Happy Saturday y’all. I hope everyone is having a lovely weekend! I am interrupting your weekend of what hopefully is a holiday party filled haze with some serious chat inspired by my student … and the fact I missed my husband’s work party last night because I was at work much too late. I now have a newfound appreciation for my former professors and clinical instructors. Teaching is hard! There is so much to take into consideration with the learning process: am I being clear, is this normal student behavior or is this person just not getting it, do schools even teach grammar anymore? (Which reminds me of this quote:)

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I learned a lot as a clinical instructor the past three months and realize the professional skills I attempt to instill are valuable skills in all aspects of life…and I could use a refresher course. I am challenging myself to practice what I preach and live my life the way I (attempt to) instigate others to.  Here are my five lessons to live by in work and life:

1. Preparation: The more experience I gain the more I realize how important preparation is. Whether I am planning a meal, preparing for a party of my husband’s colleagues, or thinking about my weekend plans, I’ve never regretted being too prepared yet there are countless instances I regret when I was clearly ill-equipped. Ruined recipes, conversational blunders, or awkward encounters in swim suits with legs resembling a man’s are not situations I’d like to repeat. (Just shave them already!)

2. Attention to detail: I’ve always thought of myself as a “big picture” thinker yet am continually reminded how little details can dramatically affect the final result. It is something I really have to work at in everyday life, like noticing the dust in corners (I never do) and putting forth the extra effort to make my blog look cute (it is way harder than it looks).

3. Timeliness: Wellll for those of you who know me, you know I am a punctual being by nature. To a fault. However, I do have a horrible habit of sending cards and gifts on the recipient’s actual birthday/anniversary/what have you so it is always opened a few days after the fact. Major let down.

4. Follow-through: I think this is simple, if you say you’re going to do something then do it. It doesn’t matter if it all of a sudden grew to be inconvenient, the words were out and there are no take-backs. I think this is easy to let slide in our personal lives; we know our friends/family/significant other will understand. Whether it’s calling when you say you will or not bailing out on plans, we all know the people we can count on and those we can’t. Which group are you in?

5. Initiative: Take charge! I think I do this at work, yet could use a dose of that assertiveness/confidence in other areas of my life. My fantasy is not necessarily to be an occupational therapist for the rest of my years yet I rarely attempt to make progress towards my dream job after being turned down a few times. Nike says it best: Just do it.

If I believed in New Year’s Resolutions, these would be at the top of my list.  But why wait for January 1st to make positive changes?  Start now (see number five).