“Each person we meet is our teacher and student”. -IPEC
This principle from my IPEC coaching training resonated this past week as I marveled at my son’s strength demonstrated every day during Airforce special operations training. He completed one of the most grueling challenges designed to test critical thinking skills, decision making, and the ability to calm the internal narrative that often paralyzes us with fear and doubt about our ability to be successful.
If you are a parent, think about the many times we teach our children, through our words and actions, what we value and what we believe. They are like sponges absorbing lessons throughout their lives, and we are one of many teachers. This conversation made me more aware of how the lessons are being translated, and that my son is teaching me something about resilience and perseverance.
Throughout the past 7 months, I have made a practice of asking what he is learning about himself. This time he shared that it was to trust himself. Trust that he would be able to apply what he learned in the classroom onto the field. Trust that he could push through the exhaustion from lack of sleep and limited food. Trust that he could overcome fear and doubt to successfully navigate the terrain and obstacles, sometimes in total darkness. He succeeded. He passed this part of the training and is now onto the next.
His journey has not been an easy one, however, I am reminded that all the experiences he has had up to this point in his young life have prepared him for this moment. He has learned how powerful our inner narrative is to fostering belief and trust that we have exactly what we need in any given moment.
I hope you take a moment to reflect on the strength you may have gained from your own life experiences and to trust that you have what you need to be successful. I also hope you regularly check in with your child about what they have learned about themselves as they grow and develop since there are endless opportunities to not just be a teacher, but also a student.