Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast

You know you need better boundaries at school. You saved the Instagram posts with "10 ways to say no," practiced the scripts in front of the mirror, and promised yourself you wouldn't take on extra duties. Yet when the moment comes, your mind freezes, or worse, you actually say "no" and then spend the rest of the day drowning in teacher guilt.

In Part 3 of our 5-part Teacher Boundary Series, Kelsey gets vulnerable and shares a deeply personal story about a time when she literally could not get the words out to say no, and why no script in the world could have saved her. Discover how to navigate teacher anxiety, why scripts act like pressing the gas pedal while your underlying beliefs are slamming on the brakes, and how true teacher self care starts from the inside out.

📺 PREFER TO WATCH? Catch full video episodes, visual diagrams, and on-screen scripts on our YouTube channel!

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/wnAIhEixzCE

Click here to subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@educateandrejuvenate

🍎 GRAB THE BOOK & WORKBOOK: Get your copy of Educate & Rejuvenate: A 3-Step Guide to Revitalize Your Teaching, Renew Your Spirit, and Reignite Your Passion for Life: https://amzn.to/4d4ZxIa (As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you).

📱 GET THE APP & FREE MINI WELLNESS COURSE: Access our free mini wellness course for teachers directly inside the Educate & Rejuvenate App: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/

✨ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

• Kelsey’s embarrassing story of being completely unable to say "no" during postpartum anxiety
• Why knowing what to say isn't the same as having the inner capacity to say it
• The "Gas vs. Brake" metaphor: How underlying beliefs create friction against boundary scripts
• The difference between guilt ("I did something bad") and shame ("I am bad") when setting boundaries
• How setting true boundaries creates genuine connection instead of fake compliance
• How to stop overworking as a teacher so you can show up better for your students

⏱️ DETAILED EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - Knowing what to say vs. actually saying it (and the guilt afterward) 1:10 - Welcome to Educate & Rejuvenate & Masterclass Announcement 2:00 - Kelsey’s story: The committee request during postpartum anxiety 3:35 - Giving yourself grace: Why scripts can't overcome low capacity 4:30 - How hitting rock bottom led to life coaching and the thought model 5:25 - The viral "10 Ways to Say No" post & underlying teacher beliefs 6:25 - The Car Analogy: Boundary scripts (gas) vs. Underlying beliefs (brakes) 7:30 - How deeply rooted beliefs create friction and post-boundary guilt 8:55 - Brene Brown’s definition of guilt vs. shame in teaching 9:50 - Shifting from either/or thinking to "The And" (Belonging AND Capacity) 10:30 - Why well-rested teachers show up better for their students 11:00 - Resentful "Yeses" vs. Genuine Connection 12:30 - What's coming next in Part 4: A real teacher transformation story

💌 FREE RESOURCES & LINKS:

• Get the Teacher Brain Break Newsletter: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak
• Get the Educate & Rejuvenate App & Mini Course: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/
• Visit the Website: https://educateandrejuvenate.com

🚀 READY TO GO DEEPER? Don't miss Part 4 of this 5-part series, where we feature a real story from an Educate & Rejuvenate Club member who completely transformed her ability to hold boundaries at school! Make sure you're subscribed to the channel and on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter so you never miss an episode.

Your coworker walks into your classroom during your 30-minute prep period asking for "just a quick favor." You had planned to grade lessons, but before you can even check your to-do list, your brain starts frantically rearranging your entire schedule to help her.

If you find yourself constantly caught off guard by requests at school, you aren't alone! In Part 2 of our 5-part Teacher Boundary Series, we are tackling what to do in that exact split second when you feel the urgent pressure to say yes. Learn how creating space between stimulus and response supports teacher wellness, helps you set classroom management and boundaries, and allows you to make intentional choices without burning out.

📺 PREFER TO WATCH? Catch full video episodes, visual diagrams, and on-screen scripts on our YouTube channel!

Watch this episode on YouTube: https://youtu.be/svoJ56N8gzY

Click here to subscribe on YouTube: https://youtube.com/@educateandrejuvenate

🍎 GRAB THE BOOK & WORKBOOK: Get your copy of Educate & Rejuvenate: A 3-Step Guide to Revitalize Your Teaching, Renew Your Spirit, and Reignite Your Passion for Life: https://amzn.to/4d4ZxIa (As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you).

📱 GET THE APP & FREE MINI WELLNESS COURSE: Access our free mini wellness course for teachers directly inside the Educate & Rejuvenate App: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/

✨ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

• What to do in the split second when a request feels urgent
• How creating space between stimulus and response gives you back your power to choose
• 3 quick check-in questions to ask yourself before giving an answer
• 4 go-to phrases to buy yourself time and set clear boundaries with admin or coworkers
• How to stop overworking as a teacher by creating alignment before balance
• Practical teacher self care strategies for long-term burnout prevention

⏱️ DETAILED EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - The hallway ask: Why we drop everything to help coworkers 1:15 - Welcome to Educate & Rejuvenate & Episode Overview 2:00 - Quick recap: Maslow’s Hierarchy & love vs. belonging at school 3:00 - The regret and resentment that follows an automatic "Yes" 4:00 - Why balance requires alignment first 4:45 - Why requests always feel so urgent in the moment 6:00 - The Viktor Frankl principle: Finding the space between stimulus and response 7:30 - Step 1: Pausing, breathing, and labeling the urgency 8:20 - Step 2: Reminding yourself there is always a 3rd option 9:25 - 3 questions to check in on what you're agreeing to 10:20 - Making decisions ahead of time & Instagram script breakdown 11:00 - 4 go-to phrases to buy yourself time and set boundaries gracefully 12:30 - Building a long, sustainable teaching career without burning out 14:00 - You matter: Why taking care of your mental health helps your students 15:40 - What’s coming next in Part 3: Why scripts alone aren't enough

💌 FREE RESOURCES & LINKS:

• Get the Teacher Brain Break Newsletter: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak
• Get the Educate & Rejuvenate App & Mini Course: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/
• Visit the Website: https://educateandrejuvenate.com

🚀 READY TO GO DEEPER? Don't miss Part 3 of this 5-part series, where we untangle why boundary scripts don't always work and how to deal with heavy teacher guilt after saying "No"! Make sure you're subscribed to the channel and on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter so you never miss a new episode or masterclass announcement.

It's Friday afternoon at 4:00 PM, and your admin asks for "one quick volunteer" to lead Spirit Week. Silence fills the room—and before you even think about it, you hear your own voice say, "I can do it."

If you struggle with setting boundaries as a teacher, teacher people-pleasing, or constantly saying yes when you mean no, you are not alone! In Part 1 of our 5-part Teacher Boundary Series, we’re looking at what actually happens inside your "Teacher Brain" during those 3 seconds between being asked and volunteering—and why fear of not being a "team player" keeps educators trapped in teacher burnout.

WATCH THE EPISODE ON YOUTUBE: https://youtu.be/Uw5gQDdhglQ

We are prioritizing YouTube for the podcast moving forward. Be sure to watch & subscribe over there, as some live podcasts and bonus videos may not be available on audio.

🍎 GRAB THE BOOK & WORKBOOK: Get your copy of Educate & Rejuvenate: A 3-Step Guide to Revitalize Your Teaching, Renew Your Spirit, and Reignite Your Passion for Life: https://amzn.to/4d4ZxIa (As an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you).

📱 GET THE APP & FREE MINI WELLNESS COURSE: Access our free mini wellness course for teachers directly inside the Educate & Rejuvenate App: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/

✨ WHAT YOU'LL LEARN IN THIS EPISODE:

• What happens in the 3 seconds before you say "Yes" to extra school duties
• Why "Teacher Brain" predicts that saying "No" means you're not a "team player"
• The 4 types of teacher people-pleasing: The Automatic, The "Nobody Else Will", The Job Creep, and The Peacekeeper
• How Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs explains our deep desire for school belonging
• Why every "Yes" to extra school work is a hidden "No" to your family or personal time
• Why setting external boundaries still leaves teachers feeling guilty—and how to fix the internal pattern

⏱️ DETAILED EPISODE TIMESTAMPS: 0:00 - The awkward staff meeting volunteer moment 1:05 - Welcome to Educate & Rejuvenate & Episode Overview 1:40 - Hallway asks, covering preps, and automatic emails 2:25 - Understanding the Why behind teacher people-pleasing 3:15 - Welcome to Part 1 of our 5-Part Teacher Boundary Series! 4:05 - The Quiet Your Teacher Brain Masterclass & Email List 5:25 - What happens in the 3 seconds before you say "Yes" 6:10 - Fear of letting people down & wanting to be a "team player" 7:15 - Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs: Love, Belonging & Fitting In 8:05 - What does being a "team player" actually mean? 9:00 - The 4 Types of "Yes": Automatic, Nobody Else Will, Job Creep & Keep the Peace 9:55 - Why this matters: Regret, burnout & hidden sacrifices 10:45 - Why teachers feel guilty even when they do say "No" 11:20 - You don't have to say "No" to everything (Intentional vs. Fear-Based Yeses) 12:30 - Your 1-week action step: Notice your Teacher Brain in real-time 13:30 - What's coming next in Part 2 of this series!

💌 FREE RESOURCES & LINKS:

• Get the Teacher Brain Break Newsletter: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak
• Get the Educate & Rejuvenate App & Mini Course: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/
• Visit the Website: https://educateandrejuvenate.com

🚀 READY TO GO DEEPER? Don't miss Part 2 of this 5-part series, where we talk about what to do before you answer so your "Yes" actually means yes! Make sure you're subscribed to the channel and on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter so you never miss a new episode or masterclass announcement.

School ended hours ago, so why was your brain still there?

You're standing at the stove making dinner, and instead of hearing about everyone's day, you're replaying the comment your admin made in the hallway after lunch. You left the building at 3:30, but your Teacher Brain is still standing in that hallway, trying to figure out what you should have said.

To dive deeper, sign up for the next Quiet Your Teacher Brain masterclass: https://educateandrejuvenate.com/sp/live-masterclass/

Watch the full episode and leave your own story in the comments: https://www.youtube.com/live/Sd9PyJlywGQ

In this relaunch episode of the Educate & Rejuvenate Podcast, we talked about what happens when school follows you home, and why "just leave work at work" is so much harder than it sounds.

Teacher Brain comes home with you in more ways than the grading in your bag. It shows up in the conversation you keep replaying, the email you're still answering in your head, and the thing you said yes to when you really wanted to say no.

The same patterns that keep you overwhelmed at school are often the ones that make it hard to be present once you get home.

We talked about what Teacher Brain actually is, the good intentions usually sitting underneath it, and one of the patterns I see most often with the teachers I coach inside the Educate & Rejuvenate Club: boundaries.

This episode was recorded live, and the teachers who joined us shared their own stories in the comments, the last time they said yes at school when they wanted to say no. Their answers are helping shape the first new series on the relaunched podcast.

We also celebrated the podcast's return and gave you a first look at what's coming next.

Missed it live? You can still get in on the giveaway. Comment on this video or any Educate & Rejuvenate video before September 30 for a chance to win one of three signed copies of the book.

The podcast is officially back. Hit play, and if you like what you hear, subscribe so you don't miss what's next.

Title: What to Do When You Fall Off Track as a Teacher (No Shame Required)

Maybe you set a goal to leave school by a certain time, or to finally hold a boundary, or to do something that would help you live the life you actually want, inside and outside the classroom. Then a week or two later, you look up and you're completely off track. If that's you, there's nothing wrong with you. This is what happens when we're working against years of patterns, and it's more common than you think.

This is part 3 of a 3-part replay series pulled from the exact episodes that came out with my book two years ago, and they still hold up completely. We're covering the third and final step of the Inside-Out Teacher Framework: Align. Part 1 covered observing yourself, part 2 covered choosing your direction, and this episode is about what actually happens when you fall off track from what you chose, and how to get back on track without the guilt spiral.

WATCH the podcast episode here: https://youtu.be/m1uGVKn-9Nc

What Falling Off Track Actually Means (And Why It's Not a Failure)

If you've ever set an intentional schedule, a morning routine, or a boundary and then fallen right back into old habits, this episode is for you. You'll hear why the goal was never to do it perfectly, what "comeback rate" means and why it matters more than never falling off in the first place, and why community is one of the most overlooked parts of staying aligned with the life you want as a teacher.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

The difference between alignment and balance, why falling off track is a normal part of building new habits and not a sign you're doing something wrong, how to trade judgment for curiosity when you notice you've gotten off course, why owning your wins matters just as much as noticing where you slipped, the marble jar method for training your brain to keep going, and why finding the right community can make or break whether you actually stick with the changes you're trying to make.

New episodes of the podcast officially relaunched September 25th, and I'm hosting a masterclass at the end of October that goes even deeper into this framework. Get on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter so you don't miss either one.

Episode Timestamps

0:00 Why falling off track a week or two after setting a goal is so common

0:58 Podcast intro

1:05 Welcome to part 3, quick recap of observe and choose

2:00 What "observe" really means, a quick refresher

3:03 Fixating on what's outside our control vs. what we can actually observe

4:00 Leading from the inside out, and what's coming as new episodes launch

5:00 Why this is becoming a YouTube-first podcast

6:00 Comment for a chance to win a signed copy of the book

7:00 Coming off book launch week

8:00 Reader story: Hannah Guajardo, "clarity for my brain"

8:56 Endorsements from Gaspar Randazzo and Malia Hollowell

9:36 Reader story: Sarah Snyder, "my village"

10:00 Quick recap of observe and choose, then into align

11:07 Reading the book's "Align Yourself" section intro, the compass metaphor

11:47 Alignment vs. balance, and why this framework holds up as new tools get added

12:47 The tools that live under align: scheduling, routines, vision boards, boundaries

13:30 The habit tracker, ideal week, and urgent/important worksheets

14:03 Why you're not meant to do this perfectly, and the "comeback rate"

15:00 Trading judgment for curiosity when you notice you're off track

15:36 What increasing your comeback rate actually looks like

16:07 Why owning your wins matters (our brains default to the negativity bias)

16:47 The daily "three wins" worksheet

17:12 Giving yourself the same positive reinforcement you'd give a student

17:42 The marble jar method

18:26 Why community is chapter 11 of the book

18:50 The Harvard study on reference groups and success

19:26 "You're the average of the five people you spend the most time with"

19:56 The line between healthy community and people pleasing

20:36 Finding your own "village," with or without E&R

21:07 Trying the club free for a month with your book purchase

21:47 Why you can (and should) have more than one community

22:26 A quote from the book on community and comeback rate

23:16 Why leaving an Amazon review helps more teachers find the book

24:11 Wrapping up the 3-part series

24:41 The free daily notifications in the E&R app

25:11 The upcoming masterclass and where to find all the links

Links Mentioned in This Episode

Get the Teacher Brain Break newsletter: educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak

Grab my book, Educate & Rejuvenate (as an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you): https://amzn.to/4d4ZxIa

Get the Educate & Rejuvenate app: educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/

Visit the website: educateandrejuvenate.com

Part 1 of this series, Observe: [link]

Part 2 of this series, Choose: [link]

Ready to Go Deeper?

This wraps the 3-part series, but the Inside-Out Teacher Framework isn't going anywhere. New episodes officially relaunch September 25th, and the masterclass diving even deeper into all three steps is coming at the end of October. Join the newsletter so you don't miss either one.

If you're a teacher and someone asked you right now what you actually want, could you answer? Most teachers can't. You can tell me exactly what your students need, what your admin needs, what your own kids need. Ask what you want, and it's silence.

This is part 2 of a 3-part replay series pulled from the exact episodes that came out with my book two years ago, and they still hold up completely. We're covering the second step of the Inside-Out Teacher Framework: Choose. Once you've started observing your thoughts, feelings, and nervous system (that was part 1), this episode is about how to know what you actually want and use that to make real decisions, instead of letting everyone else's needs decide for you.

WATCH the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0N0UbkloQ

Why Teachers Struggle to Know What They Want (And What to Do About It)

If you're a people pleaser, this will probably sound familiar: you go looking for the answer to "what do I want" and come up blank, because you've spent years answering "what does everyone else need" instead. In this episode, you'll hear why that happens, why people pleasing shows up in almost every coaching conversation I have with teachers, and how to start figuring out what you actually want even when people pleasing has been your default for years.

What You'll Learn in This Episode

How to know what you actually want when people pleasing has made that question feel impossible to answer, the concept of "the manual" (the invisible rulebook we hold other people to, and hold ourselves to), why wanting love and belonging is the root of most people-pleasing habits, the difference between choosing consciously as a teacher versus running on autopilot, how to use your own senses and values to figure out what you want, why your brain fights to be right more than it wants you to be happy, and why goal-setting belongs in "Choose" and not "Align."

Episode Timestamps

0:00 Why teachers rarely stop to ask what they want

0:58 Podcast intro

1:05 Welcome back, part 2 of the coaching framework series

1:50 Signed book copies giveaway

3:03 The three steps: observe, choose, align (this week: choose)

4:00 Why to watch on YouTube, and how to enter the giveaway

5:00 The October masterclass

5:36 Get on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter

6:06 Today's episode starts: revisiting the book launch

7:00 Quick recap of step one, Observe

9:03 Observing your feelings

9:41 Observing your nervous system

10:11 What's actually in your control

11:07 How the book is structured, and the staircase visual

12:26 Reading the book's "Choose Your Direction" section intro

13:03 The Notebook scene: "what do YOU want?"

14:11 Why "I don't know" is such a common answer

14:55 Love and belonging as the root of people pleasing

15:47 Why people pleasing shows up everywhere, not just teaching

16:47 The concept of "the manual"

18:00 Tapping into your senses to figure out what you love

19:07 What are your top values?

19:56 Why did you decide to teach in the first place?

20:11 Example: switching up her homeschool curriculum

20:57 Example: what a week in Maui taught her about choosing direction

22:11 Chapter 7: the power of conscious thinking

22:40 Why your brain would rather be right than happy

23:30 The intentional thought model, plus bridge and ladder thoughts

24:03 Chapter 8: goal setting

24:37 Why we set goals, even though the goal itself isn't what makes us happy

25:36 Using the self-coaching model to build a goal backwards

27:00 Why goal-setting belongs in "Choose" and not "Align"

27:56 Recap of the episode

29:16 Why the book gives clarity even to longtime club members

30:53 What's coming in part 3, Align

Get the Teacher Brain Break newsletter: educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak

Grab my book, Educate & Rejuvenate (as an Amazon affiliate, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you): https://amzn.to/4d4ZxIa

Get the Educate & Rejuvenate app: educateandrejuvenate.com/app-access-directions/

Visit the website: educateandrejuvenate.com

Ready to Go Deeper?

If this episode resonated, part 3 picks up right where this one leaves off, covering how you actually follow through on what you choose instead of falling back into autopilot.

Teacher burnout isn't actually about teaching. Here's what it really is, and where to start.

This is part 1 of a 3-part replay series pulled from the exact episodes that came out with my book two years ago, and they still hold up completely. We're covering the first step of what I now call the Inside-Out Teacher Framework: Observe. Not observing like a principal walking in with a checklist, but observing like a student teacher who's just genuinely curious about what's going on.

In this episode, you'll learn why teacher burnout and overwhelm are rarely about the job itself, the difference between your thoughts and your feelings (and why most of us mix those up constantly), a Viktor Frankl story that reframes the space between what happens to you and how you respond, and why your nervous system might be running the whole show without you realizing it. If you've been searching for teacher self care ideas or ways to deal with overwhelm as an educator, this is where to actually start.

New episodes of the podcast officially relaunch September 25th, and I'm hosting a masterclass at the end of October that goes even deeper into this framework.

WATCH the episode here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LB0N0UbkloQ

⏱️ Timestamps

0:00 Why teacher burnout usually isn't about teaching

0:58 Podcast intro

1:05 Why we're replaying these episodes now

2:00 The 3-part series and the September 25th relaunch

3:10 Get on the Teacher Brain Break newsletter

4:15 The book, the framework, and how it came together

7:00 Why the framework came down to three simple steps

9:15 Step 1: What it means to observe yourself

11:00 The "principal vs. student teacher" way to self-observe

13:00 Why observing yourself matters so much

14:00 You're not trying to fix anything yet

15:45 The Instagram poll on teacher burnout

17:30 What's actually driving teacher burnout

19:00 The 3 things to observe: thoughts, feelings, nervous system

20:00 Thoughts vs. feelings (and why we mix them up)

21:00 The Viktor Frankl story on choosing your response

22:00 Cognitive distortions to watch for

23:45 Why you can't just bury your feelings

25:45 Your nervous system and the fight, flight, freeze, fawn response

28:00 The safety check flowchart for regulating yourself

29:45 Self compassion and why change takes time

31:00 What's coming in part 2: Choose

🔗 Links

Get on the Teacher Brain Break list: educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak

Grab the book this episode is based on: educateandrejuvenate.com/book

Next in this series: Part 2, Choose

If you're a teacher dealing with burnout, overwhelm, or feeling like you're always putting everyone else first, this one's for you. Subscribe so you catch part 2 and 3, plus all the brand new episodes starting September 25th.

Have you ever caught yourself calling a student lazy, unmotivated, or "the bad kid" even just in your head?

In this episode from the archives, Kelsey walks you through where that label really comes from and what to do instead. Using the thought model (one tool inside the Inside Out Teacher Framework), she breaks down how our beliefs about a student's behavior, not the behavior itself, shape the way we show up in the classroom. You'll learn why "they're lazy" is almost never the real story, and how getting curious instead of frustrated can completely change your relationship with the students who challenge you most. If you've ever felt guilty for thinking a student just doesn't care, this one's for you.

Want more Educate & Rejuvenate delivered to your email inbox each week? Sign up for our emails at educateandrejuvenate.com/teacherbrainbreak

What happens when you’re teaching full time, raising kids, caring for aging parents, and trying to keep approximately a million other plates spinning? In this episode, Kelsey is joined by Joe Vitale and Jamie Wanko, hosts of The Balancing Act Podcast, for a funny, honest conversation about what it really looks like to admit: you don’t have to do it all.

Recorded live at Summer Refresh, this conversation gets into the “sandwich generation” of teaching, parenting, and caregiving, why your Teacher Brain follows you home, and how to intentionally let go of things that no longer serve you. Joe and Jamie share practical strategies they’re using in their own lives, from deciding things ahead of time and habit stacking to Jamie’s brilliant “Dear September Jamie” email and the simple family rule of “notice and do.”

You’ll also hear how small transition rituals can help you shift out of teacher mode and actually be present at home, why self-care doesn’t have to look like someone else’s version of self-care, and what pickleball injuries, pointing memes, and one truly unforgettable Zoom mishap have to do with any of it.

If you’ve been feeling pulled in every direction this back-to-school season, this episode will make you laugh, help you feel a little less alone, and remind you that sometimes creating more balance isn’t about figuring out how to carry everything. It’s deciding what you can finally put down.

What if you could lighten your load this school year without hiring a personal assistant?

In this episode, Kelsey shares practical ways to delegate more, from collaborating with your teaching team and creating better systems at home to using done-for-you resources, technology, and AI. You’ll rethink what delegation actually means and discover ways to free up your time and brain space without trying to do everything yourself.

Your challenge: What’s ONE thing you could delegate this school year?