Parent-teacher conferences were last week. I looked a few parents in the eye and reported on the speech and language progress of their child. We shared stories and strategies and made some new plans.
I gain valuable insight when I meet with the families of the children I serve. I’m able to watch their faces and body language, listen to their hope and frustration in equal measure. To see the wide range of support the kids on my caseload receive explains so much. And I understand how unfair life is for some.
Parent conferences make for an exhausting week but remind me of why I do what I do as an SLP.
I was made to help children communicate better. I know deep in my bones that I was created for this. Pure and simple that is my WHY.
But sometimes as I’m driving to work or walking a hall or writing an IEP, I stumble into WHY amnesia.
Why am I doing this? Does any of it even matter? These kids will be just fine without my help, right?
I admit that some days I dream of becoming a barista.
Casey Tygrett’s words from last week’s post echo back. “What if we become deeply entangled in details and tasks because we’re focused on what we’re supposed to do and how we’re supposed to do it, but in the meantime we’ve lost the why behind it all?”
Work is good, it’s honorable and makes life better. But as part of the fall, we forget and believe all sorts of sinister lies about who we are and the work we do.
Perhaps we need to stop and shift our perspective from the grinding actions of actually doing the work to fix our eyes on the greater story playing out.
I’ve discovered a few tricks to help me do just that. They are small but effective disciplines that trigger an invitation to my WHY back into the rhythms of my day.
4 habits to help remember WHY you do what do
1. Create a morning ritual – Take a few moments in the morning to purposefully set your intention for the day. Mine usually happens with a predawn cup of coffee or in my car on the way to work. I simply pause and make the decision to do with joy the work set before me by God.
“Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ.” (Colossians 3:23-24)
2. Choose a visual cue – There are glassed exit doors at one end of my school’s long hallway. Light filters through the trees, the leaves revealing the changing seasons. I rush down this hallway many times a day to retrieve students. But on at least one of these trips I try to focus on the scene beyond the doors. I take a couple deep breaths, let go of the tension that’s built up along my shoulders and remember why I am here.
Sometimes a visual cue is all I need to step back and gaze at my work through a wider lens. Find something meaningful that serves as a visual invitation back to your reason.
3. Watch your thoughts, watch your mouth – Remember that metacognition is basically thinking about your thinking. When the challenges of the day pile up, what thoughts go through your mind? On days when negativity or complaining enter our minds and fall out our mouths like overripe fruit, we can be sure that we’ve forgotten our way. Mindfully monitoring our thoughts helps produce speech that brings life and keeps us on track with our purpose.
4. Give yourself a sticker – To end your day, pause once again. Think back over the hours and find one moment to point to, saying “That. That is why I do what I do.” Jot it down and keep the list handy for the next day. The moments will gather like stickers on a chart and serve to jog our memories when we need them most.
I would love to learn from your habits too. Take a minute to share in the comments.
and get A Blessing for the Speech Pathologist,
a free printable to
help you remember your WHY
