Someone once said that you can't move forward without having a good idea of where you've been. The past can serve as a good foundation for the future. Sometimes we can be so focused on what we want out for our future that we often forget to see where it is that we've come from. Teachers, as you probably well know, are in demand every moment they are on the job. Students have needs, parents have needs and it seems that the whole world needs something from you at any given moment in time. You have to be 'on' the moment you walk into the studio door and hold that energy until you leave after teaching your last class. So let's stop the wheels from turning for just a few moments and have you take a look at a couple of things that I hope you'll find important and worthwhile.
As a teacher, how has your year been thus far? Is it everything you thought it would be? Are you able to produce what is expected of you? Have you seen some real progress in those that you teach? Are parents mostly satisfied with the dance education you've been giving their kids? Mind you, you don't have to say 'yes' to all of these questions. We tend to be our own worst enemy when it comes to taking a look at how we've been doing when it comes to the fine art of being a teacher.
So here's the question; looking back over the last year or so, do you feel you've truly made some good progress forward? In other words, are you where you want to be with things as a teacher at this point in time? Again, don't be concerned if your answer to that question happens to be more 'no' than 'yes'. The important thing is that you keep moving forward. Sometimes the journey going forward may present us with a little bit of turbulence. As long as you don't get attached to whatever bumps in the road might occur, just keep going forward knowing that you have something great to accomplish. Does one give up just because the going might be tough from time to time? No. You keep on keeping on. Giving up means stagnancy. Why stop if things are tough? That means you are putting a stop to the process of moving forward. If you don't move forward you end up being stuck in the mud. Why would you want to stop your journey there?
To be a teacher is more than a rewarding thing, even though it might not feel this way at all times. You are showing your students a new way to do things that they never thought they could do. You are a Facilitator of Greatness. How so? You positively reinforce the fact that a student can do something if they really apply themselves. What could be better than that in life? To know that we can now do things that we once thought were all but impossible is truly a great lesson to learn.
Looking back at your journey up to this point in time should fill you with a sense of accomplishment. What you went through in your past has gotten you to the present moment. You did it. Just don't stop moving forward! If you stop, you'll never get to where you need and want to be.
Are there things you could have done better? Always. The important thing is to realize that whatever happened in the past is just that...in the past. It's not in your present so there's no need to focus heavily on what was or could have been. Focus rather on what will be and feel that future in your present. If your goal is to be the best instructor you can possibly be, then feel what it's like to be just that. See it, feel it as your goal in your future, but always be aware of those feelings, visions and thoughts in your present experience as well. If you do this on a daily basis, you bring your future into your present experience.
It's also important to remember that we all have down days, days where things just don't seem to work out. That's OK. It's part of life. That was that moment in time, but you know what? Now there's this moment so your mission is to find the joy in all the present moment can bring. It can truly bring a lot to you, all you have to do is feel it and then experience it.
You are a teacher extraordinaire! Don't think so? Think again. If you are truly living your passion, what can be so bad about that? Where you were with things yesterday is not necessarily where you are with things today and certainly doesn't have to be where you'll be with things tomorrow. You are the master of your destiny. Find the joy of what it is to be a teacher in each and every day. If you end up feeling joy on a regular basis, your students will feel it too. I'd venture to say that even parents will feel it...now that's really something, don't you think?
Those steps you once took in your journey serve as the foundation of who and what you are today. Don't judge the past. It is neither good nor bad, it just. That was then, this is now. The joy truly is in the here and now. Your joy is also in your future. You have the power to be the best teacher you can be. Go forward knowing how much you are making a difference in the lives you touch in your classes. There's a reason why you are doing the wonderful work you are doing. Smile knowing how wonderful it feels to share your gifts with the world.
Teachers are indeed Facilitators of Greatness. That means you! Exactly how much of one you are is totally up to you. You've come a heck of a long way to get here...by all means, don't stop now. As the weeks and months go on, keep firmly on your path. Be who you are and do your thing. There is no one else can do it better than you.
Robert Landau is a Certified Life Coach and a Positive Results Expert. Landau is also a Published Author and National Public Speaker, Trainer and Seminar Facilitator. His website is www.RobertLandauMotivation.com.
