Why work can be like a day at the spa

I came home from work today feeling... relaxed. Joyful. Enthusiastic. Entirely my authentic self.

For some reason today, the day flowed. I went seamlessly from one task to the next. I was fully present in each moment and each activity. The next activity, the next child, the next task were far from my mind. Yet somehow I never arrived late at a meeting, I never skipped an observation, and in fact I was hugely productive. Even my frustrating parent training session was not frustrating; in fact it bookended my day and left me feeling enthusiastic.

In _A New Earth_, Eckhart Tolle talks about levels of being in the moment: Acceptance, Joy, and Enthusiasm. No matter what the moment brings you, whether you judge it as good, bad, or ugly, you accept the moment and its contents. This is how I came serenely through childbirth. In a joyful moment, you feel happiness with what you are doing. In an enthusiastic time, you are going in flow. You are fully present. You are aligned with your inner purpose.

How do we get there more often?

Like a duck flapping its wings

An analogy from A New Earth really sticks with me as I prepare to head back to work after 3 blissful baby bubble months. He tells how ducks, after conflict, swim away from each other and flap their wings, then go about their business. The duck doesn't carry the business with them. The duck doesn't hold a grudge. The duck doesn't worry about "What will happen when I see Donald tomorrow, after our conflict today?" The duck's ego doesn't hold on to "How could he have said that to me? Doesn't he know who I am?"

Working in a school system, even working toward a common goal of doing what is best for the children, means a balancing act between teacher(s), parent(s), specialists (SLP, behaviorist, OT, PT, on and on), child study team member(s)... all with the child's best interest at heart, and all strongly opinionated. Conflict happens, it's bound to. There are always one or two personalities I dread encountering because of yesterday's conflict - even if it was civilized.

Be the duck. Flap flap. Tomorrow is a new chance to wipe the slate clean, dread nothing, be fearless in the face of personalities who want to eat me alive.

Be brave. Be kind.