Cherie's Random Thoughts

On this cold December evening, my heart is rattled with fear. As PhD student who is embarking my journey of getting their dissertation proposal completed, I find myself struggling with fear.  Although I know this is part of the process and I will meet it several times along my journey; I am troubled by its power on me.  Fear can have positive and negative effects on your life. It can move you up the mountain or quickly down via a landslide.  The challenge is to manage that fear and use it for the great good. There are only four steps to facing your fear.  One-You must acknowledge it.  Two-You must face it.  Three-You must be patient.  Four-You must share your road to overcoming your fear with others .  So tonight, I acknowledge that I am rattled with fear and feel that I may have to start over if I cannot get the permissions I need to move forward. My inner, inner voice tells me; it will come, but my outer self sa...

Can you answer this question: "How deep is your desire to achieve your goals?". Desire is necessary if you want to succeed in life. Desire leads us to a path of discipline that helps use push through challenges along our road to victory. A person who possesses true desire understands that to achieve it, you must sacrifice something. You understand that no goal is achieved fully without internal motivation. The question we need to ask ourselves is "Are we letting our wishes, couldas, and shouldas affecting our ability to achieve our dreams?". We are all champions! Some of us just need to rekindle our own internal fire, dig deep, and accept the necessary changes we will need to make to make our dreams possible. For me I live my dream every day. Since childhood I have dreamed big! Some dreams have come true and some are in the works. The one thing I learned over my short 40 years is that you MUST commit and stop making excuses. A strong internal desire ...

This evening I posted the following on my Facebook page in a response to Paul Walker and his close friend's death this past Saturday. Since losing my mother in 2007 and having watch several friends lose love ones I am a little sensitive to how I few death and the cause of death of a person. Granted we do sometimes lay the foundation for death to come sooner or later but it is not necessary to speak negatively about person who has lost their life. Death is a traumatic event for those left behind, whether the know the person or not. For many that have experienced death long before they should have, a senseless death of some before their life expectancy can trigger the one thing that most of us never think about on a daily basis-our mortality.  Let's face it unless you dies of natural causes or were in a situation where another impacted your death, all of us will contribute to our death in some way. Let's just remember these two souls have parents, children, and love ones that...

Ignite. Incite. Inspire.: Who Speaks for Our Students? : All caring adults do. We empathize with their emotions and advise them on their actions. All parents do. We understand them - profoundly -... The above article is a wonderful blog post on the importance hearing our students. Regardless of a student''s age, whether they are 2, 12, 20, or 50 we as educator need to listen. The author is right. Students deserve to be heard.  All too often we hear our voices and the the students of voices get lost. It becomes a them against us scenario when it should be a "we" one.  The power of the student voice is powerful. It provides educators with valuable information on how to work with them and help students achieve their dreams. Because in the end it is where they end up that matters most. Not where we want them to be at the time.   Just image if every student regardless of age were allowed a voice, a revolution would occur, and we will would presently be surprised at...

This You Tube video of a Michael Jackson Tribute by Ohio State's Marching Unit epitomizes the three D's that a person needs to be successful in life.  Whether you are student, teacher, Doctor, or artist.  The three D's are: Determination, Dedication, and Discipline .  Webster defines determination as "a quality that makes you continue trying to do or achieve something that is difficult.”  Otherwise known as one part of GRIT.  Success is only achieved when we overcome what we once thought was not achievable.  Although our difficulties or challenges may be different, the ability to push through is necessary if we want to see that rainbow at the end of a storm.  Dedication is defined by Webster as " a feeling of very strong support for or loyalty to someone or something: the quality or state of being dedicated to a person, group, cause, etc.  Dedication to anything requires sacrifice and requires us to be present in the MOMENT.  Wh...

In an article on Marc and Angel Hack Life,  5 Core Skills Your Life Depends On , the authors provides us we 5 key skills we need to be successful in life.  The first three or CCR (Creativity, Curiosity, and Resilience) I feel are most important and essential to getting through life.  The ability to be   creative   helps us be able to solve-problems during our lifetime.  This skill allows us to understand that there are many solutions to our problems and it is important for us to take time to explore these solutions.  This is where   curiosity   kicks in.  The ability to be curious helps a person to be willing to try these solutions and be interested in the new possibilities they may bring.  When we work through our problems, sometimes failing and sometimes succeeding, we develop the skill of   resilience .   When we are resilient, we are able to move past our problems and/or adversities and do so with grace. ...

The poem below epitomes why it is so important to start your workday on good foot. Your mood, spirit, and state of mind have the power to make significant change for you, your company, and the people you come into contact each day. And as the poem says it begins with YOU. Be in instrument of change verses one of destruction.  One song can spark a moment One flower can wake the dream One tree can start a forest One bird can herald spring One smile begins a friendship One handclasp lifts a soul One star can guide a ship at sea One word can frame the goal One vote can change a nation One laugh will conquer gloom One step must start each journey One hope will raise spirits One touch can show you care One voice can speak with wisdom One heart can know what’s true ONE LIFE CAN MAKE A DIFFERENCE! That difference starts with you…. Unknown

Perseverance is a skill that is necessary for our survival. It is the different between life and death. It is the skill that helps a person beat Cancer time after time. It is the skill that helps a person who lived a childhood of abuse survive and become one of the great leaders of the world.  It is the skill that helps you move your greatest challenges in life. Perseverance is born out of faith and hope that things get better. No matter how dark things may seem a person with perseverance rises to the occasion and comes out of the darkness into the light.  We must remember we have choices in life and that we must understand what lies on either side of the line. The question is what side do you want to be on? 

The following quote epitomizes ways we can love our life:  You've got to dance like there's nobody watching,  Love like you’ll never be hurt,  Sing like their's nobody listening,  And live like it's heaven on earth.  -William W. Purkey  Line one: This line is all about being comfortable in own skin and being about to find joy first within ourselves.  Line two: This line is about forgiveness.  No matter what life brings always lead with a loving heart.  Leading with a fist only leads to misery.  Line three: This line is about doing good work and not expecting a reward.  Good deeds are inherently rewarded when we least expect it and often when we need it.  Line four: This line is about living life to fullest.  Taking time to smell the roses and see each rainbow everyday of your life, regardless of what life brings. 

In honor of the 12th Anniversary I would like to share my thoughts on that faithful day. September a time for anew but who knew it would be a time for tragedy. September 11 began a day that began ordinary and routine, but ended tragically. The event is one that one should never forget but many have forgotten the lost that occurred. On September 11, I was a 28 years old early intervention teacher. At the time, I did know that terrorism could occur on such a grand scale on US soil. I quickly learned shortly after the first tower was hit that that was not the case. All I could think when my colleague and friend, Cynthia came into the bathroom to tell me that plane had hit the trade towers was: this is not possible.  Sadly I learned that it was. All I could think was that WW3 had arrived and we needed to get these kids home to their parents. Luckily for us their parents came to them. As the days followed 9-11, I grew anger. Angry that we were not aware that this was a pos...

August 28, 2013 marks 50 years since the historic March on Washington and I Have a Dream Speech.  Today I reflect on whether the dream has been fulfilled in this country.  To some extent yes, and to some no.  Although equality for all has improved, we still struggle with the inequality of funding that exists in our inner city schools, such as Philadelphia and Chicago and in our prisons systems.  It appears that there is a growing support for the school-to-prison track through states continued lack of funding and support for education of all students and adults.  Increasing poverty is the theme of the day.  When I think of this day, I think of my responsibility as an educator and a black female my responsibility for ensuring that the dream exists within me.  All too often, we are exposed to images and behavior that impedes the ability of King's Dream to be fulfilled.  2013 is a defining moment for Americans.  It is the year we...

I finally picked back up the book, The Courage to Teach by Parker J. Palmer. As I began reading chapter 2 this evening I came across several profound statements within the text. This chapter talks  about the fear that lives within education.  The first profound statement reads as following:  "the way we diagnose our student's condition will determine the kind of remedy we offer" (Palmer, p. 41).  This reminded me of  how as teacher we have the capacity to facilitate or destroy learning for our students. Often we get stuck on how students come to us, not realizing that this is not what matters. What matters is how they leave us. We have the control to see our students as human beings who have the potential to do great things, despite how they came to us.  The other profound statement reads as following:  "A good teacher is one who can listen to those voices even before they are spoken-so that someday they can speak with truth and con...

In a blog post entitled, 25 Excuses You Must Drop to Be Happy   the authors discuss what excuses get in the way of our happiness. Excuses are often a DEATH SENTENCE to our pursuit of happiness. They prevent us from facing our fears and moving through the challenges that life brings. It is these challenges that help us appreciate life and lead us to happiness. Five excuses stood out for me: "It's too late for me." It is never too late. Time limits on life are often self imposed. Everything we do in life matters, period!  "I don't have time." Time is relative. We often make time for things we really do not need to do, so why can we make time for things that will make a difference in our lives and the lives of others.  "Now is not the right time." When then? Waiting only leads to disappointment hence prevents you from being happy in the long run. Tomorrow really is not promised, so do what you put off in the future TODAY!  "It's...

Yesterday I learned that my father, in addition to his Parkinson's Disease has a very troublesome rare disorder called Basilar Invagination. This disorder is when a piece of bone in the neck intrudes into the spinal cord and moves upward towards the brain.  Although I knew that my father's recent bouts of falling could lead to something terrible and I did not expect this.  The diagnosis got me think about illness and fathers. See as a child and for the first 15 years of my adult life I saw my father as SUPERMAN. A human being with tremendous strength, yet would do so quietly. For 36 years my father took care of my mother, who hade numerous illness including mental illness. He is one of my heroes. Always willing to help others. Always making sure that we went to great schools and lived in great neighborhoods. Even when I family was one foot from being homeless my father would travel far to work in temp jobs just to make sure we had a roof over our heads.  Since...

During a commencement speech at the University of Penn, Bono said the following words:  "Every human life as equal worth."  His commencement speech reminds us how in life we sometimes impede the process of equality for the human race.  This impediment often arrives in the form of the following:  Not speaking up for the little guy.  Playing the blame game and not taking ownership in our part of human problems such as poverty, lack of education, violence, etc.  Failing to speak up before the crisis occurs.  Engaging in unethical behavior simply to obtain the mighty dollar.  Allowing the great divide between poverty and prosperity to widen. Seeing people only as a number or a means to an end. In addition, waiting to care about a human inequality until it happens to us. In the 21 st century has our access to technology has tripled; we often view the world in sound bites and react to in spurts.  More and mo...

10 Questions You Should Know the Answers To The 10 questions listed in the above Marc and Angel blog post are truly 10 questions that by the time you are 40 years (technically 1/2 way through your life, for some) you should be able to answer many if not most of these question.  I believe the inability to answer at least 70% of these questions could lead to a unhappy and an unhealthy latter part of your life. Their questions are powerful and help a person understand what matters most in terms of how you feel about yourself and the legacy you will leave.  Most 40 years have yet to really think about what their legacy is, but should.  The question that resonates with me most is: "How can you make a positive difference?" For me, making a difference in the life of another, whether a person, animal, place or thing is one of the most powerful things you can do in life. It not only enriches the lives of others but it fuels your soul with positive energy and is somethi...

It’s on You « Positively Positive This blog post on Positively Positive is a great reminder to us that we control or life (car). Much like the purchase of a car, you have some choice. You can choose your color, your price, where you want to buy, where you want to drive it, and how long you want to keep it.  I love the three theme in this blog post as well: waking, looking, and using your voice.  All too often many of us run through life, when we should be walking. Our mornings are filled with abrupt wake ups when we should take this time to slowly wake up to reflect on our goals for the day. Each day must start on a positive one if you want a positive and/or productive outcome.  Self-entrapment and/or allowing yourself to remain in society's box of you only leads to unhappiness. Many goals in life are never achieve simply because we choose to stay in the box.  The last theme is really self-explanatory: speak up not only when you feel something is not r...

8 Ways You’re Driving Yourself Crazy : Practical Tips for Productive Living After reading this article on Marc and Angel Hack Life, I thought this is definitely a list that will lead to a person's self-destruction.  Most discomfort, pain, and unhappiness are self-PRODUCED.  Several of these I think really accelerate the process.  Think about the past and wishing that it were different   is A WASTE OF TIME.  The past is the past, we should reflect on it, learn from it, and NEVER make the mistakes again.  When past events resurface in your life, it simply means you did not learn the lesson the first time.  Complaining with no action is just annoying .  We a right to complain, but we do not have the right to complain when we are unwilling to change our perspective about something and/or do something about it.  Perceptual procrastination   really GETS YOU INTO TROUBLE.  What is even worse is when you e...

Our inner beauty is all that matters in life.  If we do not cherish and nurture our true selves, we sentence ourselves to an unhappy life.  This video embodies how we have a distorted image of outer selves, which affect our inner beauty.  Over the past four decade, I have learned that when we progressively let our inner beauty shine outwards everything falls into place.  I learned that it is pointless to compare yourself with another because we were all born with special gifts and beauty to share with the world if we first accept that we are BEAUTIFUL. 

Fahad Hassan: A Message to Americans: Let's Increase Teacher Value Another NO-BRAINER!  Teachers, educators, mentors, professors, or whatever you want to call us MATTER.  It is because of a teacher at every level of my educational life, in conjunction with have great parents, that I do what I do.  I own my success in life to them and would not be where I am today without their guidance.  We spend so much time BASHING teachers when we need to realize when they said, "it takes a village to raise a child.”  -They MEANT IT.  Education is a cycle and when one or more team players are not on the same page, the student suffers; and as a result, society suffers as well. 

8 Things You Can’t Learn in a Classroom In the above article, the author provides readers with eight great life lessons that are often learned outside of the classroom. After reading the list two lessons stood out for me personally and have been running themes throughout my life. They include:  Actually staying positive when times get tough. Although this is touch for many it is a must if you want to survive tough times. When we stay positive during life's most difficult challenges we actually give our body a boost that protects us from the effects of stress. Otherwise, when we succumb to negativity, we actually accelerate the likelihood that we will get sick and depressed as a result of the tough time.  The reality of death and the beauty of life. Death will come and we must accept this fact. As we get older, death knocks on our door more than we like and with each death of a love one we are reminded of our own mortality. 

7 Traits of a Highly Effective Mindset As I read the above article, I see the POWER of choosing to have an effective mindset versus a defective one.  When your mindset is effective, you feel powerful and inspired.  Although stress is a reality of life, a person who possesses an effective mindset will bounce back quickly from life's adversities.  A defective mindset will lead to a person becoming stuck a vicious cycle of negativity and failure to move forward.  Most importantly, as the article mentions a person with an effective mindset remains positive, yet realistic and always sees life's challenges as an opportunity for personal growth. 

8 Wake-Up Calls You Need to Receive The above article reminds me of the importance of wake-up calls. As I continue to reflect on my transition into my 40's I am finding that I am thinking about those that were lost during the past four decades of my life.  Over my life I have had learn lesson 1 repeatedly. During the past for decades I have had seen many die YOUNG. When I was a child, I lost two friends, Robert and Milton. Both deaths affected me greatly. They taught me that death will come and no one is immune. Fast-forward a decade; I learned what it meant to lose a pet, our family dog. His death too was tragic for he was very sick and there was nothing we could do to comfort him.  Fast forward a decade and a half, I lost my mother at age 57, my director died a month and half earlier, and my friend, Dawn's mother died as well that year (2007). At this point, I thought I was becoming an expert in death.  Five years later, my friend Colin at age 38 lost hi...

Tears on this one!  Cancer is robbing and has robbed many people of their quality of life and/or life itself.  It sucks to watch a love one succumb to this dreadful disease, yet it is bittersweet to see a friend overcome its wrath and somehow su rvive.  As I approach 40 I know either myself or one of many beloved friends will have to face this dreadful disease personally and/or through a love one.  It is difficult to see unwanted illness as a gift but Stacey is right they are.  For they forever change your make-up permanently.  I learned that through my mother's battles over my entire life with her and my father's PD as it progresses full steam head.  Cancer is trying take away the joy people have in their hearts, but CANCER we have you beat.  Although we may lose our love ones and may succumb to your wrath ourselves, we will always win.  Whether it is when we beat you here on earth or leave this world for a better place CANCER FREE! ...

Don't Ever...   Don't ever be reluctant to show your feelings When you're happy, give in to it... When you're not, live with it Don't ever be afraid to try to make things better You might be surprised at the results. Don't ever take the weight of the world on your shoulders. Don't ever feel threatened by the future Take life one day at a time. Don't ever feel guilty about the past What's done is done. Learn from any mistakes you might have made. Don't ever feel that you are alone There is always somebody there For you to reach out to. Don't ever forget that you can achieve So many of the things you can imagine. It's not as hard as it seems. Don't ever stop loving Don't ever stop believing, Don't ever stop dreaming your Dreams. ---   Author Unknown

In an article entitled, 10 Little Habits that Steal Your Happiness, the author describes 10 habits we have that prevent us from being happy. I would like focus on three that resonate for me.  1: Waiting for the perfect moment. There are no perfect moments in life. Opportunities often come when we least expect them and are not always wrapped in a neat bow. Meaning: Holding onto "If I only had...." statements will prevent you from achieving your goals and will always lead you to be disappointed in life.  2: Working for nothing more than a paycheck. If you only work for a paycheck, you might as well contact AMC and apply for a position as one of the WALKING DEAD. Happiness is often found when we pursue our passions and share them with others. Paychecks are quickly spent and do not fill the void of happiness.  3: Dwelling on difficulties. Difficulties in life are often the fuel for great change and can lead to renewed happiness. When we focus on what we do not have a...

"Optimists believe that good events are frequent and long-lasting and that bad events are limited and temporary." Hughes, Marcia; Terrell, James Bradford (2011-12-29). Emotional Intelligence in Action: Training and Coaching Activities for Leaders, Managers, and Teams (Kindle Locations 2153-2154). John Wiley and Sons. Kindle Edition. 

Thank You For Giving Me This Day I may never see tomorrow There's no written guarantee And things that happened yesterday, Belong to history. I cannot change the future, I cannot change the past, I have just the present moment, I must treat it as my last. I must use this moment wisely, For it soon will pass away And be lost to me forever, As part of yesterday. I must exercise compassion, Help the fallen to their feet, Be a friend unto the friendless, Make an empty life complete. The unkind things I do today May never be undone, And friendships that I fail to win, May never more be won. I may not have another chance. On bended knee to pray. And thank God with humble heart For giving me this day. ---  Author Unknown    

"It is so easy to exist instead of live." Quindlen, Anna (2001-04-01). A Short Guide to a Happy Life (Kindle Locations 111-112). Random House, Inc.. Kindle Edition.   A thought provoking quote! Which one do you prefer? Do you know the difference?  I say living always trumps existing. Those that live persevere and move through life challenges. Those that exist lead a life of disappointment, one in which they become too afraid to move beyond their comfort and receive the blessings they truly deserve. 

Rest in Peace: September 11, 2001 By Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat REST IN PEACE by Frederic and Mary Ann Brussat I am a World Trade Center tower, standing tall in the clear blue sky, feeling a violent blow in my side, and I am a towering inferno of pain and suffering imploding upon myself and collapsing to the ground. May I rest in peace. I am a terrified passenger on a hijacked airplane not knowing where we are going or that I am riding on fuel tanks that will be instruments of death, and I am a worker arriving at my office not knowing that in just a moment my future will be obliterated. May I rest in peace. I am a pigeon in the plaza between the two towers eating crumbs from someone's breakfast when fire rains down on me from the skies, and I am a bed of flowers admired daily by thousands of tourists now buried under five stories of rubble. May I rest in peace. I am a firefighter sent into dark corridors of smoke and debris on a mission of mercy only to have i...

http://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2012/05/09/30elder.h31.html I would have never thought that the concept of recess would become an afterthought in education. As a adult whose formative years were between 1978 (Kindergarten)- 1991 (High School), I was blessed to have had both recess and physical education classes. I can imagine that if they were not present in my childhood my life would be much different. Recess has life time ramifications and as a society we should protest when it is cut out of students lives-whether permanently or partially.  Recess allows students to have a break. Students can release tremendous amounts of energy during recess. Doing so helps students stay on task in school, ultimately helping them to be successful in school. Having recess outside exposes students to nature, something that is necessary for our well-being. Try staying indoors with no access to natural light for extended periods of time and see how you feel.  Recess serves a...

via  childandfamilyopp.org What interesting about this is that it is these five facts that matter most when it comes to childhood. We as society often struggle to learn and implement them. Number one refers to giving children the best, which we do not do until a problem arises. Number two can be seen in the shift of the students who now are attending college. Students today are less prepared, more stressed out, and lack the problem solving skills that natural old-fashion play experiences foster. Number three refers to lack of funding and research that support the prevention of toxic stress. Number four refers to the fact that many children's childhoods have disappeared which is resulting in increased physical and mental problems in early adulthood. Number five refers how most politicians claim they understand but fail to set aside financial funds for ECE.

The following is taken from Reboot Your Life: 20 Mental Barriers You Should Let Go Of http://www.stumbleupon.com/su/2w6t4l/:1yds_IQaY:DZD1M223/soulhiker.com/2009/10/reboot-your-life-20-mental-barriers-you-should-let-go-off/ From the list, 5 stood out as most important for me:  Let go of Negative thinking:  Pessimistic thoughts and negative attitudes keep you locked in a dark aura that permeates in everything you do. It’s a dangerous line to follow. Know that thoughts influence the world around us. Enough said!   Let go of self-criticism:  Many times we are our biggest pain in the neck. We criticize ourselves with the best of intentions but then go over the acceptable limit. Criticism then turns to disempowering messages. Let go of it and be kind and gentle to yourself. Let go of the need for others’ approval:   We often tend to seek approval by others. This is an attention-seeking behaviour and one which threatens our self-confidence and authenticity...

Thoughts On Criticism   The galleries are full of critics. They play no ball. They make no mistakes because they attempt nothing. Down in the arena are the doers. They make mistakes because they try many things. The person who makes no mistakes lacks boldness And the spirit of adventure. They are the ones who never try anything. They are the brake on the wheel of progress. And yet it cannot be truly said they make no mistakes, Because their biggest mistake is the very fact they try nothing, And do nothing, Except criticize those who do things.      Moral of the Story:  Life cannot be lived without making mistakes. Growth as human being can only develop when we allow people to make mistakes, learn from their mistakes, and dare to try something beyond what is expected. 

Here are some of my favorite quotes from  Hannah Brecher's Manifesto for Living :  "Here’s the ones who say, “I’ve moved on” and “I’m stronger now” and “You never completed me. No, that never happened.”  Who believe in their wholeness even after breaking.  Who believe in Better Than Ever even when the Better Half of them has eyes towards the neon EXIT sign." Here’s to the ones who wear “joy” like a sweater.  Like a wedding dress you wish to wear while eating pancakes and Nutella. Your bare feet on the counter. The train of white hanging down on the tiles. Laughing, always laughing, as they have another short stack of blueberry. Here’s to the ones who know their calling and that it’s greater than a cubicle or a paycheck will ever be.  A calling to be a light. To be a lantern.  To be a match in the darkness.  A flashlight in the power outage. A bright star in the sky of a night that lost hope. Here’s to the ones who believe.  In...