So today at school I had a conference with a parent and one of my 1st grade students. Among many things, he shared with me that when we do math, he didn't want to have to draw the counters to solve his math problems like I asked. When asked why, he told me that he already knew the answers and so didn't see the need!!
I took out one of his math papers and we looked at what he'd put as the answer. He put that 2 + 4 equaled 7! I then gave him a piece of paper and asked him to do the sum again, but this time drawing the counters under each number. Of course, in doing this he then got the right answer!
He wasn't happy that he's still going to have to 'show' how he solves the math problem, but he began to understand why I was asking him to do something and that perhaps, even though he'd hate doing it, it was worth listening and following through on my request!!
In early recovery, I was just like my student!! I hated having to do things that in my mind were 'pointless'. Often my team would make suggestions and I truly thought that they were ridiculous. I'd fight them on having to follow through, and while I may say half-heartedly "ok, I'll try", the reality was that I knew I'd leave and would never follow through!
But, just like my student, I finally realized that maybe, just maybe, they knew what they were talking about!! Perhaps the reason they were asking me to do something was because they had knowledge that it really could help!! As I began to trust in them, as well as follow thru on what they were asking, I found that my successes grew!!
Recovery is not easy. Often, my screaming rebel of a teenager liked to come out and throw a tantrum at what was being asked. But if recovery was easy, it would be a simple and quick fix that we 'got' in a week!!
So this week I challenge you to be like my student. When you're asked to do something by your treatment team, instead of letting that little kid have the voice and be the one saying 'but why?????', take the risk and just go for it!! Maybe it'll actually be a powerful experience that leads to a success against Ed!!!
Go on, you can do it!!!
