What is it that keeps a high school student centered, focused, and pleasant? For that matter, what keeps any of us grounded? At a recent holiday gathering I was taken by the high school daughter of some friends. Taken by her involvement in school and co-curricular activities; taken by her academic achievements; and taken by the confidence with which she carried herself. Two words came to mind: GROUNDED and ROUNDED. Perhaps being “rounded”—diversity of activities and interests—has helped her to be “grounded.” Or maybe grounding brings about the rounding. Powerful and often illusive concepts.
Video recommendation for the week:
I asked some students what the recently-completed semester meant to them. Some of their responses suggest ways to move toward becoming grounded and rounded:
- Learn how to interact with different types of people.
- Classes will provide lessons that you think you know but realize you only have a basic knowledge of.
- Learn how to avoid letting obstacles stand in my way.
- In order to grow, my life must change.
- Listen to classmates around you.
- I pushed myself into succeeding in what I thought I could not.
- Remember the T-N-T Principle: Today-Not-Tomorrow.
- I learned that success does not have a name on it. It belongs to whoever wants it and gets it.
- To make it somewhere in life you have to start with you before you can start anywhere else.
- Find some new friends.
- Knowing that we all have choices.
- Remember the question, “What are you doing to get what you want?”
- Little things add up which can keep me from reaching bigger things.
- I always wake with this quote every morning: “Never, never, never, never, give up.”
- Set Huge Outrageous Goals (HOGs)!
- I came to the realization that no one is going to push you more than you. No one will want your dream as much as you and no one will live with the choices you make in life but you.
2011 brings with it the wonders and challenges like every previous year. Perhaps 2010 was a great year that you remember fondly. Or maybe it was one of those years that you just as soon forget. Whatever the case may be, I will leave you with a Carl Bard quote: “Though no one can go back and make a brand-new start, anyone can start from now and make a brand-new ending.”
Happy New Year!
© Steve Piscitelli and Steve Piscitelli’s Blog, 2010.
The Growth and Resilience Network® 
I would like to be like the young lady in the blog post. I would like to make good grades just like the young lady.
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What keeps a high school centered and pleasant of course there friends and intrest in school. If like something you’re not gonna want to pursue it.So I think this girl really loves school and for that I say ‘Good for Her!’. The intrest thing goes acroos the board for anything whether it be a job, craft, art, etc. So in conclusion I say ‘if you don’t like don’t pursue it’.
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I believe that being grounded and rounded also comes from how a person is raised and their environment. Family plays a big role in a person’s personality and what a his/her main focus is. Inevitalbly the final choices we make and goals we set are own and it is vital that we understand the importance of having balance.
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Environment is important; as is who we associate with.
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