I think we will all breathe sighs of relief when 2020 comes to an end. It has been a tough year for many, and we look forward to the potential of 2021. Facing down a new year, a blank slate ahead of us, now is a great time to reflect and grow. These are three goals of mine:
1. Be bold. Try new things. 2020 forced most, if not all, to try new things. I was definitely pushed out of my comfort zone, stretched in ways I didn’t know I was capable of, and I am proud of how it has shaped me for the better. In 2021, I want to continue to be brave and push myself to grow even more.
2. Persist. It is okay if it doesn’t work. Consider the inventor Thomas Edison. Today he is not defined by all of his past failed experiments; he is remembered for his eventual success. This success would not have been possible without continued persistence, without being okay when things don’t go perfectly, without learning and growing from what didn’t work, without letting go of what he could not control.
3. Don’t go alone. Grow your PLN, but also find a go-to mentor or idea-bouncer-off-er. Reach out to someone in your building, your district, or online. Some of my best mentoring has occurred via Twitter conversations with fellow school librarians (whom I still haven’t met in person). I fiercely believe that we are stronger together. Find your person, and be that person for someone else.
Here’s to 2021--and the possibilities that lie ahead!
Blog post by Sarah Sansbury