NO GREE FOR ANYBODY

Dear Teacher Buddy,

It is my pleasure to welcome you to your year of grabbing and taking over everything. Your year of intentionality, smart work, and fluid execution. Your year of not listening to naysayers because you are UNAVAILABLE to be a part of their doubts, fears, and worries. This is the year everyone, and I mean every human around you, understands that the engine on your inside is of HEAVY CAPACITY, and you would be going all out to achieve the goals you have set for yourself, and the ones you forgot to set for yourself. Raise am

RAISE AM!

Excuse me, Ma'am, raise that long broom and clear the cobwebs you have been harboring. You cannot be aiming for the top while carrying a mountain of self-deprecation on your back. 'No gree for anybody' includes your self-sabotaging patterns that you have consistently laid claim to instead of embracing change. 2023 limited you so much because you allowed your insecurities to get the best of you, but that is not happening this year. Why are you so afraid? Failure? You see, you need to understand that failure is an event, not your definition - a simple bump on the road, not your destination. So for every "We regret to inform you" mail, counter it with another attempt. No gree!

NO GREE FOR ANYBODY

You cannot allow doubts to control you. What if you do not get it? What if you do! There is a chance of getting a YES when you try, but zero percent when you do not try at all. I stated in my last newsletter that I tried the MTOTY six times before I got in. No one would have got this information if I did not win it. Many people assume I just waltz in and take it all whenever I want, but this is not the case. My tenacity is topnotch because I have trained myself on the importance of self-belief, and I understand the power of collaboration. When the going gets tough, I have friends in my corner to remind me of WHO I AM. Opportunities are for you to utilize; they get you into rooms you may never be privy to. Enough of False Humility - stop devaluing yourself or limiting yourself in an attempt to appear humble.

WE MOUNT!

Now let us clarify what we are mounting. Dear partners in learning, success is what happens when preparation meets opportunity. What are you aiming to achieve as a teacher, an administrator, or even someone about to transition? What soft skills do you need to get what you want? What hard skills are part of the description for your vision? It is not to shout "WE MOUNT" while using 70 percent of your time catching up on social media and 30 percent on hating on those who are living your dream. What are you "mounting"? How are you mounting this mountain when you prepare for today, a day before? I remember how a few years back, I was accused of using "JAZZ" because my students won every competition they partook in. To the educator, how can her students win debates, spelling, essay, drama, poetry, music, impromptu speech competitions if there is nothing extra she is "adding"? Of course, there was something I was adding, and I am still adding - PREPARATION. How do you compare students who were trained for one year with students trained in a day for the same competition? I learnt this from my Honourable Boss, Mr Tolulope Odusanya in 2015, and I have not looked back. At the start of a session, we audition students for EVERY category of competition until we have the last 20 to 30 standing, and training starts. Most of these students go through a year's training before any competition, how do you want to "beat" them. It is easy to mount when you are prepared enough to see the mountain and you have the apparatus to mount the mountain. Where is the extra on your ordinary?

GET THE MEMO

Ladies and gentlemen of this noble profession, the memo for this year is SELF CARE. Do not listen to those who want to drain you for their needs and wants, you deserve to rest and recharge. Help as much as you can without compromising your well-being. YEAR 2024, our mantra is RESTFUL. Let me break it down.

• Recognize Your Limits: You must be aware of your personal and professional boundaries. You are human - blood runs through your veins.
• Establish Boundaries: Set clear boundaries between work and personal time. Paste them, scream them, let everyone know.
• Self-Care Prioritization: Prioritize your mental and physical well-being. You cannot fill a cup when you are an empty jar.
• Time Management: Effectively manage your time and plan activities. Learn the difference between working hard and working smart.
• Flexibility: Be flexible in adapting to unexpected change - go with the flow.
• Unplug Regularly: Take breaks from technology and unplug to recharge your mind.
• Learn to Say No: SAYING NO is a form of self-care - say it

• Let nothing trouble you, EVIDENCE GO DEY because this is the year you take it all. Importantly, commit your ways to God and watch HIM take charge.

In conclusion, I believe with these cogent points of mine, I have been able to convince you beyond a reasonable doubt that this year, NO GREE FOR ANYBODY!

OBALOLA, go and excel.

Yours sincerely,

Adeola Adefemi