Guest Blogger: Miss Douglas County
When they say that April showers bring May flowers, I think it holds pretty true! Everything is truly blooming here in Omaha, Nebraska and I can’t help but compare that to a healthy mentoring relationship! When we are pouring into our mentees, supporting them, and helping them through whatever they are going through, we are helping them bloom! As a mentor, we should always aim to be better and aim to be the best mentor we can be.
But as mentors, how can we know and ensure that our mentoring relationships are blooming and blossoming? How can we support ourselves and learn to be this best version of ourselves?
Recently, MENTOR released an amazing, FREE resource for mentors called ‘Becoming a Better Mentor.’ It’s pretty fantastic! And yes, it’s available to you!
Discover the 'Becoming a Better Mentor' ResourceWhat I love most about this resource, is that it’s formatted for all learning styles and can be easily digestible. Easy-to-consume resources like these are hard to find but SO helpful for us mentors because it can almost be used as a personal check-in. I can for sure tell you there are times where I question if I am doing something right, or if I could be doing something better and reading through these sections provided me with immense encouragement! They also gave me some ideas to chew on, and concepts to be thinking about the next time I see my mentee.
The two sections that I’ve been chewing on recently are chapters 3 and 10. Chapter 3 is all about making room for fun and play, and chapter 10 is focused on goal setting. As I mentor a 13 year old, these two chapters are incredibly prevalent!
It is often the case that when people tell you why they are hesitant to become a mentor, it’s because they feel inadequate or that they don’t have something to offer. They will also tell you it’s because they worry they won’t do a good job and that they aren’t sure what to do. One of the quotes from the text says, “You know you can make a big difference in your mentee’s life if you do it right. So, you take your mentoring seriously!” Which is good.
The beautiful thing is that just being there is a HUGE piece of the puzzle. Relearning how to find child-like joy can take your mentoring relationship to the next level! Making time for play can often be just what that young person needs, as many other aspects of their life could be stressful, strenuous and void of ‘play.’ I encourage all mentors to lean into these fun, joyful experiences. Don’t feel like you always have to have serious, intense conversations. Our job as mentors is not to fix our mentee. It’s to come alongside them and help them succeed! Having these fun, carefree times together are just as crucial and can result in some of the most beautiful launch pads for the emotional growth of our mentees!
One of my favorite pieces of advice I’ve ever received is to be a filter not a sponge, so I encourage you to read and utilize this resource in a way that works best for your mentoring relationship and what it needs! There is so much goodness here, and I know you will find something that really resonates with you.
These resources are vital to supporting mentoring relationships and encouraging others to become mentors. So spread the word!
As we take a brief blog pause for the months of June and July, use this time to dig into the ‘Becoming a Better Mentor’ resource today! We will be back in August with an EXCITING interview that you won’t want to miss!
Happy learning and have a great summer!
Raechel Warren
Miss Douglas County 2024
