Yeah, you got it! You know you got it!

Has anyone ever told you "you can't do that because [insert lame excuse because they're hating/don't believe in you/are just negative about everything]"? Yeah, me too! And I gotta be honest, I've doubted myself at times too. You're right, there could be someone better, smarter, more experienced, or whatever else you may think, but they may lack the motivation and passion that you have. That's why you're here, that's why we're all here. We believe in change.

The first week of Teach for America institute has probably been one of the most challenging, stressful, overwhelming weeks I have ever had in my life; and I've had some pretty stressful times in my life (not having rent money, being jobless, dealing with high school aged kids for the first time). I have had new information thrown at me from every which way; been told that there's a million different things I should be doing to be better, to be the best; and debriefed with countless peers and advisors about what could be different, what could be improved on, what's not so good.

I'm not sure if you knew this.....but.....no one knows what the hell they're doing. It's a world of new things that are being shoved down our throats and we don't even have enough time to chew and swallow it all. It's overwhelming. It's stressful. It most definitely is not ideal. Want to know something else? As Corps Members (aka the best future Teachers ever) the expectation isn't to be perfect. How can we be perfect if we don't even know what that looks like? How can anyone  be perfect if they don't know what perfection looks like.

When I was first introduced to the wonderful world of education I had the privilege of working with an amazing young woman who has become one of my greatest motivators. She didn't know Algebra, I didn't know Algebra, we were both lost. She needed help, so I re-learned the concepts and would walk through them with her during class and after school. I wasn't perfect, and looking back I always think of things I could have done better, but she didn't see that--the imperfection. She saw someone who cared enough to go out of their way to help. When she'd get discouraged, in a sing-song voice, I'd tell her, "Yeah, you got it! You know you got it!"

It's easy for us to doubt ourselves, especially when we don't know what we're doing. Being great doesn't happen over night, but it also most certainly did not come from giving up either. So when you're feeling tired and down in the dumps just know that there's someone who needs you, whose life you will change drastically. YOU GOT THIS!