Posts by Paul Costello1
Today, mindfulness expert Greg Robison presents to the AmeriCorps team on one of the core practices of self-care- Mediation and Mindfulness. After two months of service, the team are already showing some signs of stress. Its normal and to be expected, being tired, frustrated and challenged by some of the situations and some of the students who don’t do what they are told, etc etc. That is part and parcel of the work we do, but what do we do about it? Burnout is an occupational hazard of people in service and so mindfulness is a way of allowing our bodies to catch up and our minds to slow down. Or as Greg explains it, Mediation is moving out of the thinking mode to the sensing mode.
We are expected to multi-task and we are expected to change our best laid plans when the weather changes or the bus runs late. At every turn, the things that we think we can control run on a schedule different to ours. So we have to cope and we have to adjust. But that takes a toll on our nerves and on our patience. We need to sometimes get off the merry go round and sit, breathe, smell the roses, and let our bodies back into the conversation.
ember is a time for new beginnings. School is back in business and so is Project Change, with five more member slots than before, and new partners to join the collaborative work that CHANGE has been doing in Montgomery County for the past 16 years. We want to thank our MD State and Federal funders for their vote of confidence in what we are doing.
ging with endorsement and gratitude. Here are some of the comments we heard:
u might live in a big city that tourists pay a lot of money to come see, and not ever do what the tourists do. Such was the case today when Project CHANGE took time out to visit the Lincoln Memorial, and walk through to the MLK and FDR memorials to end at the Jefferson Memorial on the Tidal Basin. For some members, though they are locals, this was their first visit.
To spend time in such inspiring places was in keeping with the mission of Project CHANGE. These great statues were first built to remember history, but then become places where new history is also made. The stories that matter are ones that keep growing new chapters. Of course, the CHANGE team don’t see themselves in the same class as these great heroes, but nevertheless, they are part of that unfolding story of leadership through service of something greater than oneself. Well Done Project CHANGE.
me management is such a challenge for us all, but especially for Project CHANGE members who have to juggle their service hours with study or family or other part time job commitments to make ends meet. Sometimes, the demands can feel overwhelming. One member recently had to give up shift work because it was just too much. He was simply not allowing himself time to sleep! How does one work out some sense of priorities when everything feels urgent and there does not seem to be enough of you or your time to go around?