Decide.

Straddling the fence can be very painful. Literally and figuratively.

Quick Story

It was 1999 and I had a wonderful role as a classroom teacher in Brooklyn, NY. It was a beautiful feeling knowing I could impact my students in a positive way. I love the classroom. I also enjoyed my colleagues and looked up to all of my educational leaders! By 2011, I had been married 5 years and having a 3rd baby. I now lived over an hour away from my school and not a few neighborhoods away like when I first started teaching. My husband and I discussed me staying home with the baby which I very much wanted to do. Now I had to decide to let my school go and move into this next chapter. There was a hazy period where I couldn't believe I was actually moving on - almost like grieving. But I wanted this time with my baby, and I didn't want to be rushed back to work like before. I stayed home for 3 years. In that time, I got an opportunity to volunteer at a school. Then I went on to own and operate that same school. I eventually reached more children than I could have imagined. Making the decision to move on was the thing that was best for me and my family. I think I just had to be at peace and confident with my choice. I don't want to look back and wonder. I just want to take the path and revel in the journey that I know will include ups and downs.

What we know so far...

From an article by Geoffrey James, “What Goal-Setting Does to Your Brain and Why It’s Spectacularly Effective,” that my brain will actually help me stay focused on and move toward a goal on which I have decided, while simultaneously helping me ignore and avoid situations that don’t lead me toward my decision or goal. And I equate that to making many decisions strategically to get to a goal.

What Goal-Setting Does to Your Brain and Why It's Spectacularly Effective

If The Mountains and Trees Could Speak

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An Activity that takes a reflective look at decisions

Describe (or just recall) a firm decision that you made for yourself. Do you remember doors opening for you, or meeting people who helped you along? Do you remember things eventually lining up in favor of your decision? What decision would you make today? What are you inspired to do to start walking in the direction of your decision?

Psychotherapy Services

It's a Fable by Aesop!

The Man, the Boy, and the Donkey

  A Man and his son were once going with their Donkey to market.  As they were walking along by its side a countryman passed them and said: "You fools, what is a Donkey for but to ride upon?"

  So the Man put the Boy on the Donkey and they went on their way.  But soon they passed a group of men, one of whom said: "See that lazy youngster, he lets his father walk while he rides."

  So, the Man ordered his Boy to get off, and got on himself.

But they hadn't gone far when they passed two women, one of whom said to the other: "Shame on that lazy lout to let his poor little son trudge along."

  Well, the Man didn't know what to do, but at last he took his

Boy up before him on the Donkey.  By this time they had come to the town, and the passers-by began to jeer and point at them.  The Man stopped and asked what they were scoffing at.  The men said: "Aren't you ashamed of yourself for overloading that poor donkey with you and your hulking son?"

  The Man and Boy got off and tried to think what to do.  They thought and they thought, till at last they cut down a pole, tied the donkey's feet to it, and raised the pole and the donkey to their shoulders.  They went along amid the laughter of all who met them till they came to Market Bridge, when the Donkey, getting one of his feet loose, kicked out and caused the Boy to drop his end of the pole.  In the struggle the Donkey fell over the bridge, and his fore-feet being tied together he was drowned.

The Million Dollar Alphabet for Life

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