St Joseph Paola - The Art of Waiting Teacher Workshop

Mid-February I was honoured to be the guest of St. Joseph School Paola’s mid-term self-development session. This is a different kind of year, and school-year for all teachers and families so we wanted to give the teachers something different. 

The Art of Waiting workshop focuses on our ability to stop and be in the moment. It asks us to really slow down and take in every moment as it comes. But how do we do this when life is so chaotic, so rushed? How do we allow ourselves to simply stop and observe? How do we make time to stop when our mind is telling us to do, do, do? 

These are big asks, it is true and in many ways stopping to smell the roses is a habit that one has to cultivate before it can become natural. Practice makes perfect, as with everything else. 

What I was able to appreciate from these teachers was the pressure they are under and how unfortunately because of the bubble system they have been pushed further apart from each other and more into their work alone. 

Yet, perhaps the ability to stop and observe one’s situation really does allow one to make the most of it. This is a time in which we have to be close to survive the daily routine - that might mean putting in that extra bit of effort to stay in touch after work or be creative during school/work hours. Pausing in an environment and profession in which you are always giving is also helpful on a personal level - how can you give when you are out of energy? These are life skills really, they are things that we need to perhaps remind ourselves of in any situation and not just during this strange time. We can only get through this with love, patience and respect, by talking to each other about things that matter.

Thank you for the opportunity to share the morning with you all.  

I am so thrilled to say that this event was sponsored by Tettiera! We wanted to give the teachers something thanks to which they could relax, and take the time to do something for themselves and their loved ones.