With the ongoing recession, growing unemployment and an uncertain economic future for New York and the nation, it may seem like there is precious little to celebrate.

Nevertheless, it is still possible to have a fulfilling year, whatever your job. To prove it, we contacted a number of your NYSUT colleagues during the summer and asked them to share with us how they plan to have the best year ever.

Here are some of their responses:

• "There is a wonderful anecdote about a reporter who interviewed an Olympic women's crew team. The reporter kept asking about how the team handled bad starts, waves, wind, etc. For every question, they answered, 'We don't worry about that. That is outside our boat. We concentrate on what happens in our boat.'

That really resonates with me.

I try to focus on the things I can control and let go of those things I can't control.

Doreen Miori-Merola
ELA teacher and content specialist
Vice President of Solvay Teachers Association

• "Take full advantage of any professional development opportunities that come your way.

The knowledge gained will make you more effective in your current position and more marketable for future career opportunities. Above all, professional development is uplifting — it provides energy to move forward in all that one does."

John Delate
SUNY Purchase

• "I plan to have the best year ever by remembering to smile at every student when I meet them at the door every day. It only takes a second, researchers say it creates a more conducive learning environment, former students tell me that I made them feel welcome, and it always lifts my mood."

Marguerite Izzo
2007 NYS Teacher of the Year

• "Stay positive! Find people at work who have positive attitudes — they're there! Steer clear of those who are always negative. Being a 'glass half full' kind of person will give you the Best Year Ever."

Cindy Pauldine
Oswego Classroom TA

• "I keep a collection of meditation books handy. I try to start the day with a short reading and on difficult days refer to it throughout the day. I also keep a reflective journal.

I try to write key phrases or expressions that help me capture the good, bad and ugly of my day or week."

Maria Neira
NYSUT vice president

• "For every critical call to a parent or guardian, make a positive call to another family. Always making negative calls can wear you down."

Mark Kaercher
Shaker HS
North Colonie

• "Challenge yourself to try something new. Ignite your passion for teaching by becoming a student again."

Christine Blake-Jeremias
4th-grade teacher
Oceanside School District

• "Be committed to excellence; be your word; make a difference; look for good in everyone; take a stand for your union.

Clare Andersen
school secretary
Somers School-Related Personnel

"I plan to have the best year ever by taking one day at a time. I will not look back and will realize that the future is controlled by a power greater than me."

Margaret Perry,
teaching assistant
South Colonie

• "As a respiratory therapist and educator, I would say stop smoking and the air will clear so you can realize your best year ever."

Lorie Phillips,
Mohawk Valley Community College

• "If in our personal interactions we leave part of ourselves, this year I will ask myself each day: "What do I want to leave with each person — something positive and selfless or something negative and selfish?"

Paul Wolski
vice president Herricks TA
beginning his 44th year of teaching

• "I try to challenge myself every day in some small way — move a little bit out of my comfort zone. I call it mental stretching exercises. It helps me to keep an open mind about all the (crazy) situations you face daily."

Sheila Harte-Dmitriev
president Clymer EA

• "Learn to tolerate ambiguity. Don't try to make everything black and white. Leave yourself room for adjustments."

Lynda Deluca
Endicott TA

• Become a member of your learning community. Share something with another teacher, team, school or district that has worked for you or impacted students."

Annette Romano
Niskayuna TA
National Board Program Coordinator for the Greater Capital Region Teacher Center

• "I plan to ignore the problems and focus on what is going right. We have a brand-new school, which will make this year so much easier and better than last year, so if I lose perspective I will remember that I am already in a better place. "

Lisa Alonzi
Hudson City Schools

• "To stay motivated for the coming year, I like to make a list of some of my accomplishments from the previous year. This helps to outweigh the things that may not have worked out so well."

Pam Birnbach
Shaker High School guidance counselor

NYSUT can help

Your statewide union offers a number of resources designed to help you have the best year ever.

Here are a few:

• The Education & Learning Trust – NYSUT's primary vehicle for delivering professional development to members. Look over the fall course catalog in this issue of New York Teacher. Call the trust at 800-528-6208 or ELTmail@nysutmail.org.

• Member Benefits Trust – Would a good deal on a Dell laptop help you have a better year? How about the peace of mind that comes from knowing that your insurance needs are covered? For these and other helpful programs and services, visit http://www.memberbenefits.nysut.org/ or call 800-626-8101.

• Certification, licensing – At www.nysut.org/cps/rde/xchg/nysut/hs.xsl/certification.htm you can get the facts on certification and link to help on certification issues.

• NYSUT Social Services has extensive referral resources you can tap into. Staff members provide supportive phone consultation and work with agencies and providers in your community to provide the services you need. Call (800) 342-9810, Ext. 6206, or e-mail socsvcs@nysutmail.org

• Employee Assistance Programs – Some districts offer an EAP to help employees deal confidentially with personal problems that could affect their work performance, health and well-being. Not sure your employer has an EAP? Check with NYSUT Social Services, which maintains a list of known EAPs serving various locals.