Last updated on July 8th, 2022 at 03:23 pm
The end of summer rolls around and it seems like there is one thing on people’s minds: going back to school. The newspaper ads, tweets I’m reading online, and the lines at Walgreens suddenly have people with baskets of colored pencils, notebook paper, and glue sticks.
All over the buzz is back to school.
I’ve noticed children joining me on the bus in the morning with their big book bags full of textbooks, pencils, and notebooks. Facebook statuses of my friends younger than me are all about “moving back to college” or sharing their class schedules. Virtually every male and female between the ages of four and twenty-two is heading back to the classroom.
I, however, am not going back to school. This is the first summer in eighteen long and glorious years that I am not starting classes, meeting new friends, and interacting with teachers. For some, this might be a relief, but for me, it’s been weird and very emotional.
I love school. I love learning. I love the idea of starting fresh and rejuvenated and facing a new opportunity–a year of school–head-on.
With every new school year previously, I would write down my goals and what I wanted to do in the upcoming year. This changed slightly between years, the constants were making the honor roll/Dean’s List, meeting new friends, joining a club or organization, and learning to do something new.
And now, here I am – end of summer, and what’s ahead of me is nothing close to sharpened pencils and school bells. What can remain constant and what is especially important are goal-setting and dream-building. I can use this time to consciously recognize that a new season is approaching and to do so with rejuvenation, energy, and excitement!
I found a cute worksheet on Activity Village for parents to encourage their children to try out new ‘back-to-school habits’ with the new school year. While the article is aimed at parents with young children, I think there’s valuable information and advice that you can use to start or restart your dream.
Teach Yourself 10 Things:
1. No Vision = No Direction. Write down what you want to accomplish in the first 10, 20, and 30 days of the school year.
2. Don’t Find Fault—Find A Solution.
3. Minimize Bummer Words. Learn that these six words can hold you back from being successful: can’t, won’t, never, maybe, and if.
4. To Earn More You Have To learn more, think more, and do more.
5. Stress the “I’ll Make It Happen” words: Yes! I can! I will!
6. Demonstrate the Power of eliminating excuses.
7. Learn tangible examples of how to set and achieve goals. Find examples of how to use goal-setting.
8. Develop a Habit to ask yourself at the end of the day: “Did I Give My Best Effort to Today’s Activities?”
9. Help Others.
10. FOCUS = Vision + Goals + Attitude + Action
Pretty funny how this advice aimed at children applies to us as adults right? While I’m assuming many of you aren’t putting on your new Keds and heading on the school bus bright and early every morning, you can start channeling this back-to-school mindset.
No matter what age you are. It’s time to go back to school with our dreams and goals and kick them into gear with a refreshed attitude and mindset.
Andi Teggart
Andi Teggart is a mom, a designer, an entrepreneur, and the owner of Lucky Collective, a digital marketing and event planning shop.
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