “You can’t pour from an empty cup”, as the saying goes. So replenish your cup.
In episode 11, Adrian Bethune talked about the importance of kindness. Don’t forget to be kind to yourself. In episodes six and nine, we talked about positive relationships and connection. Invest in your relationships and really connect over the festive season (and beyond, of course!).
Rest, recuperate, spend time with people you love. Laugh as much as you can, sleep as much as you can, get as much fresh air as you can.
I promise I will do the same!
I will be back next Monday for the last podcast of 2019 and, as always, until we speak again, For Flourishing’s Sake, have a great week and, if you are celebrating, have a wonderful Christmas!
Everyday Hero - 60 second version (Corporate, motivational, you tube, podcast) Music by Pond5
