The Power of Positive Speaking

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark. The tongue also is a fire, a world of evil among the parts of the body. It corrupts the whole person, sets the whole course of his life on fire, and is itself set on fire by hell." James 3:5-6

Ok now, this is not a diatribe on watching what comes out of your mouth or you'll go to hell. That's not how I roll.

This is however a mini-entreaty for you to realize how much power your words have.

That might be one of the biggest lessons I want all of my students to walk away with when they graduate or leave my classroom.



A single word can make or break someone else's day. Have you ever realized that? Think of it from the perspective of the person receiving the word or the sentence. Hasn't one statement from someone else ever made you think that your day just got better, or that it just became worth it to get out of bed that day.



And on the flip side: haven't you had one statement make all of the good in a day just vanish? One sentence that undermines your confidence and makes you focus on all that you did wrong that day, or all that you ever do wrong?



That impact is yours as well. The POWER to make that impact I should say. Every single person you meet in a day whether you see them for five seconds or five hours, you have an opportunity to make an impression on their life.





I experience that every day of my life. And maybe it's because I live in a hyper-sensitive state as a depressed person, but I am constantly impacted by what even the "bit players" in my life have to say to me and about me.



I was lucky enough today to recieve three cards from 3 separate people. My cat, Billy, "sent" me a valentine's day card, AKA my mom used wavy handwriting to pretend she was my cat and sent me a valentine's day card.

The more important cards were from my mom's good friend Kathy and from my Aunt (read: Dad's aunt) Lyla.

I recently recieved a long term sub position at my alma mater Lutheran High School North. It starts in March and will go through the end of the school year, which is fantastic, but I guess after getting my first long term sub position at Avondale, and thinking about the amount of time I have to pass until March, it's hard for me to be excited.

Except when I receive two cards in one day that tell me that LHN is lucky to have me. The impact of that statement twice in a row hit me extra hard for some reason. These people who have watched me grow up, and know (truly know) very little about me have more confidence in me than I do in myself. That just blows my mind.

I will keep those cards, and not just because I keep pretty much all cards I get in the mail, but because I will need that when I reach a rough point at North. Because I will, reach a rough point. It will happen in the first few weeks, in the middle of the whole job, and at the end.


But back to my original point: words make an impact, and change a person's world. IT'S TRUE!

Think back on the statement that had the most impact on your life. You'd be surprised where it came from, if you're honest with yourself about what impacts your life.

I'll share one from my top five: my niece, Taylor. She's five. She says over and over again, "Aunt Amanda, you're my best friend."

That makes my life.

<3

Life in the "Real World"

I think being a year out of college is one of the weirdest places to be.



I have worked for a semester straight at a job that I loved, after a summer of self-doubt and failed interviews.



I am now a daily sub, but apparently no one wants me to sub for them?



It's so hard being a depressive person after five years of counseling (on and off) because I can recognize certain signs of depression in myself, and I can intellectually understand when I am being irrational and reading more into situations than might actually exist, BUT I can't stop myself from thinking these things.



I am my own worst critic, and I know that. Even with my friends and family reassuring me that I am way too hard on myself all the time, I still continue to kick my own arse every day all day.

That becomes hard when you encounter people who want to criticize you as much and as hard as you criticize yourself.



I had an opportunity to sub at the high school where I finished teaching recently, it was a HUGE blessing to see my kids again. But of course, the negative stayed with me more than the positive. I had a student who I trust, explain to me that the teacher who I had been subbing for had said, "Ms. Stenzel is the BEST sub!" over and over again, and then qualified her statement with, "I'm being sarcastic."



Yes, that stings, especially when I know that I failed to meet her expectations for me (even though I worked my behind off for those kids and that job and invested all of me into them for a semester, therefore meeting MY OWN expectations for myself)

I am in shock at the lack of professionalism in a woman that I rallied for with MY kids, right before she came back. A woman whom I told MY kids to respect, and to trust in the transition from me back to her. It just sucks. But that's ok, right? Because my worth as a teacher isn't determined by her, but by MY kids. And that worth was confirmed this past weekend at the dinner theatre production of "The Yellow Boat" where my kids flocked me and hugged me and asked me back.

The fact that I was hired at North is helpful in confirming that I'm a worthwhile teacher with potential as well. A job is always a positive step in confirming that I am desireable. I'm so grateful for the job for many reasons.

Not ONLY because I'll be making more money there, and have access to MUCH more sophisticated technology or things like that, but because I have an opportunity to work with and learn from teachers and administrators that I respect, AND I get to work with kids in a theatre setting again.

BUT I get to be back in that Christian setting. And hopefully, without rocking too many boats, I can show those kids that it is possible to be a vibrant, quirky, loving, young Christian in a world that tries to tell them its impossible to do so.


I celebrated my new job and my latest paycheck by going out shopping with my mom (at her suggestion might I add). I bought the first season of Glee on DVD because I really enjoy that show and never sprung for cable/internets in my apartment. Watching the whole season was great because I had only seen the beginning and the end, but MORE SO the special features made me realize how much I miss the family/community of being in the performing arts. I'd love to join that cast because of the fun behind the scenes. Really, that's the main reason. I promise. I know there are about 7 thousand attractive talented men on the show, but really who wouldn't want to be learning how to be a better actress/dancer/vocalist in a group of fun and attractive young people? Just for the sake of that. Without the romantic drama.


But at the same time, it's sort of a bad thing, to dwell on that community. Because it prevents me from looking at the reality of my life and find a community that exists around me to join as I wait for my new job to start in March. Yes, it's nice to have an escape but it sucks me deeper into this fantasy life that I wish I was living.

And that's just not healthy for me.

I lost the thread of this post. Mr. Brandt would be so disappointed in me.

"Peace out, baby!" - Scrubs.