Be simply yourself and don’t compare or compete.
– Lao Tzu

I apologize for the lateness of today’s post.  Today was what is commonly called “One of those days.”  I was told yesterday that  I could finally move back into my classroom that was damaged when a pipe burst at the end of December, and that I had to go to a meeting at another school first think in the morning.  I moved everything back into my room yesterday after school which was awesome.  Today I went to my meeting and then when I got back to my own school, I was completely overwhelmed by the mess in my room.  So most of my day, including my lunch, was spent teaching, putting things in order, and trying to write IEPs, and looking around at my co-workers and wondering how they managed to get everything done while I floundered so much.

Well, I was doing exactly what I say shouldn’t be done.  Don’t compare or compete with others. I know this, I tell my students this all the time, and yet that’s exactly what I was doing.  I was comparing myself with my fellow teachers.  You shouldn’t compare yourself to anybody, and you most definitely shouldn’t compete with others.  If you feel the need to compare, then compare yourself to where you were yesterday, or last week, or last year.  And as far as competition goes, compete to be better than you were yesterday, last week or last year.

We’d all be so much happier if we didn’t worry so much about what everybody else was doing.  What they’re doing, how they’re doing it and why doesn’t matter.  What matters is you. Don’t compare or compete. It’s not going to get you anywhere.  You’re going to get so caught up in what everybody else is doing that you’re not going to have any time to enjoy what you’re doing.  You do you, don’t compare or compete.