I want to take a minute and reflect on my word for 2018 as the last few hours dwindle. It was the first year I participated in the whole one word thing and wasn’t quite sure what to expect. I have to say I didn’t expect as much of an impact as it had.
I chose the word Stretch for 2018 (you can see my post about it here). Essentially I went for a feeling over a meaning. I wanted to live in that uncomfortable place where growth happens. You know the place. After a good workout (or unintentional movement like yard work!) you tend to get stiff. What do we do to release the stiffness? Stretch.
You see if you stay stagnant for too long then try to change it hurts. Stretching helps. Stretching when done right can be a mixture of discomfort and relief. That’s what I wanted. I wanted to have a controlled sense of discomfort. As someone who has dealt with anxiety throughout my life it was ambitious to want to live in that zone, but like I said I was looking for controlled discomfort.
So how did it go?
I presented out of town for the first time thanks to my friend Maureen. I met amazing educators and faced some fears (like traveling alone!).
I pushed myself to talk to some of my “eduheroes” at conferences which resulted in amazing sharing of ideas.
I applied to teach at two conference outside of my area and will now be presenting at FETC in January and ISTE in June. I presented at VSTE in December with one of my best friends.
I was offered the chance to contribute to three books- one a small insert, one a short vignette, and one chapter.
I was invited to guest on two podcasts (check out my Ten Minute Teacher interview here).
Personally?
I took a road trip with a three year old with no back up.
And perhaps the biggest stretch of all? I took a DNA test and found my biological father. I’ll share more on that later, but it has definitely shaped the last part of 2018 for me.
Essentially it worked. I’ll be sharing my 2019 word soon. I’m looking forward to seeing how it shapes my year.
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