Words of Wisdom

      I know you have those people in your life that tell you something so often that later on you hear their voices in your head!  Sometimes the most basic phrases are those that stick with you forever! I am super lucky to have a fabulous mother who supports me and has given me constant encouragement with my teaching career.  I have also had the opportunity to work with some awesome ladies over the years. For many of my teaching years, I was one of the young teachers and needless to say, I was at time "mothered" (as my brother calls it), by some of those fellow colleagues.  
     Funny enough, my mom and those colleagues/friends/other mothers, whatever you want to call them, all know those things that make me crazy and when I need to calm down. See, if you don't know this about me, I am a slight perfectionist.  Well, maybe more than a slight perfectionist, although I have gotten better as I have gotten older!  I like things done my way and when I want them done.  The problem with this is that when I have a TON of things to do, like at the beginning and end of the year, it makes me panic just a bit!
     So, as I sit here a week into my summer vacation, I can't help but think back to a phone call I had a week or so ago, with a good friend and former teammate at my old school.  I told her that I kept hearing these voices in my head.  I kept hearing my mom, Barb (my old assistant), Connie and Laura (former teammates) in my head.  My mom's voice is always telling me that it doesn't have to be perfect.  She knows that her and I both can be too hard on ourselves to get things right all the time! I kept hearing my mom, Barb, Connie, and Laura telling me that everything will get done, don't worry!  The more and more I tried to think about them saying these phrases to me, the less stressed I was and the more I realized, it didn't all have to be perfect and it would all get done. What didn't get done, would still be there in the fall and I could tackle it then.
    Guess what, they were right!  I was able to finish up everything as needed, pack up my classroom, and enjoy the beginning of my summer!  
    So, if you are like a few of my good friends down in NC, who are in the last week or so of school and you are super stressed, like I was, just remember...It WILL all GET DONE and it DOES NOT have to be PERFECT!  Just remember that your summer vacation is around the corner! :)

Who gives you those words of wisdom when you need them the most?  I'd love to hear!