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A single question changed the way we lead: what do we know now that we wish we knew then? From the emotional roller coaster of a school year to the small habits that keep us grounded, we unpack practical moves that help educators stay energized, avoid the disillusionment dip, and create momentum that lasts.

We start by mapping the phases many teachers and leaders feel from high August anticipation to the late-fall slide into survival mode and share a simple, repeatable antidote: find the joy. Not the fluffy kind, but the deliberate practice of spotting small wins, naming impact, and using those bright spots to fuel honest reflection. Then we dig into reflective routines that actually stick: quick look-backs on what worked, what missed, and one change to try tomorrow, so the post-holiday reset becomes a launchpad, not a scramble.

Isolation is the quiet enemy of growth, so we make a case for getting out of silos. Hear how classroom learning walks, cross-discipline visits, and principal-to-principal exchanges unlock ideas you can use the same week. We widen the lens to building a real professional network; local meetups, state associations, national conferences and stacking free PD through podcasts, newsletters, and webinars. Along the way, we talk about why audio books count, how Atomic Habits powers 1 percent daily gains, and where online communities like Teach Better and coaching groups can extend your practice with feedback you can trust.

If you’re ready to trade burnout for better systems, this conversation gives you a blueprint: joy as fuel, reflection as routine, collaboration as default, and networks as your growth engine. Subscribe to stay energized every week, share this with a colleague who needs a boost, and leave a review to tell us what landed. What’s one habit you’ll improve by 1 percent today?

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