The Magic Mile - Part II

So, there is a class that I have been taking that has caused me a lot of grief.  Many of my classmates have dropped it, and I won't lie that I have been jealous of them as our class size has dwindled. I didn't really consider quitting as an option.  I felt like if I dropped my class it would mean that I wasn't a very good grad student. I was also afraid that if I lost the credits, I would have to make them up next semester.  That would have pushed my currently difficult but manageable load straight to crazy town, merely prolonging the anxiety the class was making me feel. So, I haven't really entertained the idea of quitting. However, I have been running like crazy trying to keep up and it just isn't working like I want it to!

Enter Jeff Galloway's magic mile (see post below). I had also recently read Dieter F Uchtdorf's talk on Things That Matter Most. Both of these men shared the idea that sometimes, just when you feel like you should be pushing harder to make sure you are achieving everything you can - you should actually be slowing down.  I guess Aesop actually said it too, "Slow and steady wins the race."  So, I decided that I needed to reset my goal pace for the long run that is my life. As part of this new pace, I went to talk with our program's assistant director to see what I should do about my class. She was practically enthusiastic about me dropping the class!  "If that is going to be best for you, drop it!" We discovered that I don't need the credits from this class, so I don't even have to make it up.

WOW! So much stress has been alleviated. I didn't realize how much it was affecting me! I am now a better student, a better friend, and I am so much happier! Take away lesson? There is no shame in slowing down - sometimes it is slowing down, or cutting back that actually allows us to use our energy more efficiently, and then we can do more.  Who knew?

Thankful Thought for Today
Today I am grateful for education. Grad school has taught me so much - not just about Public Administration, but about who I am and what I am capable of.