Shannon's Corner

  SHANNON’S CORNER Connect. Nurture. Grow. BELONGING.  What does belonging mean to you?  It was the focus of our Chai Chat with students in TCK Connect this month, and the conversation was powerful.  Here’s a little glimpse into what came up in my group. What are the places that you think about, when talking about belonging? My house. – boy student   America and where she is living in her host country. – girl student   Not sure. – girl student   What helps you feel like you belong in an environment or place?   My family’s support and my cat. – girl student   Routine, more specifically school routine. – boy student   Consistency and having an item that I’ve crocheted. – girl student   How do you engage or not engage with the culture you are living in?   My family and I participate in some of the cultural festivals, one is where you go from house to house and you eat and there are so many people that it is overwhel...

  We often hear the phrase  “live by your values,”  but many people quietly wonder:  “ How do I actually know what my core values are?”   Values aren’t chosen at random. They are discovered, clarified, and strengthened over time. They are the principles that shape your decisions, direct your energy, and define what matters most in how you live and lead.   Here are some meaningful ways to identify your core values: 1.       Values often reveal themselves in your emotional responses. Know what fills you and what drains you. 2.       Reflect on peak moments in your life. Think about times that you felt deeply fulfilled or proud. 3.       Strong uncomfortable emotions can be a compass too. Pay attention to what grieves you or makes you angry. 4.       Your choices reveal what matters to you. Look at your patterns of decision-making.  5.    ...

  Have you ever found yourself drifting—maybe in your career, your calling, or even your personal life? Not a dramatic detour, but the kind where one small decision at a time slowly pulls you away from where you intended to go. It’s subtle. It’s gradual. And sometimes, you don’t realize how far off-course you’ve gone until you look up.   Recently, I experienced a simple but profound lesson—while driving. My new car has a feature called  lane-keep assist.  If I drift too far left or right, the car senses it and gently nudges me back to center. It’s not jarring, but it is firm enough to remind me:  You’re drifting. Come back to your lane.   Wouldn’t it be helpful if life had something like that? In many ways, it does—our  core values . When we know what we stand for, what matters most, and how we are called to show up in the world, those values act like lane guides. They remind us when we’re drifting from: Who we are What we believe in What we’re uniquel...