Word of the Year: Intentional

Yes, I know the "year" is almost over, but not when you are an educator. Actually, even before I officially became an educator, back when I was just a nerd who loved school, my "year" was always August - June. 

This summer, as the start of the school year approached, I deliberated and decided on the word "intentional" for my 2024-25 year. As I reflected, it became obvious to me that several good things were happening at the school I'm serving at, and I wanted to be sure that the good work continued, and not by accident moving forward. 

As we fill up our schedules with activities and meetings and professional development opportunities, are we being intentional? Are we selecting these things on purpose? Do they serve our goal of doing what is best for kids? What about our staff? Are we thanking our substitutes who show up, in the midst of a sub shortage? Are we pausing and truly listening to our teachers as they talk to us? Are we intentional about our interactions with kids?

This word also applies to my personal life. Am I going through the motions, or doing things on purpose? Years ago, as a college student, I fell in love with Henry David Thoreau and his notion of Transcendentalism: "I went to the woods because I wished to live deliberately, to front only the essential facts of life, and see if I could not learn what it had to teach, and not, when I came to die, discover that I had not lived."

Deliberately. On Purpose. Intentional. 

We live in an automated society at the present moment -- go, go, go. Produce, produce, produce. Don't think -- Just Do It. Unlimited scrolling, unlimited streaming, unlimited everything. Mindless, clickless, just sit and allow the flood to overtake you. 

But -- should we live like this? What happens if we are not the one deciding to "go, go, go" and we find ourselves marching to the beat of someone else's drum?

I decided it was time to at least attempt to slow down, think about what my goals were, and make intentional choices from a fully present mindset. Do I get it right every day? Of course not. But I'm trying. 

Oh, and because I'm human, I leave reminders for myself, like this label on my laptop --

I have the same label on the base of my water bottle. They are simple reminders of my intention to, well, be intentional. And I have to be honest -- they work. When I sit down to work on my computer, flip open my laptop case, and see the word "intentional," it's enough to give me pause. I look at the word, take a breath, and re-center if need be. 

The takeaway here could be -- once you set your mind to something you know is good, like committing to living on purpose, set yourself up for success with reminders. I do this all the time, from emails I sent myself to alarms/reminders I set on my phone. (And as I age, more often than not, these reminders are for things that I didn't used to need to remind myself about, but hey -- it is what it is, right?)

It's not too late to set an intention, or perhaps to start thinking of one for 2025, if the calendar year is more your thing. What's your word? The word that can succinctly remind you of your goals, your desires, your aspirations for your future?