Being a Filler, not a Dipper

A few months ago, I made a post about my positive thinking epiphany. I also asked for any recommendations for books to read on this topic. My friend Lauryn suggested I read a book entitled How Full is Your Bucket? by Tom Rath and Donald Clifton. When I needed some airport reading on the way back from Orlando a little while ago, I decided to take it on. I started reading when we boarded the plane and was finished by the time we landed--it's no novel. However, the theories presented in the book have become a central part of what I've been thinking about lately.

The authors suggest that we all have a bucket to collect water (or positive thoughts). We all have the power to fill the buckets of others with positive interactions--and when we fill other people's buckets, ours are filled as well. At the same time, we have the power to be "dippers" and take from other people's buckets with negative interactions. Negative thoughts about others and ourselves also serve to empty our own buckets. It's quite the interesting model.

I've been really, really focusing on trying to be a bucket-filler. It has certainly been difficult at times to banish the negative thoughts that I sometimes have about others and myself, particularly during conflict. I will say that having made the commitment to create positive energy has transformed the ways I view certain people and interactions with them. Still a struggle, but I'm feeling better and better about my ability to fill buckets.

As we approach the school year, I will have more challenges in filling buckets. Stress has a way of wearing me down. Hopefully, I can continue to keep this model in mind.

In the end, this book is a quick read that can really transform how you think, if you latch onto the ideas presented. I would recommend it for anyone, as it is applicable in both personal and professional settings. If you're a teacher, be sure to purchase the Educator's Edition--it includes classroom resources. I'm also looking for more ways to integrate the bucket model into my classroom, so any suggestions would be appreciated!