Celebrate Stability
June 2, 2025
This month marks the 6 month anniversary of the death of my partner, Stewart Levine. Having traveled for the month of April, I was ‘in transit’ and able to ‘defer’ some of my grief while I kept busy with workshops and keynotes, new foods, and new vistas.
The minute I came back to Palo Alto and went into my day to day routine, a sadness came right back in to befriend me. And, along with the sadness I was reminded with a deep awareness that life moves on and is worthy of appreciating. As the shampoo and conditioner in the photograph show, we are all ‘in transit’ if we actually think about it – always….and life continues….so let’s get into it.
I am very much here now, in this life. And what a gift. I was honored to deliver a keynote in a celebration of a cohort of new teachers completing their first year in their school district. These new teachers are deep into life everyday – face to face with little beings and teenage beings on a daily basis. I wanted to provide a container in which to acknowledge, recognize, and celebrate their growth and development over the past year. Moments such as giving this keynote bring me out of myself and back into life – not just ‘in transit’ but here. P.S. If you ever want me to celebrate a developmental milestone for your new teacher group, just send word!
I don’t want to be Pollyanna and only celebrate the ups and not acknowledge the downs. There is a bunch we could talk about regarding the challenges of the world and the pain so many of us are facing. It’s a both/and moment and it always is.
So how does one manage to hold the ‘both/and’ with strength? Carolyn Coughlin and Jennifer Garvey Berger, adult development coaches extraordinaire, would suggest that we need to build our ‘complexity fitness’.
One of the ways to stay grounded which Coughlin suggests is “Find or create stability and amplify it where you can.” Yes, please.
How might I amplify the good and the grounded in the midst of the muddy and the uncertain? How can I acknowledge and celebrate what has provided me some solid ground? We have hit midyear. Let’s look back and see what has provided us all some stability and solid ground thus far.
Here’s a list of reflection questions for consultants hoping to find some strength.
Here’s a list for teachers as you focus on some ‘wins’ from the past school year.
And here’s a list of reflective questions that might bring some steadiness to everyone else!
Everyone should gift themselves some celebratory moments as we acknowledge what is going right amidst the challenges that face us all.
We do need to recognize and place value in the small wins, the sweet moments, and celebrate whatever stability we are finding and creating for ourselves at this time.
As you go into the summer months, take some time for more smiles, ice cream, sunsets, stability, and sleep. We are all in transit (miss you, Stewart) and we are all here now so let’s celebrate. Happy June.
Questions, comments, or suggestions? Feel free to email me at jennifer@jenniferabrams.com.
Cool Resources
Clearer Thinking – “Over 80 easy-to-use free tools to help you make better decisions, hone your thinking, and achieve your goals.”
Facili-station – “Weekly resources for managers and leaders to help teams to work together, make better decisions, and solve problems faster with less conflict, more engagement, more cost efficient and with real commitment.”
International School Counselor Association – “ISCA is the premier association formed by international school counselors for counselors. We cultivate a safe, open-minded environment to promote community, connection and professional learning. Our collection of offerings builds relevant, culturally-competent, comprehensive programs that empower counselors to be better advocates who help students thrive.”
Rick Wormeli’s article for the (NASSP) National Association of Secondary School Principals’ Principal Leadership Journal, When Our Grading Philosophy Conflicts with Those of Our Faculty. It aligns beautifully with his older, yet still ever important article, The Grief of Accepting New Ideas. Cogent, thoughtful pieces – both worth reading.
