What E'ver Thou Art, Act Well Thy Part

Okay, I've had an epiphany.  A really, really good one.

It relates to stress, and feelings of anxiety, and just coping with life.

And it all came from this quote:

Word on the street is it came from Shakespeare.  I'm sure it's had a thousand interpretations from it, but the one that came to me recently has been really profound to me.

I've already talked about my feelings regarding morning standby.  Not so happy.  Lots of stress and feelings of anxiety, as I wait to be thrust into the unknown.  Surrounded by lots of children, usually elementary school aged.

I've had some training on this kind of stuff, but not nearly enough to make me feel comfortable or like I know what I'm doing.  I basically just try to survive the day, without losing face.

So as I was preparing for yet another morning standby a few weeks ago, I recalled the above quote from a recent evening church meeting I had been to.  “What e’er thou art, act well thy part.” 

My first question as I pondered how I could apply this advice was “What is my part?”  Not necessarily what part I felt I was expected to play, but the part I could play.  What I am.  It says “What e’er thou art,” so, what am I? “Well,” I answered, “I’m a junior high school 'hakken' (team-teaching) assistant language teacher, with very little elementary school teaching experience, who has to substitute at very short notice for 'gyomu-itaku' (you're THE teacher) ALTs.”  Essentially I identified my limitations, among my abilities and strengths.  I recognised it’s okay to not be perfect or give a flawed performance.  This realisation was rather liberating.

So, instead of feeling like I had to be an amazing gyomu-itaku elementary school teacher on these assignments, and thus feeling an immense amount of pressure and stress, I decided that it didn’t matter if I was just a substitute-junior-high-school-hakken-ALT-with-very-little-elementary-school-teaching-experience.  But I determined that I would be the best substitute-junior-high-school-hakken-ALT-with-very-little-elementary-school-teaching-experience that I could be!  I would act well my part – the part that I can play.

The next morning I went to the office (very) early feeling a little more calm than usual.  In accordance with my own psychic predictions, I was the first ALT sent out.  To a gyomu-itaku elementary school.  I still wanted to cry as I took the pile of papers handed me and headed out the door, but as I traveled to my assignment I noticed that this time feeling of anxiety was gone.  No rapid breathing or shortness of breath.  Because I knew that even if I did fail due to my limitations, it would be okay.  Because I would have acted well my part.

Can this principle apply to you?  Is there something in your life that’s stressing you out, because you don’t feel quite adequate?  What are your limitations?  Perhaps you simply can’t get the grocery shopping done in 15 mins like some people, because you’re a mother with young children who slow things down a lot.  Perhaps you’re dealing with depression and find it hard enough to get out of bed, let alone achieve the many things on your to-do list. Heck, maybe you’re missing a limb!  What ever your limitations may be, just accept them for now.  Define who you are, and what your part is.  And then play that part the best you can. 

What e’er thou art, act well thy part.