New Job, New Attitude

In the famous words or is it infamous words of James Brown, "I FEEL GOOD!!!" I have a new job, a new attitude, and it shows. It shows in the way I walk, talk, think, act, and feel. I feel so fabulous. It is great to wake up and not drag myself to work. I get to work with energy to start my day and leave work with energy. I don't come home and go immediately to sleep because I am drained. I don't come home in a bad mood. Its a great feeling. My new job is all about making the employees feel good so that they are energetic, enthusiastic, and ready to give their all. Imagine that. They really care how I feel. I know that sounds suspicious. But its really true. Every week, every single Monday, we start the day off with a great email. Read it. I couldn't believe it when I read it myself. It doesn't take long to get used to the good stuff. I am used to it as if I have been here forever.

My boss: she loves life. She is into yoga and her life is about balance and she brings that positive energy with her to work. She starts our Mondays with a different quote.


Our deepest fear is not that we are inadequate. Our deepest fear is that we are powerful beyond measure. It is our light, not our darkness, that most frightens us. We ask ourselves, who am I to be brilliant, gorgeous, talented and fabulous?Actually, who are you not to be?You are a child of God. Your playing small doesn't serve the world. There's nothing enlightened about shrinking so that other people won't feel insecure around you.We were born to make and manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same. As we are liberated from our own fear, our presence automatically liberates others.-- Marianne Williamson
Good evening and happy Sunday,

The quote above is one of my favorites. As I think about tomorrow, next week and the year ahead, I can’t help but think of the many character strengths we talked about on Thursday. And as I read the quote above for the thousandth time, I think a lot about the character strength of bravery, the bravery it takes to not only see our own ‘light’ in stead of ‘darkness’ but the bravery it takes to use it. Likewise, I think about the bravery it takes to:
- leave one’s job in search of something better,
- show up and give 110% everyday,
- be relentless in our pursuit of excellence, the pursuit of finding a better way,
- “Be Nice.”

And, I think about the hundreds of ***sters getting ready for bed (okay, well maybe not for a few more hours) before their first day of school at ***- the bravery it takes to sacrifice for one’s own education because you want something better. I think about the bravery of our new teachers who will stand in front of the ***sters tomorrow and teach their first lesson. I think about the bravery of our veteran teachers who continue to redefine high standards in their classrooms for the first day of their fifth year or seventh year or fourteenth year! I think about the bravery of our Principals who lead us in teaching our kids, alumni and families so that we do in fact ‘build a better tomorrow.’

Thank you again N***, P*** and J*** for choosing **** and for taking a risk in joining our family. Thank you also to K***, T***, C***, H***, I***, L***, C***, L*** and A*** for your bravery in the work we have done day in and day out, and for facing this challenge of building “the best” shared services team despite often times having more questions than answers.

It is with overwhelming excitement that I send this email as we start another year, a year in which we take with us all of the many victories and successes, and quiet moments of ‘ah,’ the mistakes and challenges, and the defeats from last year and marry them with the opportunity of a new year. Here’s to a fantastic journey ahead, and to the incredible bravery and ‘light’ that rests in each of us everyday in all that we do.


Updates and other random stuff:

A huge shout out and thank you to everyone again for their flexibility, muscle power and enthusiasm last week as we unpacked, rearranged, sweated, moved furniture and got organized.

I have never worked anywhere with this much enthusiasm. I am glad to have finally found a job that embodies everything that I think a job should be. I am blessed and lucky. And its finally my time. I always have a plan but I believe that GOD makes it happen in HIS own time.