Sinking in

Today I took time for a little morning retreat.  I turned off my phone, got cozy in my study and curled up with my journal and a pen.  I'm not gonna lie, it gave me great pleasure to just sit there in the sunlight.  Insight #1: Let yourself sit with a pen and paper more often.  My walking buddy put it this way, "Let yourself just sink in today."

Here are the steps I took to reflect.  They just evolved as I listened to myself, but I am going to put them down in this post. Mostly because rewriting things helps me remember and think through the words.  But also because my process may support someone else in his or her goal setting journey.

Step 1: What skillset am I using when I am the most inspired/excited/joyful? (taken from Ted Talk by Ashley Stahl)

1. Creating Lessons
   1. Visual creativity and design skills
   2. Knowledge of best practice and curriculum
2. Students Creating
   1. Planning skills
   2. The skill of letting go of control
3. Screencast Tutorials
   1. Speaking skills
   2. Creativity
   3. Knowledge of topic 
4. Learning
   1. Curiosity
   2. Investigative skills
5. Teaching
   1. Conversation skills
   2. Curiosity
6. Writing 
   1. Writing skills
   2. Creativity
7. Sharing 
   1. People skills
   2. Speaking Skills
8. Children's literature
   1. Reading skills
   2. Thinking skills

Step 3: Brainstorm Ideas from What I Love:

1. Put books into Nearpod with a think aloud and insert questions.
2. Screencasts FOR kids BY kids.
3. Sharing my learnings from my reading.
4. Create audiobooks for teachers.
5. Read more blogs.
6. Along with the How To videos, create What to videos.
7. Build up books section of my website.
8. Investigate vocabulary games to put on site.
9. Find quality resources to share.
10. Try new/old things like Mystery Hangouts.

Step 4: Who am I?

I am a Jill of all trades.  
I create.  I learn.  I share.  I reflect. 
My goal is to:

• support, listen to, and encourage others
• live by what I trust, not by what I fear
• reflect on my craft and my learnings 

Step 5: Thoughts

1. Schedule in more time for reading and learning.  
2. Read blogposts, consider sharing a consolidated version of the blogposts you read.
3. Dive in deeper to the applications where I am an Ambassador.
4. Create videos with animation for kids to learn applications.

Step 6: Organize​

---

Step 7: Possible Action Steps

1. Look up blogs to follow and create a Wakelet.​​
2. Choose the book you want to read first.
3. Research animation for screencasts.
4. Break down different applications into tiny bites.  

Step 8: How to focus?  Use hashtags to keep myself focused.  

• #onetinytip
• #onetinyquote
• #onetinypodcast
• #onetinytutorial
• #ontinyreserouce

Step 9: Tentative plan

1. DO Step 7, Possible Action Steps to guide #4 below.
2. Write blogpost on Wednesday night.
3. Read for 15 minutes each day after dinner.
4. Dedicate 20 minutes every morning to work my projects.
   1. Set short-term goals once a month on the first Monday of the month.  .  
   2. Break those goals into weekly goals.   

It's not perfect and it is not exact, but I feel better having a plan.  
To recap in a different sort of way:

I love interacting with other educators who are mavericks in their own rights. One way I do this is by posting things on Twitter and responding to different posts.  

​I am going to give myself permission to read.  I listen to books all the time, but to sit down seems like a luxury I can't afford.  Not true.

I love learning and I want to share what I learn with others.  Especially those who do not have the time to read, but still want to learn.  That's why I am focused right now on #tiny.

Sharing with others has an added benefit---it helps me hold myself accountable.  Big thanks to all of you who are encouraging me on my journey, share freely on Twitter, have a heart for teaching, growing, and expanding.