This was taken down the road in El Segundo. I was driving home from school, and I just pulled over and stared for a minute, not quite believing what my new normal looks like! Still weirds me out sometimes!
I am looking forward to spending my first full year in California. This year feels like it's going to be a very good one, and I'm going to try my best to make it that way! I'm usually awful at creating resolutions and seeing them through. This year, I've instead decided to have goals. Goals feel more 'real' and doable. And I think a goal is something you can continuously work on! I want to feel successful this year, so my goals are really simple yet meaningful to me. So here they are!
Be courageous, don't give up. No matter if I think something will take a long time, require a lot of effort, cause me some stress, or be slightly inconvenient! I don't want to give up on things when the going gets tough, because I've been known to do that more times than not.
Be positive and assume positive intent. It's so easy to be negative, isn't it? But it feels so much better to look at the actions of others in a positive light. So I'm going to try to be positive with myself (confidence), positive with my outlooks (things aren't as bad as they seem!), and assume positive intent with others. We're all in this together!
Be intentional with my words and actions. My previous principal used to always say "be intentional." With your words, actions, lesson plans, responsibilities, personal life, classroom environment. I felt such a connection to that because it felt so obvious but was also so tricky at the same time! I think that will be the one goal that will be the hardest to achieve.
I'm working on being more intentional with the things that I give to my students for practice, so I've been intentionally creating some new things for my students and hopefully other people's students! One of the creations I started working on during winter break was my Winter Phonics and Math Packet for TpT. Click on the photo below to grab it or click here!If you'd like a little sample of my packet, click here to grab your freebie or click on the image below!
Thanks so much for stopping by, and come back soon! Don't forget to follow me on Bloglovin, click the link on the sidebar! Now, check out the super creative Kristen at Easy Teaching Tools for her wintry post!
HEY, before you go, don't forget to enter this amazing giveaway for the chance to win gift cards to a teacher's favorite stores of all time!
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Welcome to California, hon! I promise, it's not normally this chilly this time of the year, or EVER! I love your idea about being "intentional," it's so true!
ReplyDeleteKristen
Thanks girl! I am loving being here! I love the word "intentional," but it still trips me up sometimes!
DeleteI try to be intentional in all that I do, too! Wise principal you had :) Coming from a native Californian, welcome &o so glad you're here!
ReplyDeleteShe's one of the great ones, I was lucky to work for her! Intentionality is much harder than one would think! And thank you! I'm happy to be here!
DeleteWelcome to CALI! It's the best! I enjoyed reading your post Holly. I really like your goals for 2015! And your Winter freebie is awesome!
ReplyDeleteJessica :)
Thank you, Jessica!
DeleteI love meeting all the new So. Cal teachers in this blog hop! Welcome to beautiful sunny Cali! Glad you are here. I hope 2015 is a special year for you! -Jaime
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jaime! Same goes for me, I've gotten to know so many new, great teachers! I hope 2015 treats you well, too!
DeleteLove your goals and thanks for sharing! Welcome to California and congrats on your first year here!!! I moved here from Chicago 18 years ago and have loved it!
ReplyDeleteThanks! I'm hoping I can continue working towards them this year. I hope I grow to love Cali as much as you do!
DeleteHappy New Year, Holly! Your resolutions are inspiring! I'm going to adopt some of them. ;) Especially being intentional! Thanks for your great freebie!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you, Peggy! Being intentional is the hardest thing, but it's worth making into a goal! And you're welcome! Check out the whole packet for more fun pages!
DeleteI LoVe what your "normal" looks like! Lucky you! :)
ReplyDeletePalma (KFUNdamentals)
I am so not used to seeing the beach in winter, it's always been a summer thing for me! But I am not complaining!
DeleteHolly, welcome to So.Cal. You will LOVE it here!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I want to hang out with you at the next meet up for sure!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Katie! I'm loving it so far! And yes!! I missed the last meet up so I can't wait for the next one! I'm so excited to meet you and so many other awesome teachers!
DeleteWelcome to California!! I've been here since high school, but I was born and raised in Illinois! I used to spend all winter in the freezing cold, and now I'm totally adjusted to San Diego weather so our 40 degree temperatures lately have been strange! Definitely is a beautiful place though and I'm sure you will love it! Can't wait to meet you at the next meet up!!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Molly! Yes it is quite colder than I imagined...and I just came here from Colorado! I hope I get to meet you, too! Any ideas when the meet up will be??
DeleteBeautiful view on your way home!! And I love your goals! You're right it is so easy to be negative. I continue to try at look at the bright side of things. Happy 2015!!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Lisa! I tried to make my goals as simplistic and realistic as possible so that I could actually stick to them! It's tough being a optimistic in this world sometimes, but I'll continue to try! Happy New Year!
DeleteWelcome to Cali! Love how you write, and your goals for New Years are so good I may have to steal some of them. Lol.
ReplyDeleteAww thank you, Julie! Please steal them, and then we can hold each other accountable!
DeleteWelcome to California!! Which part of Tennessee are you from? My mom's family is from Tennessee. They come out to visit between Christmas-New Years every year and even they are surprised by the cold weather this year. Most of them bring shorts. The cold is unusual.
ReplyDeleteI look forward to getting to know you and reading your blog!
Lauren
A Teachable Teacher
Awesome! I'm from the Nashville area and went to college at UT Knoxville. I am very shocked at the cold this winter, it feels like a Tennessee winter! I can't wait to get to know you more, too!!
DeleteLove the idea of being intentional with all we do! Very inspiring resolutions- thank you for sharing.
ReplyDelete2 Smart Wenches
Thanks, Martha! I hope I can reach my goals this year, I'll try to be intentional about it! :)
DeleteWelcome to California!!! So glad to meet another California teacher! It will warm up as soon as break is over- it always does. Our heater just went out on NYE so we have been FREEZING and in layers and layers and layers to keep warm.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the freebie!
Layla
Fancy Free in Fourth
Thanks, Layla! We are running our heater 24/7 and we just moved here from Colorado! All the blankets all the time!
DeleteIt's kinda funny that your first winter in Cali is such a cold one. As everyone has already said, it's so never THIS cold here. I remember last January, when the whole rest of the country was wrapped up in a polar vortex, we actually had a week long heat wave. Seriously, it was in the 90s! I had my students write about the irony of that. : )
ReplyDeleteAliTeaching Powered by Caffeine
I would give anything for a 90 degree day right about now!
DeleteYour goals are amazing! Welcome to So. Cal! If you need anything or just a buddy to talk to, I'm here :) I don't think we are TOO far away!
ReplyDeleteAww thank you, Jen! I am hoping that I can meet those goals this year at some point! And yes you're right, we aren't too far away! I drove through Long Beach/Naples today for the first time and it was so cute down there! We should grab coffee or something, I'd love the chance to head back that way!
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