“A teacher must be CELEBRATED and HONOURED in everything they are and in everything they bring, EACH AND EVERY DAY! Equal to this, they must be given ALL the tools of how to do this for THEMSELVES, that is, to truly celebrate and honour all that they are and all that they bring to our lives.” [Michael Benhayon, Director, Teachers are Gold! Project] 

I recently had an amazing conversation with Michael Benhayon – founder of the Teachers are Gold Project – about how I had been feeling at school and teaching; stressed, overwhelmed, and frustrated with the education system and all the ‘extra’ work I had to do. Only two weeks into school term I was becoming a teacher I didn’t want to be, exhausted and looking forward to the end of the week so I could come home and rest.

Something inside me strongly knew this way of living and being was not true – I missed my joy and playfulness. I knew there was another way to be and live, one that was much more supportive, loving and caring for myself and everyone else.

What came from our discussion was the fact that I was actually RESENTING everything I had to do on top of teaching and being there for the kids and all others as well – I was seeing it all as hard, as a burden and it made so much sense – I had been living, walking and expressing in a way that resented everything I ‘had to do’.

This resentment at times was obvious and big, like the school curriculum, attainment, grades and the education system not being what I know to be true, that education is about love and people first and the fact that everything was made much more complicated than it needed to be. At others times it was the little things like meetings, targets, paperwork and even things not being where they should be… and I wondered why I was so drained and exhausted at the end of each day, never mind feeling like I was going to collapse at the end of the week.

But then I realised that it wasn’t just in school I was resenting the things I had to do, I was resenting most of life too; the drive to school and back, no time for the gym, having to make tea, food shopping, making my bed, going for a walk, even having a shower or a bath, how I will ‘fit ‘ everything in, looking for a new car, spending quality time with my partner and my family… how must that have felt for them?! I even resented just being with me.

But what really made me stop – it was like a light going on – was what Michael and I discussed next; that EVERYTHING, yes EVERYTHING, is an expression of me! I had been making it about DOING and DOING and not EXPRESSING. I had been focussing on expression as only in the way we speak or write and when you think about it, this is what we are taught to believe, but not the fact that EXPRESSION IS ABSOLUTELY EVERYTHING!

For example:

• How I get up in the morning.
• How I dress, not only in what I feel to wear, but the way in which I lay out my clothes and put them on.
• How I choose to cook and what I feel to prepare each time.
• The way and quality in which I move, how I sit, I stand, walk and dance.
• How I pick up and lay down pupils’ work.
• How I address and speak to a class.
• How I open my car door, how I drive to work.
• The thoughts I choose to have.
• Wearing lipstick, the way I do my hair.
• How I type, file my paperwork, go to a meeting, write an email, press the keys, plan a lesson and teach.

These are all expressions of me, not one more or one less important – THEY ARE ALL EQUALLY AN EXPRESSION OF ME.

So with this amazing support from Michael Benhayon and the incredibly inspirational Teachers are Gold project which supports all teachers and educational facilitators, coupled with these amazing realisations, I had the most incredible day. Why?…. because I felt like me! I did my morning walk feeling a natural spring in my step, with my playfulness, light and joy. I dressed expressing me, I knew exactly what I felt to wear, even though my mind kept trying to cut in with “no, those boots won’t look right”, and boy did I look and feel amazing because I dressed expressing the beautiful and powerful woman I am. I drove to work full of joy because I felt me, so full of love for the world and humanity and looking forward to teaching and the school day.

Yes, there were little moments where I had a blip, but they weren’t a big deal because the power and amazingness I felt was way too big to let the little issues get to me. Yes, I still had to raise my voice to the kids, but this didn’t make me feel anything like before; there was a lightness, playfulness and joy in each class but at the same time true boundaries, and I didn’t run out the door at the end of the day. I joyfully and lovingly took time to set up the space and classroom for Monday. I drove home from school feeling amazing, not tired and tense, and even had more than enough energy to go to the gym when the week before I had just made it home to bed. And to top it all off I woke naturally the next day, hours earlier than I have in a long time and wrote this blog.

So I have come to realise, know and understand that EXPRESSION IS EVERYTHING. It’s not just about what we say and write, but in every little moment, be it writing a blog, cooking tea or teaching a class, it is all an expression of me. How could I ever get bored, resentful or complaining when each moment is an amazing opportunity to express how I feel and who I truly am. I know for one, by choosing to continue and commit to living this way, there will be less room for resentment, exhaustion or frustration that have been a part of my life – leaving more and more space for the absolute joy and the love I feel for humanity.

With love and appreciation of Universal Medicine and Serge Benhayon for inspiring and presenting the fact that “Expression is Everything”, and to Michael Benhayon for the initiation of the “Teachers Are Gold” project which appreciates and supports all teachers across the globe, and which continues to inspire me to express in everything I do.

By Anonymous, Scotland