Courage on a Cloudy Day

I usually start my classes with some sort of a check in with students. My favorite one currently is to do a brief mindfulness exercise, in which each student brings their attention inward and quietly checks the state of their mind and their heart, and describes how they are in the form of a weather report.

Upon identifying the weather within, I ask them simply to accept it as they would the weather around them.

When I invite students to share their weather report after the mindfulness session, I often get a range of weather reports.

‘My weather is cloudy with sunlight seeping through the clouds’

‘My weather is foggy and cold’

‘I am experiencing a big typhoon’

Each of them has a reason for why the weather is such. Using weather as a metaphor for our emotions is important. We accept the weather that mother nature presents us with day after day, and we can have a similar relationship with our emotions. We are also reminded that our emotional experience is temporary and ever changing, just like the weather.

However, the more important part of this check in exercise is the part that follows. After students identify the weather that they are experiencing within and hold it with acceptance, I invite them to set an intention for how they wish to be for themselves and others for the rest of the day. If it is raining outside, we can choose to get wet, take out an umbrella, rest in a cafe until the rain stops, complain about it, dance in the rain, amongst many other things. Similarly, whatever weather we may be experiencing inside, we can still choose how we respond to it based on what is important to us and what is needed.

The other day, I shared with my class, ‘My weather is currently dark with heavy layers of cloud (I had a cold for the last two days), AND my intention is to be as present as possible with each one of you.’ And I did, at least to the best of my ability.

Now, you might be wondering, isn’t showing up for your class what a normal teacher does all the time? However, I believe that taking action according to our intention, especially during challenging times is worth noting, because it is an act of courage. It is an act of courage because during challenging times, it can be so much easier and more comfortable to let go of intentions that are important to you. This is a kind of courage expressed quietly, because the courage may only be recognizable to the actors themselves.

The quiet courage requires that you are closely in touch with your core values and are translating them into your intention day after day. It requires integrity to show up with this intention, and persistence to do so even with the changing inner and outer weather. For me, quiet courage is about choosing to talk to students with kindness even though they did not do my homework. It is about continuing to show up for my class to share what I believe is important for my students, even during days when I doubt my capacity. It is about choosing to engage in a conversation with a colleague to seek understanding even when I feel hurt and frustrated.

Whatever weather we may be experiencing inside and outside, we can attune to how we wish to be for ourselves and others and respond accordingly. So every day as you get up, I invite you to ask yourself, ‘What is my weather today?’ And being with the weather, ask yourself, ‘What is my intention as I move through the day?’

Keep your answer close to your heart as you lead the day. No one has to notice your courage. Isn’t it a nice thought though that at the end of the day, you can rest knowing that you were quietly courageous?

If you wish to bring this practice to your days but are unsure of what your core values are, check out here:

https://www.choosinglifewithcourage.com/copy-of-ii-second-thread-what-are-1