Mind, Body and Soul Manifestations

I've had a lot on my mind this week and I feel like I need to put it out to the universe. I recently lost a very good friend. She didn't die or move away or anything. It just came to a point where we needed to be out of one another's lives. This situation has caused me to do a lot of reflecting on myself. I'm a brooder. I always have been and probably always will be; however, I believe that with everything I've had going on the past few years, I have tried extremely hard to be positive and get on with my life. Sure, I have days that are horrible and days that are wonderful, but I think everyone goes through ups and downs. This friend that I lost said that "my negativity had been pushing her away for a while." This just made me think about the past few years and whether or not I have been negative. I certainly don't wake up in the morning and think "I'm going to be miserable today," but I do have mornings where it feels like the weight o...

I was just reading an article before I went to bed last night called "Happy at work." It is in Real Simple magazine. There were tips about making your job "more likeable" and "even fun." To be honest, I do have fun doing my job. I love working with kids and generally feel like I am making a positive impact in their lives; especially since starting the mentor program. However, there are so many things that I have absolutely no control over in my profession. There were a ton of tips about "how to get a fatter paycheck, a promotion, a more flexible schedule," etc., etc. These are all things that are completely out of my control. As a teacher, you are pretty much at the mercy of your union. I have stood up for myself and my colleagues by speaking at our hearings and attending budget meetings, but I feel utterly frustrated with the concept that all of us, effective or not, are lumped into the same general category. I so desperately want to be in contr...