Shaking off the Rust

Two posts in one month is some sort of record for me, especially lately. Heck, I've even given the ole blog a facelift.

As my first full semester of classes at Drake University ends, the work seems to be adding up. Today I was writing a reflection paper on the Cognitive Behavior, Reality Therapy, and Feminist Therapy theories. Sounds exciting doesn't it?!? It was once said to me that those who enter the counseling field often times need counseling themselves. Well duh! Counselors, whether Mental Health, Community, Disability, Rehab, School, whatever are HUMANS! The same family, personal, career problems that any regular joe faces are also faced by a counselor. At the age of 25 and maybe on the verge of a "quarter-life" crisis, it has been helpful to be reading on some of these counseling theories.

I have written on here before about my lack of confidence in areas. How I look at other people and instantly put myself down. That is what Cognitive Behavior Therapy (or CBT) is all about. I have a negative thought pattern that developed somewhere/someplace in my head...irrational thoughts they are called. I do let them limit me and I let them see myself as a 19-20 year old who doesn't know jack instead of a 25 year old who is a good teacher and in graduate school. I believe these irrational thoughts make me a sometimes uneffective worker. I don't mean not getting papers done or whatever, but just general things. For instance, today I needed to take out my garbage and it took everything in me to get up and do it. Just weird things like that.

So what is one to do in this situation? First, recognize that other people are just that other people, other humans. They go through the same things I do. Take a little time for myself along the way. Not something that needs to be changed, but it makes me feel better is working on appearance...ironing more, cleaning up better, working out more. I've also got into the habit of making lists. I did this when I lived in Chariton and found it very effective. I list everything I want to do in a day/a week/a weekend and crossing things off feels great. I write these lists with one thing on there that NEEDS to get done, a couple really small tasks, and one that doesn't need to get done yet so in case I don't get it crossed off it isn't a big deal and I can accept that. Also, blogging. I know my rants may make me seem like a headcase too much, but they give me a chance to vent. A chance to shake off a little rust and feel new again. Thanks for reading!

Get a Life!

Wow, it has been forever since I've "blogged." Why am I back now? What super natural force has beckoned me? Well it is actually quite simple. I was looking at a friend's blog and noticed he had a link to mine on the side. I figured if my name is more "national" now, that I best be updating and providing something of substance.

Well, I've been quite busy recently. Teaching 150+ kids a day, going to Graduate classes every Monday and Tuesday night, and coaching Cross Country in the fall and now Basketball. Here is a typical day for me recently. Let's take a Tuesday/Wednesday combo. I go in at 6 am to lift with a co-worker of mine. Shower and be back at school in my room at roughly 7:40. Bell rings at 8:30 to start the day. Twenty minute lunch sitting with 100 students. By 7th and 8th Hour, I am drained. Get in the car and drive an hour to class. End class at 7:50, drive the hour back home. Eat, go to bed. Up at 6 on Wednesday morning, in my classroom at 7:30. Go through the day. Late practice this week so I stay at the school and check/plan/do paperwork until 4:45. Practice begins then and ends at 6. Coaches discuss the day's practice, I go home and eat. It is now past 7 and I need to be at at 5:30 to lift on Thursday morning. I know what I'll be giving thanks for on Thanksgiving and that is a couple days off!

Honestly, I'm keeping up alright. Some times papers don't get checked right away, and some times I have to procrastinate on writing papers a little longer than I would like. But I'm doing it. There is one problem though. I feel as if I have no life. My day's activities are of my own choosing and I like teaching, I'm learning a lot in class, and I just can't really see myself giving up coaching, but where is time to kick it with friends, find a girl, see a movie, establish myself. I would love to get a dog, but the poor thing would never see me. If I could get out, maybe I would find a girlfriend, but then she wouldn't know what I looked like after a couple weeks. Maybe I just need to take a deep breath or two and realize that these will be a couple rough years, but once classes are done things will settle down a bit. Maybe I do need to consider what priorities are right now. Maybe I need to grow up, quit being selfish, and realize that I went into a profession that demands all of me. Possibly I should look at the other teachers and see how they balance family and work. Possibly I need to manage my time better (I do admit this as a fault). I do know that I just need to "keep on keepin' on" (thanks Joe Dirt) and have faith that "my life" will eventually just fall into place.