Written by Founder and CEO, Sara Potler LaHayne
Now is the time of year when many New Year’s resolutions begin to go astray — the gym traffic lightens, the alarm gets snoozed, commitments become more challenging to maintain. Being “busy” can take center stage.
Visiting program sites in the New Year, I’m humbled by the dedicated time for self-reflection leaders are carving out for their teams, their students, and most importantly — themselves. In DC last week, an Executive Director came into a training describing the state of her team as “very tense,” yet left “energized and ready to tackle our work.”
As we move through our daily interactions and our routines, and as resolutions become more difficult to uphold, we at Move This World are fueled by the energy our partners derive from mindful moments of rejuvenation and refocus. This winter, community partners across the globe are incorporating tools to maintain this spirit of inspiration and progress, even when times are stressful. Teachers in Baltimore welcome students to a new day with a “mindful morning” ritual to shed distractions and focus on the day ahead. City Year Corps Members use a tool for emotional management to track students’ reactions to difficult situations or conflict. Start-up leaders in NYC center and close internal meetings to help stay present.
As 2015 sets in, and the New Year’s resolutions fade, we’re proud of the thousands of educators, leaders and young people who continue to champion wellbeing, trusting relationships and resilient communities.
