Cherry Represses Her World to Focus on Her Mentee’s Daily Struggles
I love meeting with my mentee every week. No matter what’s going on in my life, either at work or home, as soon as I start to prepare for our hour‑long meeting, I switch gears. I have to. She’s expecting my full attention. Even if I’m on a tight deadline for work, or worried about the news I’ve just received from a friend, on the ride over to where we meet, I try to let it go. Whatever is happening in my life I put on pause so that when I see her, she knows she has space to talk, to share, to ask questions and to work on some of the goals we’ve set for the year.
At the same time, she’s 18, and I’m human. There are times when she can tell I’m not all there. ‘What’s going on with you?’ she’ll ask. Sometimes, I feel I can tell her without pulling the attention towards me. I might use the moment as a teaching opportunity, or just to let her know that I can be holding other things while still honouring my commitment to her.
By taking myself out of my little world for just over an hour every week, I’m able to focus on somebody else’s. I use that time to listen, to really hear her, while the thoughts that are spinning in my head settle for a bit. Mentoring gives me a new perspective, an understanding of someone else’s daily struggles and an appreciation for this unique relationship we’ve built.
Thanks for reading, Cherry