A bad case of the doldrums hit my seventh-grade classes in February.
The expression comes from a maritime term describing that area in the ocean where the winds die for periods of time. In the doldrums, sailing ships could stand still for days waiting for a tradewind, which, at first, is a nice break. But after days of inaction, sailors’ spirits drooped as the doldrums took over.
The kids and I agreed we hardly felt like doing anything. We were treading water, waiting for winds to fill our sails. We had little effort to create our American Dreams, to reach for the stars.
In life, we cannot wait for tradewinds to pick up -- for others to make change. So we discussed what could be done about our doldrums.
One student suggested we “Just Do It” -- just by doing our work, the reward of completion would feel good. Knowing the task was done should help us through these difficult moments. Still, our doldrums didn’t break.
Then I remembered my high school principal always said, “Make It Happen.” We had to do more than push through our work. We had to make some fun again.
Kids suggested all kinds of fun like standing on our desks, listening to music, dancing around. By incorporating fun, our ships soon were sailing again.
When we create new breezes, our doldrums will subside. Discover how to find that breeze in life and you’ll always know how to navigate the doldrums.
I’m Elsa Andreasen Glover, and that’s my perspective.
