Points 2 Ponder

Reflect – Student Focus

Part A: Student Focus

Students: Reflect on your current academic progress. Reflect on the past week, month, and the semester so far. How are you doing? Academically, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually.....how are you really doing?

Reflect on your goals you set for yourself this semester and academic year. Are you on target towards reaching/achieving your goals? If so, how close are you to your goal? If not, how far off are you?

Reflect on your interactions with professors and your advisor. How is your communication? How often do you communicate? What do you feel is going well in regards to communication? What could be better? What additional support do you need from your professors or advisors?

Reflect on your support system. If you do not have a support team/circle, I would suggest creating one. Who would you include in your circle? If you have a support team/circle, what additional support would you like from them?

Reflect on your nutrition, sleep, and self-care. Are you eating? Are you making wise choices in regards to your nutrition and hydration? Are you sleeping? Is it adequate? Have you taken time for yourself within the past 2 weeks? If so, great--reflect on the things you did, and strive to do more for yourself this week. If not, don't stress. Find 1 day this week to take at least 30 minutes to meet with your middle name (basically meet with yourself. If you don't have a middle name, use your line name or nickname).

The goal of this Points 2 Ponder topic is not to beat you down, but to allow you to pause and think carefully about you and where you are/what you are experiencing. The goal is to increase awareness of "What's up with you." The next topic is "RE-EVALUATE." Stay tuned...........

Reflect – Faculty Focus

Part B: Faculty/Administrator Focus

Colleagues: Reflect on the courses you are currently teaching, the students you are currently advising, student teachers you are mentoring and supervising, and/or the faculty and staff you are mentoring and supervising. Reflect on the past week, month, and the semester so far. How are you doing? Academically, mentally, emotionally, physically, spiritually.....how are you really doing? How are they doing?

Reflect on your goals you set for yourself this semester and academic year. The goals you set for your courses, ensembles, or your department. Are you on target towards reaching/achieving your goals? If so, how close are you to your goal? If not, how far off are you?

Reflect on your interactions with your students, administrators, (or for K-12 educators/administrators, your parents and community). How is your communication? How often do you communicate? What do you feel is going well in regards to communication? What could be better?

Re-Evaluate

Students: Re-evaluate your choice in major and institution. Review and Revisit your "why!" Why did you choose the institution you chose? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to your family? What does it mean or could it mean for your future career?

Why did you choose your major and/or minor? What is your passion for this major? Are you following in a family member's footsteps? Are you forging your own path? What does this major mean to you? To your family? To your future career, personal, and family goals?

Faculty/Administrators: Re-evaluate your current position. Review your passion. Why did you choose to teach or lead? What does it mean to you? What does it mean to your family? What does it mean for your career or personal goals? Reexamine your Why!

To All: By Re-evaluating, Reviewing, or Re-examining your Why, you are renewing your spirit and your motivation. You are digging deep to reignite the passion you have for your chosen educational or career path. This examination helps to prepare you for Realignment, and will help tremendously with coping with stress, anxiety, depression, and other ailments. It will also help to motivate you, put a stop to procrastination, and energize you to give 100% effort to being the best you that you can be.

The next Points 2 Ponder Topic is: "Reorganize!"

Stay tuned......

Reorganize

Now that we have "Reflected" (Topic 1) and "Re-evaluated" (Topic 2), it is time to "Reorganize!"

Reorganize your priorities. What comes first? What's most important? Personally, family wise, academically, and/or careerwise? Begin with the end in mind. What's your target? What are you working towards? Think again about your "why." How much time do you have, or have you given yourself for reaching a particular goal or target? What steps do you need to take now to reach those goals or that target?

Once you have prioritized these things, now it's time to reorganize your calendar. How much time do you have each day to dedicate towards each goal/task/target? How much time can you set aside if you readjust some things on your calendar, looking at it daily, weekly, and monthly? Be sure to make time for yourself and for your family, friends, and/or pets.

Now that you have prioritized and have looked at reorganizing your calendar, it is time to reorganize your space. Look at your workspace or your learning space. What adjustments can you make to enhance or improve your space so that it is more conducive to positive productivity? What do you need to add? What do you need to take away?

In reference to personal space, your space of zen or relaxation, what do you need to add or remove to enhance your mental, physical, emotional, or spiritual well-being?

And finally, consider reorganizing your "circle." Who are you connected with? Are any of those connections toxic or an impediment to your growth or success, or your ability to reach your goals?

Take some time this week to "reorganize."

Next Topic: "Reconnect!"

Stay tuned......

Reconnect

Reconnect with your passion. Reconnect with your support team. Reconnect with your vision.

Take some time this weekend to reach out to at least 10 of your friends/family. Just send a short message letting them know you are thinking about them, and checking in on them to make sure they are okay. Let them know you look forward to hearing from them.

Reconnect with your passion. Find your inner excitement about your career, hobby, or college major, and focus on ways to have some fun with the tasks you complete this week and next week. Reconnect with the feeling you had when you chose your major or your career, the good feeling you had when you accepted your job offer, or read your college acceptance letter. Reconnect with the feeling you had when you learned how to successfully do activities associated with your hobby.

Reconnect with people who can help elevate your mindset and push you further towards your goals. This may be a current or former professor or advisor, a roommate, a childhood friend, a family member, a co-worker, or a former supervisor. Reach out to them to strengthen or broaden that connection. Share with them your recent successes, and your goals for where you are and where you are trying to go. Ask for advice on how you should approach it (use discernment though with the advice you receive).

For college graduates, reach out to your local alumni chapter for resources, and to network with like-minded people who share the same background or career path you have, or the path you seek to have. Reach out to your alma mater's career center for advice or resources.

But most importantly, reconnect with the real you! Take some time to really check on yourself, and assess where you were, where you are presently, and where you want to go. Reconnect with the things that made you happy, or see how you can modify those things to be applicable and useful to your current position in life.

Recommit

Recommit to your education! Recommit to your career! Recommit to your family! Recommit to your faith! Recommit to yourself!

This week, I have shared Points 2 Ponder tips revolving around 4 topics: Reflect, Re-evaluate, Reorganize, and Reconnect. As you think about those four topics and the posts associated with them, I charge you to recommit to the important things in your life.

Regardless of what happened this morning, yesterday, last week, last month, or last year, make an earnest effort today to reaffirm your position and recommit to being the best you! Recommit to putting your best foot forward and doing your best to accomplish simple and difficult tasks.

Recommit to asking for help when needed and to sticking to your word. Think twice about your actions, and never make promises hastily or promises you are not sure you will be able to keep. Listen before speaking and be careful to not pile too many obligations on your plate.

Recommit to your personal and family values and morals. Recommit to being a beacon of positivity. Recommit to being honest and having a good work ethic. Recommit to treating others the way you want to be treated and not judging others because of our differences.

Recommit to your education. Make a goal today to attend all of your classes, to ask for help from professors or classmates when needed, and to see it through to the end. Make a goal today that whatever classes you register for, you will complete those classes.

Recommit to your job/career. Make an earnest effort to prepare daily and weekly for the work ahead. Proper Preparation Prevents Poor Performance.

Recommit to being a team player, even when working on individual assignments (as your individual performance still affects the whole). Recommit to BEING ON TIME! Recommit to SHOWING UP!

Recommit to yourself! Think positive thoughts. For every “I can't,” replace it with “I CAN” or “I WILL.” Consider this thought/mantra from years ago from Brigadier General Jeff Mathis: "Recommit yourself daily, right here--right now, to do hard things. In doing so, you'll affirm to "do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard." Additionally, you'll quickly realize that by doing hard things, you will consistently achieve more than you expected."

Forget what happened 10 seconds ago. What can you do, starting now and going forward, to move towards your better, or to stay focused on your vision, purpose, or goal/target?

Recommit!

Thank you for your support of my Points 2 Ponder Blogs in this 5 R’s Series (Reflect, Re-evaluate, Reorganize, Reconnect, and Recommit). Stay tuned for the next series of Blogs coming soon.