December 2023 - Slowing Down

December 2023 - Slowing Down

December can feel like a month filled with contradictions.

There are extra celebrations to attend and preparations to be done, while simultaneously the colder weather and shorter days beckon us to slow down, stay in, and do less.

I have complete confidence that you will find a balance that suits you, and as such, I would like to offer a gauge by which you can assess this. When you’re making choices about what to do and where to expend your energy, notice any moments where you start to feel guilty. Here’s the unexpected part -- the guilt is GOOD.

If you’re feeling guilty about saying no or doing less, then you are following the path of prioritizing your own (very valid) needs, which I think is a very good thing.

November 2023 - Cultivating Gratitude

November 2023 - Cultivating Gratitude

Sometimes I have a hard time focusing on the good things in life when I feel so deeply affected by the problems and strife in the world (personally, nationally, and globally).

One practical strategy I’ve used for years is called “Three Good Things”. A gratitude practice from Shawn Achor’s The Happiness Advantage, it helps me get into the habit of looking for positives instead of the scanning for and dwelling on issues (as our minds are evolutionarily conditioned to do).

I find that spending a few minutes doing this, either in writing or with someone else, actually impacts my mood and comforts me. While the practice doesn’t change the circumstances, I find it buoys my spirits and helps me relate to life’s challenges more skillfully.

October 2023 - Self-Embodiment

October 2023 - Self-Embodiment

You know what is in your body’s best interest.

Whether it’s rest, hydration, movement or nutrition, we have the knowledge but often life gets in the way. We’re so busy, we forget to drink water. We’re so exhausted, we can’t imagine exercise. We’re so stressed, we can’t sleep. This problematic cycle often goes on until things become dire.

There is truth in the maxim, “If you do not make time for your wellness, you will be forced to make time for your illness.”

This isn’t about striving for some kind of fitness ideal. It is about honoring the one body you’re given and taking care of it so you can keep doing the valuable things you do in the world.

September 2023 - Self-Advocacy

September 2023 - Self-Advocacy

It seems to me that conversations around healthy boundaries and self-advocacy have become much more normalized than they once were.

We hear frequent reminders that "NO is a complete sentence" and that we should "put on our own oxygen mask first."

I feel grateful that this cultural shift is occurring, particularly at this time when being an educator is continuing to be more and more challenging. So here is yet another reminder that prioritizing your own health, energy, and needs is actually a selfless act that meaningfully benefits others.

Back to School Meditation for Teachers

Back to School Meditation for Teachers

It's that time of year again. 

For all who are getting ready to go back to school, (or are already back) I created a "very special" Back to School Meditation for Teachers.

August 2023 - Be Gentle With Yourself

August 2023 - Be Gentle With Yourself

Welcome to back-to-school season!

Hopefully you're feeling rested, refreshed, and ready for the new year. Often we return to work with what I call the "seductive optimism of the new school year," and I would like to invite you to balance this with the realism of how demanding being an educator can be. When you are tempted to sign up for extra responsibilities, ask yourself if you will have the same energy and enthusiasm eight weeks from now.

Remember to be gentle with yourself, know that transitions are hard, and cut yourself some slack if you can't "do it all."

June 2023 - Rest & Relaxation

June 2023 - Rest & Relaxation

When I think about June, I think of the promise of pleasure.

Time spent outdoors in beautiful weather. Enjoying the sights and smells of lushness as everything blooms and flourishes.

Having the spaciousness to slow down and RELAX.

This is the perfect time for deep rest and for nourishing yourself with the bounty of all that summer has to offer.

Let's enjoy it.

May 2023 - Letting Go

May 2023 - Letting Go

There is tired. There is teacher-tired.

And then there is May 2023 teacher-tired.

Knowing there is still work to be done, I would like to offer an invitation to lighten your load. What are some burdens you are metaphorically carrying right now? These may be your worries, disappointments, or regrets. Whatever form they take, can you set them down for a while?

You have enough to do between now and the end of the school year. Can you let them go and untether yourself from what may be weighing you down, either temporarily or even permanently?

April 2023 - Cultivating Self-Awareness

April 2023 - Cultivating Self-Awareness

It's about getting back into the driver's seat of your mind.

There are plenty of reasons to practice mindfulness meditation. But for me, there is one reason I keep coming back to the cushion.

My practice supports me in having more agency over where my mind goes and what my precious mental energy is expended on.

I'm not saying it is easy, or that it has turned me into a non-reactive mind-Jedi (if only). I am, however, better at noticing what's going on in my mind at any given moment and then guiding it in a direction that is more productive and less draining.

March 2023 - Befriending Your Inner Critic

March 2023 - Befriending Your Inner Critic

We are all familiar with that inner voice which can criticize, insult, and even bully us around.

As problematic as it is, consider for a moment that your inner critic sincerely thinks it is helping you. It believes it is protecting you and keeping you safe, however misguided that belief may be. See this part of your psyche as a child you love, but who needs you to be the adult and make the appropriate decisions.

Acknowledge this inner voice, let it know it's been heard, but that YOU know what's best and will choose to turn your attention and focus toward that. You may find that this calms the inner critic down and gives it the chance to take a break.