Being Awesome to Yourself…

(c)DearTeacherLT2013 (You may use the image if you link back to the blog and/or give credit to Dear Teacher/Love Teacher)

Dear Teacher,

I am so sorry for neglecting you this week!  However, I don’t regret it.  No offense meant by that though.  I made a choice this week and I stand by it.

I made a consciousness effort this week to but all of my time and energy into two areas: the coming school year (with everything that accompanies that) and my family.  Unfortunately it was more of the former than the latter, but I did make an honest effort!  I really did.

In crunch time and where the rubber meets the road, we as teacher have make choices and an effort to follow through on said choices.  And it is not always easy.  We want to do so much.  We aim to take on the world…but, alas, we only have a finite amount of time and energy.  We can’t do it all.  We have to choose.

And it is hard.

We know what are students need.  We know what we would like for them to have.  We know what we need to plan and what it will take from us if we plan as excellently as we would like.  We strive to help other teachers, especially the newbies.  We want to help around the school,  assist the support staff, and support administration.  We also want to help with sports, after school programs, and fine arts performances.

This doesn’t even count our after school lives!

We have families.  We have things to go to and help with at our children’s or family’s schools.  We are there for our friends.  We have church.  We belong to clubs.  We have hobbies we a devoted to.  And the list could go on and on forever.

This is why we have to choose, and we do.

It is too bad that we often forget someone when we do.

Teacher,  don’t forget about you.

Now, I am not saying to let important things drop.  You know how to prioritize.  I am saying that we can never let the “needs of the many” stretch us out so far that we are unrecognizable to our friends and family!  You have to make some of your choices based on you and what is important to you being you.

You need “you” choices that let you de-stress.  You need to detox from the pressures of teaching, at least a little.  You need to find a way to relax and enjoy life a little.  You need to unwind because you know that you are bound to wind up to get wound up again!

You need to at least make one or two choices based on you each week…and do not feel bad about it.

This is why I do not regret neglecting you.  I made choices based on my world…not so much about me.  However, this weekend I am going to do something I have never done this weekend in my eight years of teaching.  I am making this. Choice based on me.

I am not going to school this weekend.  It is the last weekend before students come, and our administration let’s us come in and finish up in our classes.  I have gone in every year so far.  Not this year.  I am thinking about me, and I want to spend time with my family.  So I am.

Do I have stuff to get done?  Sure.  Do I think I may not do everything before students come on Wednesday?  You betcha.  Am I worried?  Not this year.  I know it will all come together.

I am choosing to focus on me.  I am banking on the idea that if I do that there will be more of me to give out to the students.  I am all-in on this bet.  I have a feeling it is a safe one.

What about you?  Are you spread too thin?  Are you neglecting you?  What is a choice that you can make to let there be more of you to give to you students?

You are awesome!  Don’t forget to remember you!  You ARE amazing and you ARE making a difference.  Keep on teaching and remembering yourself from time to time, Teacher!

Love, Teacher