She said something those few weeks ago that has resonated in my head. The words were:
"I look for encouragement everywhere."This statement, I believe, is more profound than it looks on the surface. You should first understand that Ms. Rhee was (and still is) the target of brutal criticism by people all over the country for her unapologetic stance on putting students first... even if it meant firing a lot of teachers. Through all of this, Michelle stayed optimistic and kept her focus.
But how do you drown out all of those voices of criticism? How do you ignore the masses that are telling you that you're wrong when you know that you're right? I think Michelle is on to something.
We often sit back and listen to criticism that seems to flow like a river toward us when we're trying to make a difference. Encouraging voices are typically quieter and more difficult to hear. The solution: We need to LOOK for encouragement. If we sit back and wait for it to come to us, we may never hear it through the criticism. However, if we get out there and actively seek encouragement we'll be sure to find those quiet voices that are waiting to build us up. Those voices that speak truth. Those voices that tell us to keep going. Those voices that confirm our ideas and intentions.
If you're facing criticism, don't sit back and wait for encouragement to fall into your lap. Use Michelle Rhee's philosophy... get out there and look for it!
So, where are you going to look first?