It’s never too late

Habit #8 to Fall into Better Habits

Back in the day when I was known as Ms P, most of my Seniors were stressed out about graduation.

Some of them felt like they didn’t do enough or accomplish as much as they wanted in the four years that flew by. Some of them had a lot of work left to do before the big day and felt overwhelmed. Some thought it was too late to make a difference.

Which, by the way, it’s NEVER too late.

Here’s a true story to prove it.

Knowing they felt like this, I got some of the Seniors together and asked, “What would help you feel better about your future?”

One of them uttered the most profound statement I’d ever heard. It was hard to believe it actually came from a teenager.

He said this, “To have made better decisions in the past.”

Damn. That was some amazing wisdom!!! (I said that in my head, obviously not out loud considering I’m always correcting their language.)

So now the conversation turned. I then asked, “What can you do about that now?”

He shrugged. I was kinda disappointed because his original answer was off-the-charts amazing, but I reminded myself that the eager faces staring at me were still only kids.

Another student offered this bit of advice which not only changed the vibe of the group and got them motivated to finish the rest of their Senior year feeling empowered and strong, but it also changed the vibe in the classroom for years to come.

He said, “Maybe we can’t do anything about the choices we’ve made, but maybe we can help someone else avoid the same mistakes before they graduate.”

As if on cue, they all nodded at the same time. They agreed that they wanted to let their fellow classmates know this:

Even though it may suck, when you plan NOW you'll feel way better LATER.

BABY STEP

They sat with me to devise something meaningful to help their underclassmen prepare for their own big day. They wanted to remind other students that being prepared is a blessing and not a burden (my words, not theirs but you get the drift).

We created a sign to serve as a reminder that anyone (because this pretty much applies to every human on the planet) can reach their goals despite the obstacles. One boy from the “development team” announced the new sign to everyone who walked into the classroom. It was a great success. And, most of all, they were proud of what they’d accomplished.

They came up with lots of great ideas, and these are the top 5 P’s, which they named in honor of me…Ms P (#proud)

Getting results requires all those qualities because there will always be problems to solve and obstacles to overcome so you must prepare yourself to embrace the challenge.

Don't worry. We'll be breaking down some of the Ps and practicing them together next week so we can be prepared.

So, what have we learned from my Hooligans? What’s the moral of the story?

1. When you write it down then it becomes possible.

2. When you say it out loud then it becomes probable.

3. When you believe it then it becomes inevitable.

4. When you consistently act upon it then it becomes reality.

Side note:

There are two things I want you to fully grasp from this story.

• Reminders work. That’s why I’ll keep giving you encouragement every baby step of your journey.

• High school kids aren’t as bad as the media portrays them to be (#Carrie). They have the same problems and issues and worries and drama as everyone else. And, fortunately, lots of them are willing to help others along the way.

Because when you uplift someone else, your spirits are lifted, too.

PROGRESS

Then versus Now...

Take a look at last year's Habit then compare it with how you're doing now. How far have you come since last year? Have you made progress? I'll bet you have!

No matter how small the gain…

No matter how many Baby Steps it took…

No matter how painfully slow the progress…

Pat yourself on the back to celebrate how far you've come!!! Because persistence makes progress :)

MORE RESOURCES