I know that some of you are thinking, “‘instant pot’ is two words…” As much as I love my Instant Pot, the word that is going to help guide my thinking and being for 2019 is “patience” (but see how I managed to get the Instant Pot in there ;)).

This is the first year that I am engaging in the one word challenge. Many others, including Superintendent Kennedy, have been selecting a word to provide a year’s worth of clarity and focus for some time now. I’m late to the party again. With so much I want to change about myself, my practice, my situation; finding one word to sustain the focus of my improvement seemed impossible. But, this year (finally), it hit me – patience!

I have always been the sort of person who looks ahead – wanting things to be better, for me, for others, and right now. However, it can often be frustrating that change happens slower than I’d like. Sometimes it seems that the world is a cold and difficult place with nothing but roadblocks and obstacles in my way and the way of progress. Why are we still talking about climate change? Why is there still so much injustice in the world? Why am I still struggling with managing my time, making ends meet, and life decisions? Shouldn’t I, we, be so much further ahead?

But the reality is, we have made progress. In my life time alone we have witnessed the fall of the Berlin Wall, people living in space, and the invention of handheld computers called smartphones that connect us in ways unimaginable (if you don’t think this is such a big deal, watch this YouTube video of two 17-year-olds try and use the rotary telephone of my youth). Our schools now demonstrate a greater awareness of diversity and our practices are more inclusive and accepting. Yes, we still need to improve, but we’re doing just fine.

And I’m doing just fine too. Yes, there are things I’d like to change but there’s no need to try and rush through to get there faster. Things will unfold as they need to, and some things will take the time they do. So, for 2019, it will be the word patience that will ground my practice and existence.