Most of what I share is advice and theory, deeply rooted in my personal experiences, but not often about my own learning journey. So as the new year starts--and thanks to a bit of inspiration from
Sue Patterson’s unschooling manifesto--I wanted to sit down and consider what types of attitudes I want to cultivate, and what pieces of advice I want to give to myself, as I continue my own grown-up unschooling. These are not so much specifics: “read more books” or “take up running,” these aren’t new year's resolutions (easily made and as easily broken), but instead I hope will act more as my own mini-manifesto for the coming year, a year in which I hope I can work on growing, healing, and learning bravely. Here goes!
- Recognize when I’m stuck, and don’t let myself stay stuck for too long.
- Get help when I need it. Professional help, support from friends, classes, whatever. I’m not a one-person island, and reaching out for support, in whatever way is needed, is a good thing.
- Push outside my comfort zone. This is one of my biggest goals for this coming year! As a person with generalized anxiety disorder, pretty much EVERYTHING is outside my comfort zone, and the longer I stay in my little zone, the smaller it becomes. I need to always be expanding it, step by step, little by little, outwards if I want to do better.
- Fun is important. Really important! It’s okay to enjoy something even if it doesn’t have an immediate, obvious “point.”
- Quiet times are good in moderation, but a balance needs to be found. I love daydreaming and enjoying the small things of everyday life: --a good cup of coffee, a good cuddle session with my cat, a wonderful new novel. However, I can get so wrapped up in them I become isolated. Other people need to be a regular part of my life, too.
- Stop comparing myself to others, and finding myself lacking. If I truly believe what I say about each person having their own unique timeline, I can’t keep thinking I’m at the “wrong” point on it.
- Don’t ever be embarrassed to share what I’m interested in or excited about, even if--or maybe especially if--it’s something that I know some people would dismiss as unimportant.
- Celebrate every tiny little success as if it’s a Big Deal, because it IS a big deal! It’s important to recognize progress, whether it’s big steps forward or small ones.
- Despite what I tell myself, coffee does not actually help me do anything. Use it in moderation.
- Inspiration doesn’t usually just pop up all on it’s own. Finding inspiration is work, a deliberate practice of paying attention, doing new things, engaging in conversation with others, and being genuinely thoughtful about what I read and see and hear.
- Being brave in my work doesn’t only mean talking about my struggles (with anxiety and depression, mainly), it also means branching out with my writing, choosing topics that interest me, but I don’t know if others will want to read. It means creating more things in mediums I haven’t explored much before (video, audio). It means saying “yes” more to interview requests.
- Productivity is a self perpetuating cycle. While it’s okay to not be productive sometimes, and my value as a human being is not attached to my productivity, when I do more, I feel better. And when I feel better, I do more. Once the ball starts rolling, I have to keep it rolling, even when things are hard. Doing only a little bit feels a whole lot better than doing nothing.
If you choose to join in and write your own mini-manifestos, please share the links in the comments. I’d love to read them!
Hello! I have 16 kids, a few of the older ones homeschooled in high school for different reasons, but most went to "real" school. The youngest three homeschool...and we have slipped into unschooling. When I read your definition of unschooling, it was as if I had written it. I believe my kids learn through life! The two littlest are 9 and 10, and if they want to set up and play house in the whole living room, playing with dolls and store, using real money with toy cash registers...they are learning! If they choose to spend an entire afternoon playing playdough bakery, yay! If they are addicted to changing their room around every other week, good for them! We go to the library and get stacks of books. I encourage them to get novels to read in bed at night, then they grab various non-fiction books that look interesting. Sometimes they find a book so interesting, they research more, and we all talk about it. Learning is fun! They like maps and planning trips and cooking. They can make their own breakfasts and lunches, and are more interested in nutrition. We are having a fantastic time, but my "real" school kids don't really understand. They are worried it won't go well. Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing the right thing, but finding your blog is comforting! Thank you for sharing!!!
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