Even more thinking about Yearly themes...As I listen to the recent episode of Cortex (2019 Yearly Themes) I'm contemplating how to narrow down the theme that I believe has chosen me, the year of Compassion. As I listen to CGP Grey talk about his notions of past me, present me, future me I'm trying to figure out how this all impacts the manner in which the year of Compassion has sought me out.For the last 4 years I have been trying to figure out what the next version of me is going to be. 2014 was a big year! I earned my PhD. This was the culmination of 7 years being totally focused on reading, writing, and thinking which resulted in my dissertation and it's subsequent defense. I was not a very fun person to be around during that time and present me looking back at past me believes he was not very compassionate to anyone around him including myself.This is why, after earning the PhD I really wanted to focus on being the best teacher I could be and more importantly the best husband I could be as my time, effort, and energies really were not being focused on either of these roles during my academic pursuit. That makes sense on one level in that I had to make sacrifices in order to earn the PhD. That said I knew coming out of the experience that if I was not going to go on immediately to become a professor writing books in his office I had to become something else and how would my PhD influence this next version of me professionally and/or personally?Well I think at best I've muddled my way through how that PhD is influencing me as a professional. It has helped me better see the institution of school for what it is and how "it" operates through teachers like me. That said I have not been very compassionate to myself with regards to any of these new insights. This is certainly an area that I need to improve upon and sort of fits into how I want to break up what the year of Compassion means to me.For example, if I want to show more compassion at work how do I do that? How do I show compassion to myself while at work? How do I show compassion towards my students? Towards others I work with? One way I'm trying to show compassion towards myself is by using the Hi Future Self app. Sending myself positive and encouraging messages should over time help me come to terms with how the institution of school works through me. The work I do with my students and being more mindful and understanding of who they are and what they are capable of at any given moment should help me with regards to showing them compassion. Helping colleagues while being calm and kind to them should help with the people I work with. I could measure these things at the end of the day. Or... Just be mindful of it as I move through the day. The Breathe and Due apps could serve as momentary breaks to think about this. The other 3 categories I had for compassion (at home, while in the car, and in public) can be broken down in similar ways.For example, I have made an attempt at re-writing my dissertation into a book that teachers would like to read. I've done this writing from home so it makes sense that this action go into the show compassion "at home" category. Moving into 2019 I have made a commitment to get the book reviewed to see if it is worth taking to the next step which would include editing it to then be published. I want this to happen but need to be prepared to let it go and be compassionate to myself regardless of the outcome. There are other things I want to do "at home" as well like show my wife more love and kindness, read more, have a more diverse weekly workout routine. These things involve showing compassion to others as well as myself.In the car I want my thoughts to be more positive and kind. It takes energy to rage at other people driving. I don't want to be judgemental while driving either. It takes energy to judge the person standing at the corner asking for money.In public is where I think I show the most compassion so here it will be just a matter of being more mindful of my actions and words.