I read the above quote this morning and suddenly the writer's block that has been dogging me for the past several months, went from fog to peaks of sunshine.  A breath of fresh air came my way and I could think about writing again.  And just like that, the past was no longer holding me back.

I'll be honest with you.  2016 has been a year of ups and downs that have both inspired me and challenged all that I believe to be true.  I am dismayed by the way public education and educators are viewed by politicians and wealthy business people, but heartened at the state election results that give us hope again in Kansas.  I won't even talk about national and world events and politics which leave me bewildered and shaking my head about the way we talk to and treat each other.  It would be easy to keep bringing up the past and dwelling on what might have been or the way it used to be, but there are things we can't change unless we look forward and change our own way of thinking and behaving.  I used to remind my players that we can only control what we can control... and that starts with my own beliefs and actions, one day at a time.

I was thrilled with the successes our professional learning organization in Kansas (LFKS) has experienced this year, and that I have been an active part of these giant steps forward. We spent a lot of time wringing our hands and wondering what had happened to our organization before we made some tough decisions, and started down the road with some new ideas and practices.  And with hard work, they are beginning to pay off.  Leadership Freak blogger Dan Rockwell points out that "hanging onto the past produces doubt and fear" and keeps us from moving forward, changing for the better, and/or forgiving ourselves for past transgressions.  The past has it's place in our lives as well as our future. It provides us with experience, lessons of what to do and what not to do, knowledge and skills.  But it is not to be lived in, nor used as an excuse for present behavior or situations.  We do have to reconcile our past - honoring the valuable, and putting to rest the pain of mistakes and lost opportunities.  But the past is in the rear view mirror for a reason.  It is from whence we came; a place to visit not to dwell.  

While Rockwell's blog is focusing on leadership and team building, one of the questons for consideration that he makes is:  "How does the way you are thinking about yourself and others reflect the future you aspire to build?"  Our thinking matters.... about our own strengths and limitations, as well as those who we work with and spend our time with each day.  Surrounding oneself with people who support us, believe in us, provide meaningful feedback, as well as make us laugh and enjoy life, will improve our outlook and make the future more appealing than the past.  As Hans F. Hansen notes, "People inspire you or they drain you."  That statement leads to one resolution to make and keep every year - put as much distance as you can between those who hold you back or tear you down, and surround yourself with those who challenge and inspire you.

In my work with educators and even within our church, I often emphasize that there's a big difference between knowing and doing.  We often know better.  We just often don't DO better.  I taught PE for many years, and yet have failed miserably this fall in staying with my exercise plan.  You realize that when you're excited that the "active minutes" your Fitbit recorded while shopping at Walmart was the best you've done all week.  Along with that lack of self-discipline, I found myself doing more mindless activities that are fun but a waste of time, which led me to complain that I was behind, and wishing I had more time to get things done.  My calendar is definitely full with responsibilities to both my family and the organizations with whom I am involved, but is there no time to take care of my health and physical well being?  I'm pretty sure the games I play on my phone won't suffer if I take 30 minutes from that activity and get back on the treadmill. So what actions will I take that will inspire me to move forward? I can think of a big one for me:  Accountability.  I don't necessarily like to be coached, but I do like looking at data.  If I schedule it, and then record it, I will have lots of internal motivation to not let those data points go unfilled.  And voila!  I will see progress.   I see lots of people trying new programs, supplements, and other things to improve their lives, or some, like me, just wanting to walk everyday - so I say: Go For It!  Pick what works for you and stick to it.  It's the lifestyle change that makes the biggest difference, not the shakes or pills that you take.  It's a mindset where you choose to take action and think positively, whether prompted by a program you believe in, or the way you look at yourself.  The biggest detractor from action is how much we talk about action.  So my advice to myself is to stop talking (or writing at this moment) and start DOING!

Again, in my work with educators and within our church, I also facilitate how to effectively create and mangage change so that the goals are successfully implemented.  I can definitely say that practicing what I'm preaching would be a great step forward for me at this time.  I borrow Simon Sinek's work around beginning with the "WHY" before any change is implemented.  Why is it important?  Why would I want to do this?  Then moving to What will I accomplish if I implement this change? What benefit will occur with this change?  And finally, How will I turn these goals into actions?  When I find my why, I find my passion, and the transition from knowing to doing becomes more urgent and fulfilling.  

This is not a blog about New Year's resolutions, but about getting focused on what matters while letting go of past bad habits and moving from knowing to doing.  Don't you worry, I'll take plenty of time to enjoy my free time, write more often, and read those books that were on my list to Santa.  But I'm doing one more thing for me.   While I'm still taking care of and being there for others, I'm going to take care of myself too.  And that tug of war with past bad habits and the things I'd like to achieve will go down as a win for me if I stop talking and start doing.  So I'm off to the treadmill to take the road less traveled.  You gotta start somewhere! 

Driving across the Flint Hills of Kansas along I-70 or any other such stretch in Kansas, one sees the scorched earth nearby and the rising white smoke in the distance.  What in the world?  Why are they burning?  But in those places where the burning occurred a couple of weeks ago, the blackened pastures are being overtaken by new, bright green grass.  In Kansas, and I'm sure in other Midwestern states, this is a very normal part of the growing cycle.  Through a controlled burn, we purge the thatch and dead grass from the past season and allow it to be reborn with new growth.  Is this annual rite of spring something we can use in our own lives, both personally, in school, our business, or organization?  

One of the big attractions of spring is the greening of the grass, trees and shrubs, and the blooming of those first spring flowers that brave the elements to show us their bright colors of hope.  The landscape transforms from the dull grays and browns of winter to the energetic colors of spring and summer.  But do we realize that those colors are more vibrant if we prune, remove the thatch and dead leaves that accumulate from the residual effects of autumn, and get rid of the things that delay growth?  Those very things that protected the plants from the harsh winter temperatures are also the things that keep the growth from coming to the surface in the spring.

In our own lives, we often do those spring cleaning things around the house - remove clothes we no longer wear; clean the windows of the film accumulated from the furnace that kept us warm; and uncover all the items that we prepared for winter for use in the spring and summer.  Maybe we look at the bad habits we have and remove one or more of them.  Perhaps we get off the couch, get outside, and get active; or vow to remove the soda from our lives and replace it with life-giving water.   

At school or work, spring is a time to review our policies and practices that provide the expectations or parameters of our work.  Are they effective?  What could we revise or consolidate?   What new strategy will we implement and in exchange, what will we stop doing so we don't overload ourselves for this new idea?  What "controlled burn" will we undertake in order to emerge transformed with new growth that results in real progress?

We all stand aghast as forest fires rage each year - an uncontrolled burn if you will - but marvel at the new life that emerges from those horrific events.  Park Rangers tell us that lightning strikes that begin many of these fires are nature's way of renewing the forest to sustain it for the future.  Do we look long term like this when we make changes - bringing in the new "thing" to replace the old?  When I buy a new outfit or a pair of shoes, I think about all the places where I could wear the item or what else it goes with in my closet.  I am looking beyond the fact that I like this outfit or pair of shoes.  But my closet is not big enough for every item of clothing I ever bought, so I must take something out when I get something new.  We must be like the Park Rangers or the burners of the prairie and see how this will impact the future and ultimately the big picture.  

Out of control burns are dangerous and may burn things we didn't intend to be destroyed, so burning or purging must be done with care.  We don't randomly reach in the closet and pull out just any piece of clothing to send to Goodwill.  In fact we think about how that will impact future outfits (or at least I do!).  When raking the dead leaves from the perennial flower beds we take care not to dig up the new sprouts peeking through the ground.  We must purge with intent so that our work fulfills our purpose or goals for the future.  To that end we must have a vision for what we want things to look like.  That vision then results in the need for controlled burns from time to time so that new growth can emerge.  

As I look at the Kansas Legislature this year and some of the members who continually want to pass legislation that essentially is an assault on public education, I'm thinking a controlled burn (purge) might be beneficial there too come election time.  But I digress.  That probably should be another blog.  But the idea of a controlled burn in all aspects of our lives has its merits. What can we remove in order to renew?  Let the practices of the prairie inspire your thinking as you look to remove some of the dead grass in your life that may be keeping you from the green that you seek.