This is a repost from last year. My rationale for sharing it again is two-fold: It's really hard to overdo kindness, but it doesn't hurt to try! Also, I need more time to finish thinking through next week's post on "Trust." In that spirit, I hope you - and, far more importantly, others - will find encouragement on the other end of this message. The postscript offer is still good, too. Let me know if you complete all three kindness challenges.

This is a guest post by Dr. Chena Cayton, Principal of South Central High School in Pitt County Schools, NC. South Central is in its second year of implementing Capturing Kids' Hearts and was recently nominated as a CKH National Showcase School after earning Rising Star designation in its first year. This post was originally published in EdNC.

Great leaders constantly pursue the practices of greatness so that, in those critical moments, they stand the best chance of experiencing success.

Leaders must be well-versed in the "heart" of forgiveness.

Greatness begins by aiming at what truly matters.

A genuine leader is not a searcher of consensus, but a molder of consensus.

May we carry hope forward with purpose and with deep, abiding trust, not just that things can get better, but that we can make them better.

If you're anything like me, you've already failed, too.

As you push through The Final Stretch, remember that you’re having a continuous impact on everyone around you. If you weren’t, you wouldn’t be a leader.

In these final weeks, focus on controlling the controllables. That’s how you finish strong.