  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     

064 - Permission to Take a Break (Bye for Now)

Have the last few years of teaching left you feeling overwhelmed, burnt out, and not sure if you should even stay in the classroom? 

Did you answer yes to any (of all) of those questions? 

Join your host Rachel Lenhart, a former burnt out teacher turned teacher wellness warrior. She is on a mission to help teachers, just like you, heal from burnout, set boundaries, erase the teacher tired, and live your best life both in and out of the classroom.

Each week, Rachel will give you quick tips and actionable steps you can implement right away to beat burnout and go from surviving to thriving! The best part is, she truly gets it. She is "in the trenches" with you, teaching fulltime in her classroom and uses her own personal experiences with burnout to help other teachers.

So, if you're ready to experience your very best life from the inside out, tune in and let's get started! 

Like what you hear? Follow Rachel on Instagram @chalkfuloflife

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Teachers across the U.S. are beginning to head back to their classrooms and their first Back to School PD sessions. And you know what that means, right? Everyone’s asking each other all about their summer breaks. With your teacher besties, you get to share all the juicy details of where you went and what you did. It feels awesome to reflect on all the great memories you’ve accumulated over the last few weeks, but there’s one deadly little phrase that often pops up in these summer break catch-up conversations. And it’s doing more internal damage to teachers than you might realize. In this episode, you’ll learn:  The one phrase you’re going to want to drop immediately from all your “How was your summer?” conversations (after you realize the negative effect that it’s been having on you). The #1 reason why your summer break may have disappeared “too quickly.”  How to use a simple mindset shift to start viewing your time in a more positive light.  Want to 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: Click here to join! Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together. Teacher Time Score Assessment Tool 

10- What You Need to Stop Saying About Your Summer Break

When those Back to School commercials start cranking up on TV, and the school supplies hit center stage at Target… Do you get a rush of adrenaline? Do you feel a happy dance coming on when you think about getting your hands on a fresh new set of Flair pens? Can you hardly wait to see what’s on the shelves in Dollar Spot heaven? Well, there’s nothing wrong with feeling a little giddy about getting some new school supplies. But if we dig a little deeper, there’s an interesting lesson for us to learn about false happiness vs. full happiness. Whether you love Back to School shopping or not… there’s an ah-ha moment waiting for you in this episode, and it has everything to do with tapping into your happiest teacher life. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why the way you approach Back to School Shopping might actually reveal a significant pain point in your teaching life. What effect dopamine and “buffering” have to do with your happiness in and out of the classroom.  How to gain more control over your happiness during not only the Back to School season, but all year long.  Want to 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: Click here to join! Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

09 - Happiness is Back to School Shopping. Or Is It?!

Let’s face it. Blah days happen. Those days when you’re running on low energy and low emotions.  Things aren’t horrible, but you’re trudging through the day feeling like something {or everything!} is “off.” All day long, you’re thinking, “Can I get a do-over?” Well, let’s put an end to the bad wrap we give our Blah Days. With a simple reframe, you’ll see why Blah Days can be sooo good. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why rating and reviewing your days is a simple, but powerful practice. The secret to having more and more great days - regardless of your current circumstances. The one emotion you can tap into at any moment to change the trajectory of your day. My 4-Part Secret Sauce Recipe for creating my best days over and over again.  Want 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:  Click here to join! Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

08. Why Blah Days Are So Good {A Major #TeacherLife Reframe}

Creating a Bucket List is an amazing form of self care. It’s all about deciding what intentional things you want to do in your life to feel your best - mentally, emotionally, and physically. Bucket Lists don’t have to be all about traveling the world or having “mountaintop experiences.” The more practical your wish list of ideas is, the more likely you’ll be to actually follow through and take action on the things you want to do. If you’re feeling like summer is passing through your fingers too quickly, now is the perfect time to make a Bucket List of all the things you want to do to soak up every last second of your time off from school.  But... Bucket Lists shouldn’t just be reserved for summertime or later on in your life, they should be for right now - no matter the season or stage of your life. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why Bucket Lists are a fun and intentional form of self care for teachers. Why Bucket Lists shouldn’t be reserved solely for HUGE accomplishments or activities that you look forward to for a very long time. Lots of creative twists and unique ideas for Bucket Lists that don’t have anything to do with travel (which is what most people think of!). 6 Practical steps you can take today to get your own Summer Bucket List AND Life Bucket Lists in gear.  Want to 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:   Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

07. Summer And Life Bucket Lists For Teachers

If you want to be (and feel) your best both in and out of the classroom, self care shouldn’t be the last thing at the bottom of your to-do list. It should be your #1 responsibility. If teaching IS your life and you’re constantly feeling drained because there’s very little time for anything you love outside of school, you’re approaching your career backwards. It’s the time and space you give yourself outside of school that makes you the best teacher you can possibly be when you’re there. Self care should be your first priority if you want to be the best teacher, wife, husband, mom, dad, friend, or anything else. It’s what enables you to make your biggest contribution in the world. In this episode, you’ll learn:  Why Self Care should be considered the #1 requirement at the top of your job description as a teacher. The surprising (or not so surprising) truth found in recent research studies on productivity and overworking. 3 steps to start adding more self care into your life in simple and practical ways…. with a short list you can write down and work off of right away.  Want 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:  Chalk Full of Life Facebook Group Let’s support each other with honest conversations about not being perfect, pursuing what matters most… and doing life together.

064 - Permission to Take a Break (Bye for Now)

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