Appreciate Yourself, and Plan a Summer of Intention

Meredith Biesinger

Happy Teacher Appreciation Week! This week is all about you and all that you do for your students. Teachers are amazing, and it can often feel like a one-act show with several parts to play.

As you’re celebrating the school year winding down and all of the accomplishments of your students and colleague, don’t forget about you. We can easily focus on our students, work, and families and often put ourselves last. That’s really easy to do sometimes, isn’t it?

There’s a famous saying, “You can’t pour from an empty cup.” This is so true!

Over the next few weeks, take some quiet time and think about something you’d really like to do for yourself. My quiet time typically happens in the car (sometimes). Maybe your quiet time is after hours in your classroom, early in the morning at home, or on a walk on the weekend…whenever and wherever your quiet time occurs, use it with intention. Take some time to think about yourself.

Do you want to exercise more or have an overall health and fitness goal? Great! Write it down, and map it out for the summer.

Would you like to take a trip? Plan it. Everyone’s budget is different. You could take a week-long destination vacation or a day trip to a place you’ve always wanted to explore in your home state.

Do you have a passion that you’d like to turn into a side hustle? Go for it! Make a list of things to do or items you’ll need and put time and effort into accomplishing your dreams.

Maybe you’d like to have more time to yourself, or you’d like to spend time with friends or loved ones. Both are often hard to accomplish during a busy school year, so plan some time for yourself, or look up a fun event in your local area, text some friends, and go! Teacher Appreciation Week is one of the best weeks of the school year. Not because of gifts or food but because appreciation goes a long way! Take time to appreciate yourself and all you’ve done this year, and plan a summer of intention. You will never regret filling up your cup because it will pour great things into your own life and the lives of others