While visiting classrooms today I noticed a friend working alone and talking quietly into a whisper phone.  I asked, “How are things going today?”  The response, “Well, it’s taking a lot of self-talk to get this day started.”  🙂

I remember some powerful advice my saintly husband, Michael, gave me years ago when I questioned him about why he loved running marathons and how he did it so successfully:  “I’ve learned to talk to myself instead of just listening to myself.”  WHAT?  “If I listen to myself, all I hear are excuses and reasons why I should give up and not keep moving forward.  When I talk to myself, I give encouragement and words I need to keep running in order to cross that finish line.”

This is life, especially in teaching and learning in our classrooms!  Too often we listen to ourselves (and others) and hear complaints, self-doubt, fear, or negativity; we allow the energy vampires (thank you, Jon Gordon) to suck us dry!  What we need to choose to do is feed ourselves with our positive voice so we fuel our words, thoughts, beliefs, and actions into motion!  Just like my little friend on the whisper phone this morning, the positive talk gives strength and power to overcome the challenges of the day in order to experience personal greatness.

As we start second semester at LME, may we all keep running forward, staying positive, and learning to talk to ourselves.  Here’s hoping we all follow the power of self-talk…and don’t forget to raise your hands into the air in JOYful celebration when you cross the beautiful finish line of this school year!  🙂