Being intentional with how and where we allocate our focus can be challenging and overwhelming in our hectic, busy lives. It is easy for me to experience cognitive overload … so many books, articles, blogs, workshops; so much to learn and think about! It’s exciting and daunting at the same time, often resulting in an uneasy, distracted feeling of not knowing where to start. I regularly sit down to reflect and learn with the best intentions yet find myself scattered and distracted. As educators we are keenly aware of the value of mindfulness and being present, but if we are honest, do we consistently use the strategies we work so hard to help our students adopt? We know that taking time to ground ourselves can boost mental clarity, improve focus, and increase productivity. When being intentional with grounding practices we have undoubtedly experienced the release of the mental and emotional clutter that works hard to impair our concentration and zap our creativity. We also know when we are grounded it is easier to connect with ourselves, our ideas, and our surroundings; it is easier to engage in meaningful ways with the present moment.

I imagine we have all experienced that feeling of overload when attending conferences, workshops, and classes; when it becomes easy to shut down and stop listening. This is why I have started being intentional with the use of grounding practices in my classroom and whenever sharing professional learning with others. Our time is our most valuable resource, and when others choose to learn with me, I feel it is my responsibility to create a space that is conducive to learning.

I often start my presentations by asking the participants to honestly think about why they are here, what they want to accomplish, and how they hope to be impacted. I ask them to consider the knowledge and experiences they bring to the session, and then invite them to ground themselves. To breathe, put their feet on the floor, listen, notice, and set an intention. Not an expectation, but an intention. When we bring expectations to our learning journey we create a biased mindset, where we limit the possibilities of the experience. Conversely an intention focuses on what I/we bring to the situation; how I can add to and enrich what I am learning. Intentions create the head space where I can focus my attention and awareness on what I am thinking and feeling; they allow me to weave my experiences and prior knowledge into what I am learning. It opens my mind and creates an embodied state where I can connect with the information instead of comparing it to some self-imposed expectation. Grounding oneself and setting an intention prior to any task, including learning, paves the way for learning to occur and helps us stay alert to possibilities, instead of being stifled by expectations. Whenever the goal is to learn, to reflect, to grow, I encourage you to take a moment to declutter your mind and body, and to open yourself to learning! And I wish you all a joyful summer!

This microblog post was a featured post in #slowchathealth’s #microblogmonth event. You can search for all of the featured posts here. Please do follow each of the outstanding contributors on social media (including Dr. Kristi Mally, the author of this post. Kristi is a Professor at Winona State University where she “learns and grows with the most amazing future professionals)” and consider writing a microblog post of your own to be shared with the global audience of slowchathealth.com

Pair this post with the following:

Advice to a New Teacher by Renee Reedhardt

A Poem About Stories by Amy Dawson

Intersectionality in Health Education: Leading with Love and Equity by Dr. Cara Grant

Have you read the latest Book of the Month recommendation?