I’ve been involved in some great conversations during the past week surrounding self-compassion. As we are early in a new year, many of us set goals and/or make resolutions for ourselves. I wrote last week about trying to be more intentional in making connections and thus using the word connection as my word for 2023. With this in mind it was great to connect with others and discuss self-compassion. An episode of Laura Brewer’s podcast focused on how to practice really helped me make some meaningful connections in my own mind and with others on this idea.
As an ardent CrossFitter, I made the connection to the importance of muscle memory in regards to improving on so many of the movements we do at the gym. A poor movement pattern repeated over time can result in a plateau or even an injury. When it comes to self-compassion, I can’t help remembering a quote from Dan Harris from 10-percent Happier and ABC News where he said, “The voice in my head is an asshole.” I have tried to drown out this voice by remembering the following words from Brené Brown: “Talk to yourself the way you talk to someone you love.”
Just like a poor physical movement pattern, we can be better with thought patterns and catching the negative voice earlier and finding ways to interrupt that critical voice. Whether it is stopping for a few breaths, going for a walk, or just sitting in the negative feeling and thinking about where it is coming from, all of these are ways that I can try and catch myself and not carry that negative energy into other spaces. This mental muscle memory is also something that I can reinforce and get stronger with.
Anyway, I hope this resonates for some others. Thanks to Jen B. for sharing Laura Brewer’s podcast with me. I will definitely be diving into past episodes in the weeks ahead. Also thanks to my awesome community members at CrossFit 133 for engaging in the self-compassion conversation!
Recommended listens/watch
Leading Equity Podcast with Dr. Sheldon Eakins – As I have mentioned in the past, this is one I do not miss and Dr. Eakins had some more amazing guests since the last Friday Shares:
- Unpacking the White Innocence Playbook – This episode featured Dr. Melanie Bertrand from the University of Arizona and Dr. Carrie Sampson from Arizona State University. This idea of white innocence actually began in legal studies and Richard Orosco’s has taken this same framework to look at public schooling. The episode highlighted the following 4 discursive strategies of white innocence:
- Denying blame
- Concealing racism
- Dodging responsibility
- Glorifying the district
- The Subtle Gestures that Create Feelings of Belonging in Immigrant Students with Drs. Kristina Brezicha and Chandler Miranda – This episode talked about some strategies classroom teachers could use to support English Learners. They also noted the importance of policies around assessment and instructional time to ensure that English Learners can equitably access Social Emotional Learning and the Arts.
- How to Liberate Your Consciousness with Dr. Michelle Pledger – This episode features Dr. Pledger who is the Director of Liberation at the Center for Research on Equity and Innovation and the author of LIBERATE! Pocket-Sized Paradigms for Liberatory Learning. Dr. Pledger defined liberation as “An existence of authenticity, belonging and contribution…A space where people can feel belonging by being their authentic selves.” She also noted the distinction between fitting in and belonging and that individuals who feel belonging “are not just contributing into something that already exists.”
Show Me The Evidence: Culturally Relevant Pedagogy & Primary Sources with Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings
If you want to learn more about Culturally Relevant Pedagogy, there is no one better than Dr. Ladson-Billings to learn from. This video is from a presentation done back in August for the Minnesota Historical Society. This is one I will watch again, but here are a few of my initial takeaways:
Her thoughts on Critical Race Theory (CRT). “(From the perspective of those decrying it) CRT is everything we don’t like.” Dr. Billings perspective is that “CRT is teaching the truth about our history.”
She describes Culturally Responsive Pedagogy as an equilateral triangle, one where all sides need to be equal. The three sides are composed of Academic Achievement/Student Learning, Cultural Competence, and Socio-political critical consciousness. She advocates for the use of primary source documents and gives some great examples on how teachers can use them in a culturally relevant way to “make the familiar strange” by asking inquiry-based questions.
Quote I’m Pondering as we celebrate a long weekend in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
My Un-Learning Journey 