Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable

I was getting ready to go for a jog last weekend and as I was putting on my shoes, I was preparing my mind for the discomfort.  You see, I knew it was going to hurt.  I have not been jogging in a while and when you first start jogging it is painful.  I knew my lungs would start to burn as they try to fill up with air.  My stomach would start to ache once I hit the one mile mark.  And lets not even talk about my feet, knees, and back.  The bottom line is this, I knew I was going to be uncomfortable but I knew it is what I had to do if I wanted to build my stamina.  

The same goes for teaching.  I have mentioned before that it took me 7 years to finally be comfortable in the classroom.  Seven years of nervousness, seven years of doubting myself, and seven years of discomfort.   I stuck with it though because I believed the long term gain was worth the short term pain.  And I can honestly say I am glad I stuck with it.  

If you are thinking about becoming a teacher, or maybe you are a new teacher, or maybe you are a seasoned teacher wanting to try new things, there will be a period of struggle.  That is life and teaching is no different.  

The first years of teaching are rough.  We all learn those great concepts and ideas in college but little of it translates into the reality of the classroom.  For the first couple of years you might feel like you are drowning with responsibilities, behaviors, and expectations but stick with it.  It does get easier.  

I am not promising paradise, but I do know that if you are uncomfortable you are growing.  Do something new and just out of your reach is where we all need to be if we want to continue to grow and get better.  

These past year I stretched beyond my comfort zone and have started a youtube channel, help create a discipline policy at my school, and created a course on classroom management.  All of which have stretched me and taught me new things.  

Continue to push the envelope and try new things inside and outside the classroom.  Continue to grow and learn.  Continue to never give up and get comfortable being uncomfortable.