I found this post I wrote last year and never published during a critical juncture in my doctoral experience. I was going through it at this point, however, I made it. Let this serve as a reminder that its okay to put you and your needs first. Work will be there. There’s always something to do on the to-do list. Someone will always require something of you. For 2020, take time to put YOU first.
If I can be honest, I’m exhausted and for the first time in a long while, I’m overwhelmed. Mentally, emotionally, academically, socially, and everything in between.It seems like forever since I last wrote a piece here on melanatedandeducated due to life kicking my butt right now. I’m at a critical point in my doctoral journey where I need to meet a major deadline and if I don’t meet it, I have to sit out of my program for another year. As people back in the day used to say: “the academic haze is real”. It’s part of the process and this is what separates the good scholars from great scholars during the doctoral journey. In addition to the doctoral work, there’s a litany of other tasks/assignments that need to be handled while still working a FT job. Just a normal day in the life of a hard-working educator. I feel a need to ensure that I bring excellence to all that I do, but that typically comes with a price. I have to admit: I’m tired.
Yesterday, a friend of mine said something that stuck out to me: “it’s okay to not be a superhero today”. For some reason, that stuck to my spirit and since then, I’ve been mindful of my energy. Ripping and running everywhere to be everything to everyone is taxing. People will continue to pull from your pool if you never say anything or set appropriate boundaries. To those who are constantly giving, I give you permission to hang up your cape for the day. Take off the mask and let someone else do the saving for a change.
melanatedandeducated 