Make Every Moment Count

By Todd Nesloney

I’m sure you’ve all heard that phrase in one variation or another. But when you genuinely take the time to pause and reflect on the idea, ask yourself, How often do you truly make every moment count?

Sometimes those moments may exist within your personal lives. Making sure you take time for yourself means: slowing down long enough to plant a flower garden; create a piece of artwork; indulge in a Netflix binge; or even just walk through the local park. When you set aside moments to slow down and spend time with yourself, you’re making moments count. You’re acknowledging that personal moments can fuel you with energy, creativity, and a desire to reflect.

So many of us, especially educators, find ourselves spinning our wheels constantly trying be better, working harder, taking on more projects. And in doing that, we often allow special, quiet moments slip right by us. Unnoticed.

Taking time to nurture yourself is not a bad thing. It doesn’t mean you’re lazy, blase, self-obsessed, or unattached. Instead, it shows how much you value your personal health and knowing that to be your best you need to be mindful of three elements: your mental, spiritual, and physical health. You will never be able to do what you’re meant to do unless you cultivate and maintain the creative fire within you.

Making every moment count also includes the students and adults you come in contact with every day. You can quickly allow the to-do list, constant stream of interruptions, and your own emotional reaction to events to distract you. Being engulfed by work can push aside those moments that fall right in front of you, waiting to be noticed–moments such as:

That moment where the teacher across the hall is suffering through a recent cancer diagnosis. She longs for someone on her team to ask, “How are you doing?” so she feels she isn’t walking this road alone.

That moment where a child walks in with his head down, hating who he is, because that morning his father beat him again and spewed hateful untruths about the boy he raised.

The single mother, who works three jobs to give her children the life she never had. She struggles to get her kids to school on time and every morning keeps from making eye contact with the school staff fearing they’ll label her a “bad mother.”

The high school senior who just learned of his acceptance into the college of his dreams but has no one to share the good news with.

Or even something as simple as the little girl who passed her first test of the year and wants someone to tell her, “I’m proud of you.”

Moments like those I described exist, and they’re there for the taking. The question though is Will you see them? There is scientific research that proves when you show gratitude to others, it increases your positive mood, more than it increases theirs. But will you understand the power of a single moment? Will you make it a priority to find ways to make moments matter for others?

“Make every moment count!”

You and I have heard it before. So today, let’s pay attention to the silent whispers of moments that are calling you to action: moments when you reserve time to care for your mental, spiritual, and physical well being; moments when you reach out to support others crying for help. Grab and hold those moments close to your heart. Take a deep breath and find the time to make every moment matter more than it ever has before.

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