It's not always easy, but it's important.
I mysteriously created this saying this year. I decided it was smart enough to repeat, so my students hear it often. In reflection, I'm realizing that maybe in the past I've given my students the wrong impression.
Have I inadvertenly caused them to believe that working with others is easy?
Doing the right thing when no one is watching is a piece of cake?
Listening to their heart will always feel natural?
These are huge misconceptions, based alone on the fact we adults manage to struggle with these same issues.
Yet I'm not letting them off the hook. I'm still going to teach my students about integrity, cooperation, character, mindset, and numerous other qualities. I'm raising the bar high, helping them exercise and develop the right muscles for doing the right thing even when it's not convenient. Though a few already make it look kind of easy, I know life will challenge them all and hand them all sorts of opportunities and reasons to not do the right thing. It will take years of practice to get this right, so we'd better start now.
But I'd better let them know something and repeat it often.
It's not always easy, but it's important.
P.S. If you'd like some new Christmas music, check out the CD my cousin and I have recently released here.
