I was getting ready to sit down and write about Growth Mindset and how our kids are learning about it more at school (when actually in school), and how we adults can use its concepts to help us in this time of chaos and constant change.
I tell my girls to get their stuff done and let me do these TWO things for work before we go out to put the YAY in Fri-YAY this afternoon (social media tells me this is a thing).
All you moms reading this are likely saying, “lol, good luck and do you have ample snacks available to them?” Rightfully so.
Since making this declaration, I have been interrupted no less than 20 times regarding anything from deep life questions, to “Why are you wearing a dress, mom?” to “Can you help me do gymnastics on the tree branch?” You know the drill.
Then my dog got in on the action and pooped in our neighbor’s lawn. As I picked it up I got dog poop on my dress. Yes, I actually (A) got dressed in non-workout clothes, and (B) decided to get fancy! Lesson learned (ironically part of a growth mindset)!
So now this post is more about how to use Growth Mindset concepts in the moment. One of which is continuous learning.
What are the lessons I learned? I can only work in a room with a door that locks. Dressing up is for suckers. My girls love me so HARD they just can’t get enough mom! And for real, curiosity is queen.
Growth Mindset is all about being curious, focusing on solutions, and being persistent and resilient. My girls showed me the power of curiosity, persistence, and resilience over these past two hours, and I had to be curious about why I was getting so frustrated, and find other solutions for all of us. Spoiler alert, a friend came along to ride bikes and all of a sudden I was chopped liver. Problem solved.
We are being called to deal with A LOT this year. Simultaneously working, parenting, and teaching. Dealing with difficult emotions, disagreement, and constant change. Grieving for our loss of normalcy and anxious about the future. All of this is tough and can lead to loss of motivation, hopelessness, anxiety, and depression. And, there are concepts we can take from a growth mindset that can help get us out of these feelings. Below are a few questions to ask yourself when difficult situations arise. What would you add?
Where can I be more curious here (insert the person, news story, difficult situation, etc)?
How can I focus on solutions vs. ruminating on the problem?
What are other possibilities?
What IS working and how can I build upon it?
How can I wash off the dog shit, get out of bed, and maybe even put a dress on again?
What is helping you navigate 2020? I’d love to hear it in the comments!