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Taking a break can be HARD. Especially when you love what you do. Whether it’s taking a sick day or a mental health day. A maternity leave or a sabbatical. Or committing to not bringing work home in the evenings or on the weekends. Taking a break sounds awesome. But it’s not always as easy as it sounds. I’m about to take a Big Break right now. And it’s one of the hardest things I’ve ever had to do. I’ve been experiencing a rollercoaster of mixed emotions. And it’s requiring me to manage my mind on a whole new level. If you’re feeling like you need a break, too… I’d encourage you to listen to your head and your heart. The only person you need permission from is yourself. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to master the art of taking a break from your schoolwork without feeling guilty. How to break free from a “Have To” mentality. How to consciously choose more of what you want in life by questioning your own thoughts and beliefs. Dear Loyal Listener, Please be sure to listen all the way to the end of this episode. I’m sharing a little love note with you… To let you know how much you’ve meant to me on this Chalk Full of Life journey… And where the journey may be taking us next. Always Cheering You On, Kelli

My husband and I have been through some HARD times. We’re talking rollercoaster moments, for sure. But over the last 16+ years, we’ve learned A LOT. Especially in the past few years. Here are 3 of the best lessons we’ve learned. RELATIONSHIP LESSON #1: We don’t make each other happy. What the other person says or does is never the source of our happiness. Our happiness comes directly from our individual thoughts. So… the more we manage our own minds, the happier we are. Individually. And together. RELATIONSHIP LESSON #2: We’re happiest when we let go of our expectations. When we consciously drop: — all the “he shoulds” and “she shoulds”… — and the desire for each other to learn mind reading techniques… We free up so much mental and emotional energy to truly enjoy each other’s company. RELATIONSHIP LESSON #3: Unconditional love is hard, but it’s worth it. We don’t HAVE to love each other. We CHOOSE to love each other. Not because the other person is following our individual unwritten, unspoken manuals for being the Perfect Spouse… But because focusing on LOVE is so much more fun. Regardless of what the other person says or does. When we decide that there are no conditions for our love… We simply get to love each other because that’s what we want to do. Is a great marriage (or any other kind of relationship) easy? Heck no. Especially when you’re so consumed with school that you feel like you have nothing left to give.  #beenthere #donethat But taking the time and energy to figure out how to have an amazing relationship is one of the most rewarding things you could ever do. In this episode, you’ll learn: The most common challenges of a teacher marriage when at least one spouse is a teacher (as seen from both sides of the relationship). The ultimate solution for the struggles you face in your marriage as a teacher. How your relationship can improve dramatically when you take full responsibility for your needs and consciously choose to love your partner unconditionally. Photo by freestocks.org on Unsplash

My oldest son likes to invent and design his own board games. I love seeing his 10 year old brain bursting at the seams with creativity and enthusiasm. And I think his love of board games is rubbing off on me… Because I had a MAJOR light bulb moment the other day about a board game. The Ultimate Board Game. It felt like an epiphany. So simple. But so powerful and true. This is what I realized. Life is like a board game. There are rules for how the game works. And so often, like outraged preschoolers, we want to complain about the rules. We don’t think the rules are fair. We have ideas about how the rules could be “better.” But when we get fixated on how much we don’t like the rules… We miss out on all the fun. We forget that we could have spent our time WINNING rather than complaining. If we could only let go of how we “wish things could be…” We’d find that the rules of the game actually allow us to win whenever we want. If we could actually embrace the Game of Life the way it’s meant to be played… We could get really excited about the fact that… We’re 100% in charge of whether we’re winning or losing All. The. Time. It doesn’t matter how anyone else moves their pawns. And it doesn’t even matter which cards you pick up along the way. Winning is available to you at every moment of every day. It doesn’t matter if you have a challenging class. It doesn’t matter if your spouse isn’t helping out at home. It doesn’t matter if your kids are whining. And it doesn’t matter how many papers you have to grade. YOU get to decide what winning means for you. No one else gets a vote. You get to be in charge of how you think and feel about EVERYTHING. And you get to create whatever results you want. I can’t think of a more amazing game to play than the Game of Life. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why my favorite new metaphor for your #teacherlife is to think of it like a board game. Why it doesn’t do any good to argue with the already established Rules of Life. How to make winning inevitable in your teacher life Every. Single. Day.

Which one matters more? … Professional Development? … Or Personal Development? Which would you say? Obviously, the goals of these two different types of PD are different. The goal of your teacher PD is to improve your efficacy in your work as a teacher… While the goal of Personal Development is to improve allll the areas of your life. So take a quick sec to reflect on this. Which one do you give more focus and attention right now? And… is that how you want it to be? I’m not asking in order to insinuate a “right” or “wrong” answer. I’m asking because awareness is the first step toward creating everything you want in your life. So I’d encourage you to take this opportunity to get clear right now. Are you spending more time improving your teaching career or improving your life? Personally, I love both options. And I believe they’re both entirely valid at different times in a teacher’s life. The question is… which one do you want or need the most right now? Do you clearly understand the difference between these two different options? And do you know how they can help you in very different ways? Maybe you’re not sure which one should get more attention right now… So I’d love to help you sort this out. If you’re feeling like you can’t “keep up” with the lightning fast changes in the world of education… Or you’re feeling inadequate compared to alllll the things you see other teachers doing… Or you’re wishing you had more time for other priorities in your life outside of school (without dropping the ball)… Personal Development is the place to focus. On the other hand… If you’re looking for a new strategy to use with your students or you’re working toward a new degree or certification, Professional Development is what you need. The problem is… Too many teachers are looking for Professional Development to give them personal results like: Feeling more confident as a teacher. Being more organized. Being an excellent manager of your time. Eliminating stress and overwhelm. Unfortunately, these areas aren’t being addressed in professional development opportunities for teachers today. If you want to continue to grow as a teacher AND love your life even more as time goes on, be sure to tune in for this episode. In this episode, you’ll learn: The biggest difference between Professional Development and Personal Development — and why this matters if you want to be less stressed and have more free time. Why Personal Development is where your focus needs to be if you want to feel more confident and relaxed, and have more time outside of school WITHOUT having to do more or prove yourself to anyone. Three steps you can take today to make the most of your Professional Development AND Personal Development so you can continue to grow as a teacher, but also love your life even more as time goes on. JOIN THE MOVEMENT DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

You know Bob Ross, right? The painter with the amazing hair and the put-you-to-sleep soothing voice. Yeah, I actually have a friend (and a husband) who both listen to his videos sometimes when they’re trying to fall asleep. True story. I mean, how can you not love this guy? I’m mesmerized by how effortlessly he paints. And I love his nonchalant take on imperfections. If you make a mistake in your painting… No problem! “It’s a happy accident!” Bob chuckles. According to him, it’s a perfect opportunity to make a cute little birdie in the sky. But what about mistakes in Real Life? Do we actually see our mistakes as happy little accidents? What if our mistakes are giving us results that we reeeally don’t want? And what if we’re making detrimental mistakes without even realizing it? Well, my intention here is definitely not to stress you out.But I’ve gotta tell you something. I see teachers making this ONE REALLY BIG MISTAKE All. The. Time. without knowing it. And the reason I want to point it out is because I want to help you avoid it. Because it is 100% avoidable. And it’s definitely worth avoiding because it’s the #1 cause for why you might take a lot of action to try to solve a problem, only to find that you didn’t get the result you wanted. Or you did get a great result at first, but it didn’t stick. Some examples of this would be… trying a new diet and getting some results, but ultimately giving up on it in the end. trying a new exercise routine and getting some results, but feeling like it’s too hard to keep it going. trying a pretty new planner to get organized and better at prioritizing your time, but finding that the planner didn’t really help you fix anything. trying to improve a relationship by saying or doing things differently, but ending up feeling like nothing much changed. If you’ve experienced any of those frustrations after trying so hard to make a change… I know the root cause of why it’s been such a struggle. But do you? Or have you been thinking the things you’ve struggled with changing will always continue to be a struggle? Well, the great news is… There’s a much better (and much more effective) way to make lasting changes in your life It’s’ 100% in your control. And it’s not complicated. In this episode, you’ll learn: The #1 biggest mistake teachers are making today without even realizing it, and how it has everything to do with your life at school, at home, and everywhere in between. Exactly how to avoid this #1 mistake if you want to live your best life in and out of the classroom. The powerful changes you’ll immediately start noticing in yourself when you’re no longer trapped by the #1 mistake. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

Are you ready for a sing-a-long? I think you know this one… It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeeear… With the kids filling in bubbles… And everyone telling you, “State testing is here!” It’s the most wonderful time of the yeeear! Or maybe we should replace the word “wonderful” with “stressful?”Not because it’s particularly stressful to hand out all the No. 2 pencils… And walk 79 laps around your classroom while the bubbles are being filled in… But because you’re left wondering if you’ve done enough. If your students are actually going to try their hardest. If they’re actually going to take their time and check their work. And if they’re actually going to remember all the things you’ve worked so hard on together this year. Now it’s just a waiting game. It’s out of your hands. And all there is left to do is just hope… Until it’s time to gear up for a brand new round of test anxiety next year. But is that really the only option you have? Do test scores and teacher evaluations have to cause you stress and turmoil? Is this just a part of what it means to be a teacher today? Does anxiety over all the numbers have to be the norm? Nope. I know I might be making some waves here… But this is what I truly believe. None of the scores have to cause you any emotional pain. You do NOT need to be stressed over your students’ scores or your teacher evaluation scores. The stress isn’t serving you. It’s not making you a better teacher. And it’s not making you a better parent, spouse, or friend. So why hang onto it? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your students’ state test scores (and your teacher evaluation scores) don’t ever need to stress you out again. How a simple shift in your thinking can make a world of difference in your approach to the mandatory testing and evaluations in your school district. The 3 steps you can start taking today to release yourself from the stress of all the scores that don’t have to define your worth as a teacher. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

If you listen to The Chalk Full Of Life podcast on the regular, you might find this as funny/enlightening as I do. At LEAST once a month… When I find myself in some sort of tailspin or end-of-the-world drama… My dear ‘ol hubby likes to tell me:“I know a really good podcast episode I think you should listen to.” And, of course, he’s referring to my OWN podcast. “Haha, you’re so funny,” I tell him. I love/hate it when he points me back to my own words because… He’s totally right. I need the same coaching that I give on the podcast. I think it’s so interesting that the help we give others is often the same help we need ourselves. It’s kind of like looking for your glasses when they’re right there on your face. On this week’s episode, I’m going to tell you about the #1 skill I bet you’re already teaching your students. That might not sound too exciting, but here’s why it really is. It also happens to be the most important skill you can use to make any change you want in your own life. But if you’re like me, you might need someone else to point out that amazing skill you’re always teaching… So you can use it to your own advantage. I’m telling you… there are HUGE advantages to gain from this one skill. Wanna have more time with your family on the weekend? Wanna leave school earlier each day? Wanna start a new exercise routine? Wanna get your papers graded faster? This ONE skill is the starting point for allll of those changes. In this episode, you’ll learn: The #1 skill you teach your students that you can use to make the most massive difference in your own life. How to shift from living a surface level life to achieving your fullest potential and reaching your highest fulfillment. How you’ll know you’ve been successful with using this skill to make positive changes in your life. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Check out Betsy Potash’s podcast, The Spark Creativity Teacher Podcast.

Do you ever wonder how your significant other would tell the story of your teacher life? Like, if your partner was on the Ellen Show and she asked what it’s like to be married to (or date) a teacher… What do you think your main squeeze would say? Well, I don’t think I ever fully pondered that question until this week. Why? Because I handed the mic over to my husband this week on the podcast! I told him he could share whatever he thought would be helpful for our Chalk Full of Lifers… So Brian decided to tell my story — from HIS perspective. He wanted you to hear what it was like to be married to me while I was in the classroom. And how nothing really changed when I left. How I carried my workaholism with me when I started working from home. How I didn’t change my poor eating or exercising habits. How I thought I was doing it all because “that’s just the way it had to be.” And because I thought it was what I had to do to help support our family financially. He’s seen me at my best and my worst. He was there during my full-blown panic attacks, my chronic exhaustion, and many years of ongoing anxiety. He’s also seen me go through a pretty radical metamorphosis over the past couple of years. In this week’s episode, you won’t get any specific “take action” steps. So what WILL you get? You’ll get to hear from a husband who knows what it’s like to be married to a teacher who always wanted to be great in the classroom AND great at home… But who seriously struggled in both areas. You’ll hear how he felt like he was constantly being pushed to the bottom of my priority list. How my stress put a real strain on our marriage. And you’ll find out what finally “clicked” for me to start making changes in my life, and what ripple effects of goodness that’s created for our family. But what I hope the most? I hope you’ll start believing that the changes I’ve made in my life are 100% available to you, too. In this episode, you’ll learn: What it was like to be the husband of a workaholic teacher. Why Brian believes that leaving the classroom WASN’T the answer to changing Kelli’s mindset, unhealthy behaviors, or give her any more free time with her family. How real, lasting changes ARE possible if you’re willing to do things differently than what you see most teachers doing… and why it’s so worth it for the sake of your family. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

Ok, I’ll admit it. I love me some Bachelor. (Even though it’s been a couple seasons since I’ve watched.) The drama gets me every time. Don’t get me wrong… I’m not a fan of drama in my owwwn life. But there’s this “I-just-can’t-turn-my-head-away-from-the-train-wreck” feeling that comes over me when it comes to watching reality tv. Know what I’m sayin? Drama’s fun when it’s on tv. Or in a movie. But Not-So-Much when it’s in your house. Or in your hallway at school. It’s exhausting. Can I get an amen? It feels like The Drama is following you everywhere you go when… Your toddler throws an epic fit about putting his jacket on. Your Little Miss Drama Queen stirs the pot of emotions in your classroom. Your coworkers turn the faculty room into Gossip Girl Central. But the truth of the matter? The Drama doesn’t have to affect you. At All. You get to be 100% in charge of your drama-meter. You can let everyone around you go crazy pants. While you stay cool as a cucumber. Are you sick of allll The Drama? I’ve got your back. Calmer waters are waiting for you, my friend. In this episode, you’ll learn: How to pinpoint the drama in your life that’s driving you bonkers – so you can get rid of it. The difference between drama vs. math in your teacher life. How to de-dramatize any challenge, frustration, conversation, or situation you encounter out of the blue (or that’s ongoing) in any area of your life. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

You don’t need a permission slip. But I’m going to give you one anyway. And more importantly… I’d like you to consider giving one to yourself. Why? Because… Teachers are really good at giving evvverything to evvveryone else. But how good are you at giving yourself what you really need? We get so caught up in going, going, going… Giving, giving, giving… And doing, doing, doing… That we keep thinking we need to Do MORE. And Be MORE. But I think what we reeeally need most often is to… Do LESS. When you do LESS, you free up your 2 most valuable resources: Time & Energy. And when you have more Time & Energy… You’re able to show up as the best version of yourself. Now, I know what you’re probably thinking. “That sounds great! I’d love to do less! I’m sooo exhausted, BUT…” And then you could go on to give me a gigantic list of reasons why you can’t do less because there’s so much you HAVE TO DO. I get it. I’ve been there. But I’d like to offer the thought that maybe the “have to” mentality isn’t serving you. What if it’s a sneaky little thought that sounds legit, but it’s actually a form of self-sabotage? (Remember last week’s episode?) So here’s what I’d like to recommend. If you love the “idea” of doing less, but you don’t see HOW it could possibly work for you… I’d like to invite you to consider some new thoughts. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why selfish is the new selfless when it comes to being a great teacher and showing up as your best for your family and friends. Why doing less actually allows you to be more in every area of your life – both in and out of school. How to make doing less a habit that will help you step into the best version of yourself. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

When I was a kid, I loved choreographing dance and rollerblade routines that my friends and I performed for sold-out (parental) audiences in my driveway. I also loved directing, performing in, and filming my own spin-offs of fairy tales. (Yeah, my mom has the embarrassing video footage to prove it.) One of my Academy Award Winning silliest performances was Little Red Riding Hood. We had my dog, Greta, play the part of the wolf. She was pretty convincing. I swear you couldn’t tell the difference between her and my grandma. (Just kidding, Grandma.) But seriously. Do you know what really IS convincing? We have these pretty little thoughts. Thoughts that SOUND really well-meaning, caring, and noble. But they often do us more harm than good. Thoughts like… “I just want everyone to be happy.” “These kids deserve better.” “I need to do better.” “I should ________.” “I shouldn’t ________.” Without us even realizing it, these pretty little thoughts can morph into poison. Like the wolf who LOOKS like Granny… Our pretty little thoughts might SOUND good at first… But when you peel back the top layer to see what’s really going on underneath… You might find that they’re NOT serving you at all. In fact, these thoughts might be holding you back from showing up as the the best version of yourself at school, at home, and in your personal life. They might be the reason why you feel frustrated all the time. Or the reason why you feel like you’re never doing enough. Or being enough. So let’s catch these pretty little thoughts before they can do any more damage. Let’s take a look at the thoughts that look innocent on the outside… But may actually be holding you hostage on the inside. If you wanna make sure you’re not unintentionally showing up as the wolf in your own thought life… You’ll wanna listen very carefully with a wide-open mind. In this episode, you’ll learn: What pretty little thoughts sound useful to us as teachers, but how they’re more like poison when you discover what they’re actually doing to you. How to distinguish between good-sounding thoughts that are actually serving you vs. the ones that are harming you. The 3 steps you can take right away if you discover you’ve been holding onto a thought that’s been doing you more harm than good. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Check out Jody Moore’s Podcast, Better Than Happy, which Kelli references in this episode.

Some days I roll out of bed, get dressed, and feel like a million bucks. Other days, I curse my skinny jeans for being too skinny. 👖 And I question whether it was them or me that changed size since the last load of laundry. 🤷‍♀️ Ever feel this way? #FrustrationStation Whether we’re frustrated with something going on at school, something at home, or something about ourselves… Our culture has a tendency to look at frustration as a negative thing. After all, frustration doesn’t feel good! 😖 So most of us try to rush our way out of frustration as fast as we can. We run to the Oreos. We binge the Netflix. We vent to whoever will listen. Bottom Line: We seek COMFORT. But then the frustration rears its ugly head again. And again. And again. #DejaVu So we keep trying to run away from it. Or we try to numb ourselves from the awful feeling. 🍦📺🍷 But what if there’s more to it? What if we’re missing something really good hidden underneath the frustration? What if we’re actually creating our own vicious spin cycles when we try to push it away? What if there’s a better way to get through the frustration faster? …And actually come out on the other side of it feeling like we’ve finally conquered it? (Rather than feeling like the frustration itself has some sort of power over us.) Let’s look at frustrations with fresh eyes. And uncover the truth behind what’s really going on. Whether you’re feeling frustrated at school, at home, with yourself (or all of the above)… I promise you’ll know exactly what to do with your frustration by the end of the episode. And fair warning: It might surprise you. In this episode, you’ll learn: Exactly how to move from frustration toward whatever you want most in your teacher life right now. The two types of discomfort you’ll experience when you’re frustrated (and how to know which one is helpful vs. which one is harmful.) How to consciously choose the type of discomfort that will help you realize your goals, dreams, and ambitions faster. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line.

We’re about to go waaay beyond lighthearted jokes about being #TeacherTired. Are you ready? This week’s episode is pretty heavy. And raw. It’s not the topic I planned to share with you. But when you have a light bulb lightning-bolt-striking-your-head-and-heart moment, you’ve gotta just go with it, you know? Let me cut straight to the chase. A few days ago, I was listening to a podcast (not CFOL!)… And I got one of those knock-the-wind-out-of-you feelings of conviction. It completely stopped me in my tracks (or rather… stopped me from continuing to put the laundry away. #busted). Here’s what happened. I heard just a few sentences that hit me like a ton of bricks… Because something dawned on me out of the blue: ⚡#1 ➡️I was being a complete jerkwad. That was ROUGH admitting to myself. But the convicting words I heard were exxxxactly what I needed to hear… Even though they felt like a dagger twisting through my heart. So I backed up, and listened again and again… And then an even bigger realization dawned on me: ⚡#2 ➡️There’s been a recurring pattern in my life that needs to end. Now. If you’re feeling #TeacherTired… To the extent that you’re fearing that you’re missing out on too much of what really matters in your life… I’m pretty sure we’re kindred spirits. And I’m positive this episode is for you. If you’re feeling like things are a bit out of whack in your life right now… Trust me. You’re not alone. In this episode, you’ll learn: My 3 most devastating moments from the past 5 years (that have everything to do with feeling like a failure in my personal #TeacherLife). How to receive the exact messages you need to hear and learn the exact lessons you need to learn in your own perfect timing. How to decide what your best next step should be when you experience a wake-up call moment that makes you realize you need to make a big change in your life. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

I totally bombed my first teaching job interview. And that was just the first of maaany more #TeacherFails to come. For starters… There was that time I showed up at the wrong building for an important meeting. 🏫 That time one of my students said I should be on an episode of “What Not To Wear.” 👗 That time my grade level partner told me I was “hard to work with.” 🙄 That time my car ran out of gas on the way to school, and I  had to walk the rest of the way in heels. 👠 And that time I discovered I put my underwear on inside out while I was in the bathroom. 😂 I mean… I could go on for days. And not just with silly failures. I could probably write an entire autobiography on all the ways I felt like a failure as a teacher. I wanted to be awesome in the classroom, but I felt like I was nevvver doing enough. If we could chat over a Starbucks latte, we’d probably be there for hours… But seriously. There. Are. So. Many. Ways. To. FAIL. As. A. Teacher. Or rather… FEEL like we’re failing… As teachers. As wives. As moms. As friends. You name it. Because as a teacher, you’ve got no less than 5,324 things on your plate at all times. There’s an abundance of ways to feel like you’re failing in your personal or professional life (or both!). And that’s what was always the hardest thing for me. Knowing that I had so much potential to be great at school AND at home… But feeling like I was constantly failing to reach my potential… everywhere. So if you’re feeling like you’re failing at something in your life right now, you’re not alone. And I’m here to tell you that even though I’m still a work in progress when it comes to this whole “failing thing”… I’ve learned soooo much over the past few years that has completely shifted the way I see failure and its purpose in my life. If you’re sick of feeling like you’re: — Failing at school — Failing at home — Failing in your relationships — Or failing to take better care of yourself … I’ve got some good news. You can Fail Forward toward anything you want in your teacher life. In fact, failure is the best path toward success. I have so much more on this topic to share with you. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your personal and professional successes will always be achieved through failure (and how you can speed up your your success by doubling down on your failures). How to look for the lessons inside each failure that make your success so much easier to achieve. How to tell the difference between your self-sabotaging failures and your successful failures, so you can avoid the negative thought patterns that will only slow you down. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

Do you remember your first interview for a teaching job? I remember mine… and it was AWFUL. I remember being stunned when I saw the huge boardroom table filled with about 15 administrators… all staring… at ME. And that’s about all I remember.   Because I think I went into shock. 😵 LOL. And then I started rambling off all sorts of nonsense as they continued to stare. Continued to fire questions at me. And continued to circle low numbers on their scoring sheets. So needless to say, it wasn’t a big surprise when they didn’t call back to offer me a job. I felt like a huuuge failure. I bombed it. And I sounded like a blubbering idiot. At least that’s how I saw it at the time. Now I can look back and see it very differently. (Yay for hindsight and new ways of thinking!) Now I’m seeing failure in a brand new light. And it feels sooo much better. I haven’t mastered it yet, but I’m on my way. I feel like I’m in the trenches learning a really hard new skill. But even though it’s hard… I know it’s going to be 1000% worth the effort. How do I know that? Because I know I’m the thinker of my own thoughts. And I know my thoughts are the direct cause of my feelings. The idea of failure used to make me feel lousy, incapable, and not good enough. But now failure feels more natural, comfortable, and purposeful. And on my best days, it’s even beginning to feel empowering… (And dare I say a tad bit exciting!) So here’s what I’d like you to think about. What’s one thing you feel like you’re failing at right now? Or something you’re afraid to fail at… so you’ve been avoiding it? Maybe it’s something at school. Maybe it’s something at home. Or maybe it has to do with your mental, emotional, or physical health. Whatever it is… How does it feel to you right now? Does it feel heavy or uncomfortable? Do you wish you could just get over it? Is it keeping you up at night? Or would you just rather not think about it? If you’re nodding your head… I want you to know it doesn’t have to be this way. I’d love to show you how you can turn it all around so you can forever change the way you think about failing, and rewire your brain for faster and easier success (no matter what goals you have as a teacher – at school, home, or in your personal life). In this episode, you’ll learn: Why you need to reframe what failure means to you – especially if you’re not getting what you want in a specific area of your teacher life right now. How to get unstuck if you’re feeling paralyzed by failure or a fear of failure. The first step you need to take in order to rewire your thoughts and feelings about failure – when it comes to anything you want to change at school, at home, or in your personal life. JOIN THE MOVEMENT TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

When you’re working toward new nutrition or exercise goals in your teacher life… Do you ever wish you could get a little turbo boost to get to the finish line? When that initial honeymoon phase wears off, things can get T O U G H. You keep trying to pack the healthy lunches. And you muster up all your willpower to turn on those exercise videos. But in the back of your head, you keep wondering… “Is this even working?” “Is all this effort really worth it?” “Can I keep this up?” “Do I even WANT to keep this up?” It feels like you’re moving forward at a snail’s pace. Some days you wonder if you’ve even moved a millimeter closer to your goal. And sometimes it feels like you’re stuck on a hamster wheel. You keep going, but you feel like you’re not really getting anywhere. And then you contemplate giving up. You question whether you’re asking too much of yourself. You’re exhausted. You have sooo many other things on your plate. Things to keep up with at home. And a boat to keep afloat at school. You want to feel better in your body… And you know you’re smart. (Heck! You’re a highly educated and highly motivated person.) So why is it soooo crazy difficult to figure out how to reach your personal health goals? Why haven’t you found a way to make a simple change in your life that doesn’t feel impossible? Or like some form of cruel and unusual punishment? Well, let’s face it. Our culture has done a pretty lousy job of teaching us how to actually set and achieve doable, healthy lifestyle goals. Everywhere we look for help, we’re told to… “Do this thing.” “Do that thing.” #BabySharkDooDoo… Do… Do… Do ALL the things! But this is completely backward. It’s why only 8% of people reach their goals each year. Because everyone’s always telling you all the ACTIONS you’re “supposed to” take. But here’s the truth. Beginning with action-taking doesn’t work. Real change begins WITHIN. It begins on the INSIDE – with your thoughts and feelings. But don’t just take my word for it. Pyschologists and neuroscientists have the data to back it up. Are you familiar with Brooke Castillo’s CTFAR Model? You know how Einstein developed the formula, E=mc2, to explain the correlation between energy and mass? Well, Brooke developed the formula, CTFAR, to explain how humans create their own results in life. In a coconut shell, here’s how the CTFAR Model works from beginning to end (top to bottom): Circumstance:  An observable fact. (Ex: You weigh 162 lbs.) Thought:  You create a meaning in your head about that fact. (Ex: “I’m so overweight!”) Feeling:  Your thought creates a feeling. (Ex: self-loathing, frustration, disgust, etc.) Actions:  Your feeling drives your actions. (Ex: Willpowering your way to losing weight.) Results:  Your actions create your results. (Ex: Your willpower runs out. You give up.) So do you see why most people are starting at the wrong place with their health goals? When you only focus on taking all kinds of new ACTIONS, it’s like you’re trying to hop into a marathon at mile 20, having skipped miles 1-19. You’re completely missing out on the pieces of your human nature that need to be addressed BEFORE you jump into action. You’ve gotta gain clarity on your Circumstances, and what’s going on INSIDE of you with your Thoughts and Feelings FIRST… When you work from the inside-out, you can take muuuuch better Actions that will actually stick and lead to long-term Results. If you’re like, “Whoah. This makes sense, but I don’t know where to begin…” Don’t worry, I’ve got you covered. In this episode, you’ll learn: The 6 key ingredients you need to have in place in order to make sure your nutrition & exercise goals actually STICK – so they can transform into long-term habits on autopilot. The 6 key ingredients you need to have in place in order to make sure your nutrition & exercise goals actually STICK so they can transform into long-term habits on autopilot. How to get your Survival Brain on board with the new changes you want in your life (because it IS going to put up a fight!). Real examples from my own life – so you can follow what works and avoid what doesn’t. JOIN the movement TRUTH: You don’t have to sacrifice your health or happiness to be a great teacher. DARE: Regret-proof your #teacherlife by doing things differently. (Re)discover the life you thought you signed up for. Say goodbye to the #teachertired and say hello to the very best version of yourself. A beta tribe of teacher wellness warriors is launching soon! Get all the tools, strategies, and support you need to reclaim your time, restore your happiness, and transform your mental, emotional, and physical health. Click here to be first in line. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

How do you feel about cold turkey? No, no, silly… not the kind you have for leftovers after the holidays. I mean going Cold Turkey on harmful habits. Like when I used to say, “Yeah. I’m gonna stop drinking soda every day in the new year.” And then *poof*… I thought if I just said it, I’d be able to instantly make it happen with sheer willpower. And what about “All or Nothing” ideals? I used to think, “If I’m gonna exercise, it’s gotta be for at leeeeast 30 minutes for it to make a difference. And since I can’t seem to find a spare 30 minutes anywhere in my life, I guess it’s pointless to even try right now.” Meanwhile, in the back of my head, I’d be like, “Maybe I’ll have the time when my kids go off to college in 15 years!” #kiddingnotkidding Is it just me? Or have you said things like this to yourself, too? Well, if there’s a twinkle of desire inside you to create some new nutrition and exercise habits this year, you’re in the right place. I have a very special guest that I’d like to introduce you to this week. His name is Brian Wise. And he’s not only my biggest encourager, supporter, and motivator… He’s my hubby! (And the behind-the-scenes audio editing genius who makes sure the podcast sounds sooo good each and every week.) Working in a high stress, mentally & emotionally challenging pediatric intensive care unit… (where life and death decisions are a part of the daily grind) Brian’s learned a thing or two about the challenges of prioritizing your health when you’re pouring so much of yourself into your career. Also, thanks to the many years that he’s lived with a super stressed teacher… (Eh hemmm… that would be me.) Brian totally gets how hard it can be for teachers to create and maintain healthy eating and exercising habits. So Brian and I put our heads together… And created our very first tag team Chalk Full of Life episode for you! From his medical expertise and personal experience, Brian’s sharing the most practical, doable strategies you can implement right away to improve your eating and exercise habits in 2019. And I’m chiming in with all the critical mindset stuff that will help you (finally) stay on track with your goals. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your busy teacher life isn’t an excuse for not being able to develop better eating and exercising habits. How to set nutrition and exercise goals that are actually doable (with a busy schedule) to experience lasting results and feel better in your body. Why “All or Nothing” and “Cold Turkey” mentalities don’t work when in comes to building new diet and exercise habits – and what you need to focus on instead. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

I have a gift for you today, my teacher friend! Wanna guess what it is?? I’ll give you a couple hints. Hint #1 — Marty McFly Hint #2 — Your Best Year Yet Give up?? Ok, ok! ** Cue the Confetti Drop. ** We’re going Back to the Future together… To reverse engineer your BEST year yet in 2019. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to rent the DeLorean. But I DO have something even better for you. Something that doesn’t require time travelling. It’s my 5-step process for setting the Right goals for your life in 2019… So you can actually, fiiinally reach them. For real. Whether you wanna lose 20 pounds. Work less. (Goodbye 55-hour teacher work weeks!) Reclaim more time for your family. Make more money. (Hello side gig!) Move into a new house. Or just take better care of yourself. Period. I usually only do this for my coaching clients. But I consider you a dear friend because you’re one of my podcast pals. So I wanted to make this workbook just for you. It’s phreee. (Yes, with a ph. It’s too cool for school.) And it goes along with Episode 047. It’s Part 2 of your fail-proof plan for Goal Getting in 2019 with the right inside-out strategies that will help you make this your best year yet. (Make sure you don’t miss Part 1 in Episode 046 – also with a workbook!) And don’t worry. You don’t have to figure it all out on your own. I’ll walk you through the whole process. So you’ll have more clarity + confidence about 2019 than you’ve ever had before. Or your money back. Waaaaaait. What? Oh that’s right… It’s my Happy New Year gift to you! Let’s rock this year like it’s nobody’s business. In this episode, you’ll learn: Why your thoughts and feelings are more important than the actions you take to reach your biggest teacher life goals. Why your Future Self is the wisest guru who always knows the best next steps to take in your life. My 5-step process for setting the Right goals for your life with results-driven action items that will ensure your inevitable success. >> Click Here to download your printable podcast companion workbooks: Download your free workbooks here (for a limited time). Click the button above to kick-start your goal getting this year! Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

Did you know that only 8% of people achieve their personal goals each year? These were the findings of a recent study by the University of Scranton. And Michael Scott may or may not have been one of the 8%. (Ok… I couldn’t help myself. I mean, you can’t NOT throw a little Dunder Mifflin humor into any mention of Scranton, PA.) But seriously… Why do 92% of people fail with their goals in life? Well, I haven’t conducted a scientific study on it. But after having taught 11 years in the classroom and having coached and trained hundreds of teacherpreneurs on how to set and achieve their goals… …I’ve observed some very real patterns for what makes both kids and adults fail. But more importantly… …What makes goal achievement not only possible, but INEVITABLE. So I’ve gotta ask. What are your hopes and dreams for 2019? What do you really wish you could accomplish? Do you wanna lose some weight? Start a new exercise routine? Spend more time with your family? Take a big vacation? Buy a new house? Make more money? You might be thinking that your dreams are impossible. Or that they’re too hard. Or that other people can do it, but for some reason you can’t. Well… If you wanna be in the 8%, you’ve gotta rewire those limiting beliefs. And you CAN. I’ve not only seen it happen for many of my friends, colleagues, students and clients… …But I’ve also done it myself. The biggest reason why most people don’t accomplish their goals is because they set themselves up for failure before they even get started. And they don’t even realize they’re shooting themselves in the foot. Wouldn’t it be great if you could skip over all the self-sabotage and follow a few proven (and simple) steps for achieving your biggest, boldest goals? In this episode, you’ll learn: Why results-driven goals and action plans can help you achieve everything you want in 2019, but resolutions will leave you empty-handed. The 3 things that hold most people back from achieving their goals (so you can avoid these pitfalls). The most important first step toward reaching a new goal in your life (that most people miss!). >> Click Here to download your printable podcast companion workbooks: Download your free workbooks here (for a limited time). Click the button above to kick-start your goal getting this year! Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together. Red Lion, Pennsylvania – New Year’s Eve – We raise a lion holding an 8 foot cigar.

Have you ever seen the episode of Seinfeld where Elaine finds out that the label maker she gave somebody got regifted to Jerry? It’s a classic. That episode, in all its glory, actually popularized the concept of “regifting.” And I’ve gotta admit that thoughts of regifting got popularized in my own teacher brain when I somehow managed to receive more mugs, bottles of lotion, and candles than one human could ever put to good use. While I definitely believe “it’s the thought that counts”… I secretly wished my students’ families would have just shared their kindness with me through a simple card (or a Starbucks gift card! heehee). Because there was always this little twinge of guilt whenever I’d donate #allthemugs to the faculty room… Or regift the lotions and candles to my grandmas. You feelin’ me? But this year I’ve decided to reinvent “regifting.” I’m spinning it in a whole new light. My new definition of regifting has nothing to do with extraneous presents you know you’ll never use. And it has everything to do with you giving the BEST gift you could evvvver give your students, your family, and your friends – regardless of what day it is. In this episode, you’ll learn: A surprising twist on the concept of regifting that’ll help you make this the most magical holiday season of all time. A new definition for what it means to be “gifted” and why YOU deserve to be in the Gifted Teachers’ Club. Two simple “take action challenges” that will amplify your gift giving – for free. Wanna join a community of teachers who are exploring what it means to live your best life in AND out of the classroom? Join our Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/chalk/ Or find the fun on Instagram: @chalkfulloflife Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together. Personality test: https://www.16personalities.com Closing song by Kelli’s husband, Brian. https://soundcloud.com/brianwise/o-come-all-ye-faithful-bwise Photo by Caley Dimmock on Unsplash