Thank Goodness

As teachers we have hundreds of interactions each day. From the smallest nod or wave to lengthy discussions. That’s thousands a week. Millions a month. 

Whilst most of these interactions might be nondescript, some may stand out for us. Usually because of an emotional reaction. They made us feel good or bad. 

Let’s stop and consider the balance. I’m not great at maths or statistic so I’m sure someone elsewhere can put this into data for us at some point but,as an example, let’s say 5 of our 100 encounters are memorable. One might be that a colleague asked you to do something extra. One might be a student who tells you they’re looking forward to your class. One might be a cheery wave from a lunchtime supervisor. One could be a complaint from a parent. One a disagreement about teaching approaches with another member of staff. 

Some good. Some not so.  But let’s just think about the balance here: 95 neutral(ish), 2 positive, 3 not so. 

None are Evil. None of these people are inherently malicious. They may have had a bad day/life/experience but they are fundamentally just human. You happened to be the recipient of a small fraction of their bad experience. 

2 people are very clearly lovely and have improved your day. 

How we view this balance can affect how we see our own experiences. 

Did you really have a terrible day? Or was it a generally good day with some not so good experiences? 

If we shift our thinking and start to seek out the best in everyone, in every situation then we will find ourselves noticing the goodness in life. Instead of highlighting the bad, instead underline the good. Talk about it. Make it the focus. Place the balance of good firmly on the right side of the scales. Celebrate goodness every time you encounter it. Look for it in those 90 nondescript interactions. Draw it out and let it shine. If you praise the best in people it incentivises that behaviour. 

This doesn’t mean we can’t acknowledge the negative. What it does mean is that it is our choice as to how much “weight” we give that negativity. We can choose to deal with it, calmly, kindly and with empathy and then quickly move back to recognising and being thankful for the enormous amount of goodness that surrounds us.