Mental Health

Addressing My IMPOSTER SYNDROME

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

When my career started, I already had two Bachelor’s degrees in Science and Education. When I became Vice-Principal, my Master’s degree in Educational Administration laid the foundation for the work that lay ahead. In both situations, I was definitely nervous when starting the job, but I felt somewhat confident with the solid preparation.

Not so much when I became Superintendent.

I was certainly excited about the new gig and was pretty sure that that I could do the job — but, there was a feeling of self-doubt that permeated my being. That was almost 7 years ago.

SUPERintendent

What does an effective Superintendent look like? What should I be doing?

  • Have a morning ritual of 5:00 am exercise followed by a nutrient-rich breakfast shake;
  • Review my daily / weekly / monthly Strategic objectives at 7:00 am to fine tune them;
  • Enter all meetings with purpose and presence;
  • Pursue my vision for the system with unwavering certainty.

Well, I do wake up every morning around 5:30 and I do try to exercise. And, YES, I make myself a healthy shake for breakfast.

Check. Check. And check.

The other qualities? Ummm … Let’s move on.

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Resilience – Digging Deeper Than We Thought We Could

/ Dave Eberwein / Leave a comment

Human beings possess what some researchers call a psychological immune system, a host of cognitive abilities that enable us to make the best of even the worst situation.

Lara Aknin, Jamil Zaki and Elizabeth Dunn, The Atlantic (July 2021)

We are capable of more than what we probably think we are capable of sustaining. Researchers Aknin, Zaki and Dunn conducted a review of close to 1,000 research studies examining hundreds of thousands of people across nearly 100 countries and they came to a conclusion:

We are remarkably adept at finding solutions to what might appear to be insurmountable problems.

THE MENTAL HEALTH CHECK

You’ve probably heard that the coronavirus pandemic triggered a worldwide mental-health crisis. This narrative took hold almost as quickly as the virus itself. In the spring of 2020, article after article—even an op-ed by one of us—warned of a looming psychological epidemic.

As clinical scientists and research psychologists have pointed out, the coronavirus pandemic has created many conditions that might lead to psychological distress: sudden, widespread disruptions to people’s livelihoods and social connections; millions bereaved; and the most vulnerable subjected to long-lasting hardship. A global collapse in well-being has seemed inevitable.

Lara Aknin, Jamil Zaki and Elizabeth Dunn, The Atlantic (July 2021)

Alarm bells were ringing.

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We’re All Fighting a Battle

/ Dave Eberwein / 6 Comments

Every now and then I come across a message which reminds me about a focus I have in life — understanding. Remembering to ask the question WHY. There’s a reason for the behavior in front of you — for the way someone is presenting to you. THE POWER OF WHY was created with that mindset as its focus. It’s this framework that reminds me I have a choice on how I respond to others — that I can choose to be kind, inquisitive and compassionate regardless of what I’m observing.

Everyone has a story.

Everyone is living in their own context.

So, the purpose of this particular blog post is to remind us of that message — seek to understand and be kind. When I saw a recent social media post quoting the late Robin Williams, it resonated with me and I wanted to share it with you.

It’s a personal goal of mine — some days I do really well — some days I’m not as successful. But I keep aiming for the target.

That’s all I really want to say today.

STRIVE TO BE KIND. ALWAYS.