Blog Post #9
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy parents, my wife and children, and a very select group of friends are what really matter to me. My parents I have been able to lean on since before I can remember for any little thing. My wife and kids for new age problems and day to day decisions. Then my select group of friends for coaching, teaching, and man-to-man decisions and problems. They all serve a very specific role and I am so incredibly lucky to be where I am as I would not live and have the full life I do without all of them.
The people who truly matter the most to me are my parents, my husband, my sister, and my own children. I have always wanted to make my parents proud in everything I have done from childhood into adulthood. My mom, recently retired, was also an early childhood educator and I love sharing the good, the bad, and everything in between with her. My husband offers support and encouragement and always has my back in all areas of my life. My sister has always been there as my best friend and we celebrate each other's success.
ReplyDeleteMy children are already talking about becoming teachers. I want them to see the hard work, appreciate the highs of my day-to-day, and be proud of the teacher I am in hopes that maybe one day I will be able to.share stories support, and encouragement with at least one of them when they have their own classroom.
My grandpa who has passed, my husband, and my two daughters are these people for me. I just want them to be proud of me. I want them to know me/remember me as a person of integrity and compassion. When there's a decision to be made, I ask my husband for advice and I think about how my grandpa would've supported me. I hope that every decision I make in life would make them proud.
ReplyDeleteThe people who really matter to me are God and my family. I also think often of my grandparents, who are no longer with me, and my daughter. Carrying God and these people with me whenever I need to make important decisions in something I do, because their influence, love, and values guide the way I live and lead.
ReplyDeleteI think of my grandparents because of their strong faith in the Lord, their unwavering work ethic, and the way they lived life fully while remaining humble, loving, patient, kind, and thankful. They supported me throughout my life and consistently encouraged me during difficult times, and their example continues to shape the way I approach challenges and relationships.
I think of my daughter because she is the greatest gift in my life. She is a daily reminder that I am an example in everything I do, both personally and professionally. The way I show up, treat others, and handle challenges matters because she is always watching and learning. She is such a blessing in my life, and thinking of her keeps me grounded, intentional, and focused on living with purpose, compassion, and integrity.
My list, like many others, begins with my family. “My” family, the family that my husband and I created. I heard someone speak about this one time and it has stuck with me. Yes, you have your family—your parents, and siblings. But when you get married and start having children of your own, that is your “family.” That is the family you chose to have and have built for yourself. So when I am making big decisions, they are the ones I am thinking of first and foremost. My husband is my “go-to” when making decisions, coming up with ideas, or just need a reminder that what I am doing is ok and that it matters. Then, I think about my children. How is what I’m doing going to affect my children?
ReplyDeleteOf course, I also think of my parents. I am the way I am today because of them, so their opinions and guidance will never be taken for granted.
Lastly, I have to say my students. Not any certain student or group of students, but whatever class I have in my possession at the time. Teaching is not just my job, its my passion. I am always thinking about students outside of school. Thinking about what I can do in my lessons, what I can do to make my classroom environment better, what I can bring in for snacks that the students might like, what prizes they would like for reading and doing their spelling packets. School is always on my mind!
The list of people who matter to me are firstly, my family. When I was married I used to think great it was to be in the married life and have an amazing husband. Then we recently welcomed our daughter into that picture and our love and world grew a whole lot bigger. It's amazing how much your lives change when you have kids. My every thought, move, decision, and more is all surrounded with my daughter in my mind. Even with accomplishments in my life like getting my masters, being married, having a couple awards, and doing things I never thought I'd do in life, she is my greatest accomplishment yet.
ReplyDeleteThe next would be my students, as they have continually helped make me into a better counselor each and every day. Being in my first year as a school counselor, I was nervous, scared, unsure of myself, and part of me is still that way but seeing these kids again and again each day have made me stronger and more sure of myself as a counselor than before. Knowing that they rely on me to help them on their bad days helps make me a stronger individual.
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe people came to my mind while reading the chapter were my children, husband and church group. I think most of it has to do how will my decision affect them when its my children and husband. When it comes to my church group, I have respect for the love and respect they have for other people. I ask myself, what would they do in the situation because they focus on what is right, not what is a personal gain or greed.
The person who comes to mind is my husband. He is my go to person for everything, the highs and lows. He usually is my voice of reason and helps me get out of my black and white view sometimes. He shows me that there are more than one way to do something and helps me move on from things that I might be holding a grudge on. He helps me break stuff down, look at the pros and cons, and helps me lay it all out on the board. He lets me make the final decision, but just opens my eyes to different things.
ReplyDeleteDr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe people that I have in my head are the people that I most want to make proud and the least that I want to let down. It is times when I have screwed up in life, when I picture these people, I know they would be disappointed in me, but they would still love me. They want the best for me. They want me to succeed. They cheer for me. These are the people I think about and consider when I need to make tough decisions. I have met them all. I have known them all very well. To me, it doesn't make sense to have random people that I don't have a connection to in my head for tough decisions, but to each their own.
The people who really matter to me are my parents, grandparents, siblings, my children, and my partner. I think about them whenever I need to make big decisions because their well-being, happiness, and support are central to my choices. They remind me of my values, keep me grounded, and inspire me to be the best version of myself in all areas of my life, including my work with children and families.
ReplyDeleteDr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy parents, husband and kids. I have a great relationship with my mom, better than 20 years ago. I call her most every day and we talk about our day. I am able to discuss things that are going on at school and she listens as I put everything out there. My husband has supported me throughout my teaching career, when I changed teaching positions/schools. He doesn't quite understand how things work in a school, but he understands that I give my heart and soul to my students and senses when things are not ideal. My boys have always been supportive of me. I throw ideas out to them of what I am doing in my class as well as frustrations that come up. Now that two of them are in college, they are great about asking how things are going in my classroom and what topics I am covering. I look to each of these for different advice in life and I know I can count on them when I need them.
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy family is who really matters to me. They are people I think about each time I make a decision. They are the ones who are going to support me in each decision that I make. My family are the ones that are going to by myside through the good and the bad times.
Who really matters?
ReplyDelete-God and my family. I always want to do my best to please God, as that is my Christian duty. I also want to make my family proud, and the decisions I make with affect them directly.
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteGod, my husband/children, our parents, the rest of our extended family, and a select few of our very closet friends. In the end God is my final judge but here on earth I want to make my husband and kids proud to call me their wife and mom. When I make any decision I think about how it will affect my husband and kids. They are the first ones to challenge me and be there to pick me up when I'm down. Especially my mom and mother in law are always a phone call away to lend a listening ear or give me a dose of what I need to hear.
When making a big decision, I automatically go to my hubby. My husband is my go-to when making big decisions because he brings a sense of clarity and calm that helps me see things more clearly. He listens without rushing me, asks thoughtful questions, and helps me weigh my options in a way that feels balanced and grounded. I trust his judgment because I know he genuinely has my best interests at heart, and he isn’t afraid to be honest with me, even when it’s not the easiest thing to say. When I feel overwhelmed or unsure, he helps break things down into manageable steps, reminding me of what truly matters. Having him by my side makes even the hardest decisions feel less intimidating, because I know I’m not facing them alone.
ReplyDeleteOne of my people that I always go to when I have a decision to make is my mom. As a fellow teacher she knows the pressure of our field and is always able to talk me through issues that come up.
ReplyDeleteAnother is my husband he is not in the education world as a profession. But that means he sees things differently than I can and we are able to talk about all the angles of an issue and figure out the way through it.
Another is my 3 kids- I want to be someone they can look to later in life and say man mom really had it together I wonder what she would do. I want to be the person they feel they can come to when they have a problem or just need to talk.
My first, and foremost, go to person is my husband. He absolutely is the one who can reason with me when I’m teetering on the edge of insanity.
ReplyDeleteThe second person on my list is my mother, she is my go to for all things support. She’s always been my biggest cheerleader and always will be.
Another person on my list are the people who work alongside me. Co-workers do change in the teaching field, but even when they leave that connection remains, and we are still able to text and talk things out.
The last ones that keep me going are the students. There have been those kids who have come back and told the story of how I have impacted their life that keeps the momentum going. And even though my family life dynamic has changed and I can’t give full-time to this career. I cannot give it up fully because of the children.
The first person on my list is my husband. We make big decisions together and I always stop and think about him before I make a decision. The second would be my kids, I want them to be proud of me and the things I accomplish. The third would be my best friend, she is always rooting for me and has my back no matter what. She's been there for the good, the bad, and the ugly. She doesn't judge and she's so easy to talk to. That would be my top three that are constantly in the back of my mind when I make decisions. I want them all to be proud of me and to have my back when needed. They are my rocks, when teaching gets hard/frustrating and they are the first ones who help me celebrate the good days!
ReplyDeleteThe first person on my list is my girlfriend because she helps me put everything into perspective. All I really want is for her and I to achieve the best life possible. I know that regardless of the decision I make, she will be there to guide me through it and provide support. Another person on my list is my dad. He is also a teacher, so many of the decisions I have to make are ones that he has also made in the past. My dad is also a very calm person, so I know that he will provide rational advice. When I am faced with challenges at work, I also consider what my brother would want me to do, as he is also a smart, very rational person.
ReplyDeleteDr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteThe first person on my list is my husband. I like that we make our decisions together and I always stop and think about him before I make a decision. The second would be my son. My mother would be another person I go to for support. She has always been a big support and guide to help me out with things that are going on in my life. There are days when I just need someone else to talk to and I know that I can call her and she will just listen and give good advice.
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy husband and my family. I haven't been married that long, but having that support as well as caring aspect is wonderful. Life isn't always easy, but we are able to communicate effectively and decide what is best for us in our future. Obviously being married, my parents support is still there, I just don't go to them for everything anymore. Do I occasionally run things by my mom, yes, but I am trying to set my husband and I up for our own future; whatever that may look like.
Dr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy husband is my number one go to person. We make our decisions together and do our best to communicate well with each other. If there is something that we are sure about after we have discussed it, we then run it by both of our parents. One example of this is, we have a huge tree in our front yard and it is starting to die in the middle. My husband and I discussed taking it down and if now was a good time to do that. This was one of those decisions that my husband and I weren't sure if we should do it now or maybe wait a while. We then asked our parents their opinion and both sets of parents said to do it now. It's so nice to have family that we can go to and who won't judge us but rather give us valuable advice.
My dad was my go to person. Even though he never wanted me to become a teacher and coach, he always supported me and when I wanted to get out of teaching and coaching, he talk me into staying which I am forever grateful. I ran every major decision by him to get his input. Marriage, family, house, cars, and we talked about so much more. He was the best man at my wedding and my best friend.
ReplyDeleteMy parents and my wife are the people that really matter to me. That is not to say that there are not other people whose opinions and thoughts I respect. I do value feedback from other people. That being said, when it comes down to it, the good opinion of my wife and my parents matter most. If I am making a major life decision, the first question is how my wife and I think it will effect our family. I also want the wisdom and experience of my parents who want what is best for me. I have made a lot of decisions with their input. At the end of the day, I want my parents to be proud of who I am and the good opinion of my wife.
ReplyDeleteA few people that mean a lot to me include my dad, Lynn West (a former writing instructor at Spokane Community College), and my current principal. My dad and I didn’t have the strongest relationship until about 5 years ago. I’m so grateful that when he passed last October, we were the closest we’ve ever been. I am an only child and struggled in school and because of this I was very chatty which often got me into trouble. I do not recall any of my K-12 teachers who viewed me as a joy to have in their class. I don’t remember too many positive conversations with my dad-mostly negative. It wasn’t just the words he used to show his disappointment with me, it was more his looks. I could see it in his eyes and his facial expressions. My dad grew up in a farming family and lost his dad in a tractor accident when he was 6. Life for him was tough and he had to start working when he was 13. He’s always been a hard worker and thinking back, I regret not telling him enough how much I looked up to him and admired his work ethic-hopefully he knows this now as he looks over my shoulder as I sit here typing up this response. Even though I didn’t feel close to him growing up, the thought of disappointing him always hung in my thoughts-especially when I finally graduated and moved out on my own. School became easier for me while attending community college. It was here that I finally met a teacher who saw potential in me. That was it-all I needed was someone to say that I had the potential to do very well in school. After graduating college, I became a teacher and began to take classes to increase my knowledge (while also going up on the pay scale). I went all the way to the top and when I retired in 2021 with 26 years of service, I had a Masters plus 50 credits in my pocket. I don’t remember my dad ever telling me that he was proud of me, but I felt it when I got to see him, which was during the summers. My mom was very good about writing weekly letters and it was through these letters that she would tell me about how proud they were of me. Everyone needs to feel loved and supported and this continues to keep me going even though my dad is no longer with me. Things I do in my career and my personal life will continue to go through my “dad filter.” I have, for the longest time, been afraid of disappointing the ones that mean the most to me, so thus, I move forward in life trying to make the best decisions and choices for myself.
ReplyDeleteThe two other people that mean a lot to me are Lynn West and my current principal. Like Dr. Carrington mentioned in the book, when you feel loved and supported, you work harder and better knowing that when you come to an obstacle, you have people in your life that can help you jump over it, without judgement. It’s kind of like being a football player and the people that mean the most to you are your cheerleaders and fans. Football players do their best because they don’t want to disappoint the people who believe in them the most. Every day when I teach, I visualize my principal standing right outside my door and this motivates me to shine and be the best teacher I can be-one that makes her proud to have me on her staff. Even though she’s practically half my age, she’s amazing and goes above and beyond to make ALL staff members feel supported and heard. We are truly spoiled to have her.
I cannot imagine navigating through life without a support system and unfortunately, there are people who do. This is where teachers can step in. Teachers have such an amazing opportunity to connect with students and the end goal being that we are on their lists of the people they look up to the most.
The people who ground my decisions are my husband, my parents, and my kids. My husband is the person I talk to about everything; he helps me see things clearly and stay calm when I have a tough choice to make. I also think a lot about my parents because they taught me how to work hard and care about others, and I always want to make sure my actions reflect the way they raised me. Now that I have my own children, they are at the front of my mind in every move I make. I want to set a good example for them so they grow up seeing what it looks like to be a person of integrity.
ReplyDeleteThe people that I base my decisions on would be my husband, kids, and grandkids. I also have a very close relationship with my parents. I still go to them for advice on certain things, and I am 53 years old. I grew up in a home where Jesus was at the center, so prayer also guides my decisions. When I was 20, I married my husband. He is my calm in my storm. I talk with him about everything. He is a great listener and offers a different perspective on things. Our children and grandchildren guide more of our decisions now in life. We are so thankful for our family and want the best for all of them.
ReplyDeleteDr. Carrington shares her list of who really matters to her and why. Can you get a few of those people in your head right now? Remember: dead or alive and you might never have even met them. These are the people who you think about every time you need to make big decisions. Who really matters to you? Why?
ReplyDeleteMy family and friends. My mom is a huge part of my life. She is a constant source of support and friendship. I am thankful I have family who cares about and supports me. I am thankful that I have friends who also do the same. I am glad I have relationships in which they can count on me being there for them and I can count on them being there for me.
At the center of that is my wife, who I often think about when making big decisions because she keeps me grounded and helps me see what actually matters long term. She is a part of every decision I make being we share our life together and she is the person whom i trust the most and value their opinion, expertise, and advice on those issues. She is my best friend and the person whom i entrust my entire life with.
ReplyDeleteMy parents are also a huge influence on me. A lot of how I approach responsibility, relationships, and consistency comes back to the way they raised me and the values they modeled. They have certainly been included in all of my major life decisions. They matter to me because they have been such an integral part of my life as mentioned above in who I am today and whom I would covet their advice.
In my professional life in addition to the people above, I also think about my old mentor and basketball coach who originally inspired me to become a teacher and coach. His influence still shows up in how I lead kids and build relationships. I also think about a former colleague I coached with, someone I deeply respect, who modeled what it looks like to stay steady, supportive, and consistent in tough environments. These are people that have always come up with making big professional decisions and people I have actively sought out to help guide me when I am confused or lost. These people all represent in some way my "foxhole" group with whom I want with me in good times and bad.