06 Dec Life Offers Endless Possibilities
December is a crazy time in schools! You’re busy with report writing, editing and proofing till the wee hours of the morning and then you want to be offering the best learning experiences during the day to excite, motivate and engage 21st Century Learners! You’re meeting with parents, planning curriculum and professional learning for next year. On top of all of this you are preparing the students for the December holidays – particularly challenging in international school leadership where your students may be spreading out across the globe during their break.
Phew! As a former teacher and principal I know how busy you are and I know how much you want to be inspired and assured that you are on the right track and making positive progress and inroads into international education, or the local school that you lead.
Well, I hope you’ve got something wonderful planned for your holiday break. Neuroscience tells us that adventures and a chance to get away from the grind make us better people. Adventures make us more curious, more creative and prepared to achieve great things. I actually plan mini-adventures a few times each week to keep me focused, creative and happy. It’s a really effective plan for success!
This past week has actually been a big week for me. You see I believe that Life Offers Endless Possibilities and it’s up to us to seek them out. I had been invited to speak to hundreds of Principals at the 7th Annual Conference on Excellence in School Education in New Delhi, India on 27, 28 & 29 November. So I decided to visit the Taj Mahal on Monday after the conference was over. Yes, it was amazing! Such a beautiful monument built with exquisite attention to every detail and built for love, I confess I had tears in my eyes. I flew back to Melbourne on Tuesday and went to see Oprah Live in her Australian Tour on Wednesday night. Two wonders of the world in one week! Two amazing possibilities in one week!
Oprah was inspirational! She told us her life story and outlined her difficult times and her successes. She spoke from the heart and I felt very fortunate to listen to her uninterrupted for two hours. Oprah told us that every new day is a chance to live our best life. As an 8-year old she was asked to read the poem Invictus at her church and she can still recite the poem and the last words of the poem hold meaning for her each new day, “I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul.”
Everyday I ask myself how I can be my best self and serve others to be their best selves? What about you? Do you want to inspire and support more people in your life? What are the possibilities you can seek out? How can you be the master of your fate and the captain of your soul?
For the first time I am offering Leadership for the 21st Century a 2-day workshop in Melbourne on 25 & 26 February. Why not come along and make 2016 your absolute best year yet!
Remember Life Offers Endless Possibilities. Make sure you seek them out!
Wishing you very Happy and Adventurous Holidays.
