The Next Level Teacher Podcast

Welcome back to The Next Level Teacher podcast! If you’re feeling exhausted as the school year wraps up, this episode is for you.

In this candid and compassionate conversation, Brenna shares a powerful reminder that while summer break offers rest, it doesn’t heal burnout. You’ll learn why emotional exhaustion doesn’t disappear with a beach trip and why true burnout recovery requires intentional work—starting with the right tools.

If you’ve ever thought, “I’ll feel better once it’s summer,” but found yourself back in burnout mode by the end of September, this episode explains exactly why that happens—and how to break the cycle for good.

✨ In this episode, you’ll learn:
** Why summer break alone doesn’t fix burnout
** What emotional burnout actually is (hint: it’s more than being tired)
** The trap of waiting for relief without addressing the root causes
** Why mindset, nervous system regulation, and emotional processing matter now more than ever
** What you can do this summer to truly reset—and not just collapse

🎁 FREE RESOURCE:
Grab your free copy of The Teacher’s Summer Reset, a 7-day step-by-step system to help you decompress, process, and prep for a stronger fall.

👉 www.brennanelsoncoaching.com/burnout

READY TO GO NEXT LEVEL?
Take your personal development to the next level by enrolling in the Calm in the Classroom course! You will learn all the emotional and cognitive skills and tools that will help you uplevel your teaching, your career, and your life!

Enroll Now by visiting www.brennanelsoncoaching.com/calmteacher.

Your future self will thank you!

PREFER A MORE PERSONALIZED APPROACH?
Bring your personal concerns and situations to a 1:1 coaching session in which Brenna will coach you through any problem or challenge you're facing in or out of the classroom!  Your first session is on the houSE

Sign up today at www.brennanelsoncoaching.com/fee

The Real Cause of Teacher Burnout (Hint: It’s Not Your To-Do List)

Welcome back to The Next Level Teacher Podcast! In today’s episode, we’re diving into the real root of teacher burnout—and spoiler alert—it’s not the overflowing to-do list that’s causing your stress.

👉 If May feels more like Mayhem, you’re not alone. End-of-year demands are high, but the overwhelm you’re feeling is not because of the number of tasks. It’s because of the thoughts you’re having about those tasks.
Inside this episode, I’ll walk you through:🧠 Why your brain short-circuits when faced with too much
🧠 The truth about stress and how your thoughts create it
🧠 How to stop spinning in overwhelm and start shifting your mindset
🧠 Simple, science-backed mental shifts that reduce burnout and help you feel calm—even when your plate is full
🧠 How choosing different thoughts can help regulate your nervous system


🔥 Plus: I share one of my favorite strategies for prioritizing your day without panic so you can get more done—without sacrificing your mental health.

💡 Remember: It’s not about doing more. It’s about thinking differently.

🎓 Want to go deeper?

Enrollment is now open for my course, Calm in the Classroom!
This isn’t fluff or surface-level self-care—it’s a practical, neuroscience-informed approach to emotional regulation for teachers. You’ll learn how to rewire your brain for calm, resilience, and confidence—no matter what’s happening around you.

 👉 Learn more: brennanelsoncoaching.com/calmteacher
✨ Let’s Connect:
📸 Instagram: @next.level.teacher
💌 Subscribe to my Next.Level.Notes to receive weekly mindset and wellness strategies to take yourself to the next level!


🎧 Share this episode with a fellow educator who needs a mindset reset!



Keywords:

teacher burnout, stress management for teachers, overwhelmed teachers, end-of-year teacher stress, teacher mindset, calm classroom, teacher mental health

 🎧 In This Episode:
 Teacher burnout is at an all-time high, and while the statistics paint a bleak picture, the root causes are often deeper than workload or policy. In this episode, Brenna dives into the sneaky thoughts many teachers believe that unknowingly contribute to their burnout. These thoughts sound helpful on the surface, but they actually create emotional stress, anxiety, and exhaustion.

What You'll Learn:
🗬 Why even well-meaning thoughts like “I should be able to handle this” or “There’s not enough time” may be doing more harm than good
🗬 How to identify when a thought is useful vs. harmful by tuning into your emotions
🗬 Simple mindset shifts that help calm your nervous system and prevent burnout
🗬 The real reason self-care advice often falls flat—and what works instead
🗬 How this all ties into what recent teacher burnout statistics are missing


👩‍🏫 This episode is for you if:
You feel like you're on the edge of burnout

You’re tired of surface-level “self-care” tips and want real, science-backed tools

You’ve ever thought “If I don’t do it, it won’t get done right” or “There’s just not enough time”

🎁 Mentioned in this episode:
👉 Enrollment is OPEN for Calm in the Classroom – a transformative course for teachers who want to build emotional resilience, manage stress effectively, and feel better in their classroom.

💡 Quote to Remember:
 "You can struggle and still be a great teacher. Beating yourself up doesn’t help—it only drains the resilience you need to move forward."
Check out The Next Level Teacher Blog! More free help for educators who are not just tired, but teacher-tired.

Episode 57 – The BEST Classroom Management Advice for Teachers

Looking for the most effective classroom management tool that actually works in real classrooms? 

In this episode of The Next Level Teacher Podcast, Brenna Nelson shares the strategy no one’s talking about — and it has nothing to do with stickers, clip charts, or new seating arrangements.

Discover why emotional regulation is the most powerful classroom management tool at your disposal — and how your own nervous system could be the key to shifting your classroom energy and student behavior.

In this episode, you'll learn:**Why most classroom management trainings ask the wrong question
**What happens in your classroom when you’re dysregulated (and when you’re not)
**A simple emotional regulation tool you can use in-the-moment
**Why your calm is more effective than any reward system
**How to start practicing nervous system awareness — today

Ready to make calm your classroom superpower?
Explore Brenna’s full course, Calm in the Classroom, where you’ll learn how to stay emotionally grounded even on your hardest teaching days: brennanelsoncoaching.com/calmteacher

Check out the Blog Post:
The BEST Classroom Management Advice for Teachers

 Welcome back to The Next Level Teacher, where we talk all things teacher wellness, mindset, and how to show up in your classroom with calm and confidence.

In today’s episode, we’re diving into a surprising, science-backed, and often underused tool for managing teacher stress: laughter. 

Teaching is hard. The emotional weight, the constant demands, the pressure to get it all right—it adds up fast. And while most of us are searching for better routines, strategies, or self-care tips, we’re overlooking something simple and powerful: the ability to laugh at ourselves, our situations, and the chaos of it all. 

In this episode, I’m sharing: 
** Why laughter helps regulate your nervous system

** How humor reduces stress and boosts resilience

** Stories from my own classroom that reminded me not to take it all so seriously

** Why your ability to find lightness matters more than you think

** How laughing more often can help you feel better—without adding one more thing to your plate

If you’re tired, tense, or feel like teaching is getting heavier by the day, this episode will remind you that it’s okay (and necessary!) to find the funny. Because when we stop taking ourselves so seriously, we create space to actually enjoy this work again.  

👉 Want to go deeper?
My course, Calm in the Classroom, gives you the emotional tools you were never taught in your credential program. Learn how to regulate your nervous system, process stress in real time, and create the kind of calm that lasts.
✨ Join the course now at brennanelsoncoaching.com/calmteacher  
💬 Mentioned in this episode: 
- Why laughing isn’t a “fluffy” strategy—it’s neuroscience

- My student’s brutal (but hilarious) fashion critique

- The moment I tripped in front of my whole class... and survived

- Quick tips for inviting more laughter into your teaching life 

Thanks for listening! If this episode made you smile (or exhale), consider leaving a review or sharing with a teacher friend who could use a little lightness right now.

 🎧 See you next time on The Next Level Teacher.

Read the blog post Here!

5 Powerful Mindset Shifts I Wish I Knew as a New Teacher
🎧 Episode Summary

In this inspiring and honest episode, Brenna shares her top new teacher tips—not about lesson planning or classroom decor, but the deeper mindset tools she wishes she had when she started teaching. These are the tips no one tells you in teacher training—how to manage your emotions, set boundaries, and stop tying your worth to your job title.

If you're a first-year teacher—or even a seasoned educator—feeling the emotional weight of the job, this episode is a must-listen. Learn how to stay grounded, protect your peace, and show up as the best version of yourself in and out of the classroom.
🧠 In This Episode, You'll Learn:
* Why your thoughts create your teaching experience
* How taking time for yourself isn’t selfish—it’s strategic
* The truth about boundaries—and why good teachers don’t say yes to everything
* What to do when your brain offers you negative self-talk like “I’m failing these kids”
* Why you are not your job (and why that realization can change your life)

✨ Top New Teacher Tips Highlighted:

Manage your mind first. Your thoughts—not your students or your principal—shape your day.

Caring for YOU is not optional. Nervous system regulation can change your teaching.

Set boundaries early. You can be a great teacher without burning out.

Challenge negative thoughts. You don’t have to believe every thought your brain offers.

You are more than a teacher. Your worth is inherent—no test score can change that.

Check out the blog post HERE!

🎓 Ready to Go Deeper?

Check out my course: Calm in the Classroom
It's packed with emotional wellness tools, mindset coaching, and nervous system regulation practices to help you thrive—not just survive—in your teaching career.

And for Teacher Appreciation Week, it's 25% off!

Learn more and enroll HERE!
📬 Got Questions?

Email us anytime at [email protected]. We love hearing from listeners like you!
🔗 Helpful Links:

Calm in the Classroom Course

Follow Brenna on Instagram: @next.level.teacher


💬 If You Liked This Episode…

Please rate, review, and share it with a teacher friend! Your support helps more educators discover the tools they need to create calm, clarity, and confidence in the classroom.

Teacher Appreciation Week: The Next Level Teacher Podcast with Brenna Nelson

In this episode, released just in time for Teacher Appreciation Week, Brenna shares a personal story that highlights what true appreciation for teachers really looks like. After a rough school morning with her kindergartner, Brenna witnessed the powerful impact a caring teacher can make in a child's life—and in a parent's heart.

She reminds educators that while the world may not always recognize the full scope of what teachers do, the small moments of kindness, presence, and emotional support leave lasting impressions. Whether it’s checking in on a student, offering a comforting word, or making a child feel seen, these are the everyday acts of greatness that define this profession.

If you’ve ever wondered whether what you do matters, this episode is your reminder: it absolutely does.

Listen in to feel seen, valued, and truly appreciated this Teacher Appreciation Week. 💛

Ready to Get Out of Survival Mode in the Classroom?
Trade the Chaos for Calm with the all-new teacher course: Calm in the Classroom: Modern-day Solutions to Teacher Stress, Overwhelm, and Anxiety! There is a better way to be a teacher!

Click HERE to Learn More! 


🔗 Learn more at brennanelsoncoaching.com

📩 Contact: [email protected]

🎙️ Next Level Teacher Podcast – Episode: The Post-It Note Pep Talk

Welcome back, Teacher Friend! This is your go-to space for teacher tips and support, practical mindset shifts, and real strategies to help you show up as your most resilient, empowered teacher self.
 
In this episode of the Next Level Teacher Podcast, we’re diving into one of the simplest but most powerful tools to support your mindset as an educator—The Post-It Note Pep Talk. 

Whether you're feeling overwhelmed, navigating behavior challenges, or just trying to stay afloat during a tough season, this episode offers a grounding practice you can start using today.
🧠 What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
* Why your thoughts create your emotions—and how that affects your teaching energy.
* How to give your brain equal airtime with positive thoughts that support you.
* The science-backed reason why imagining success can influence your results.
* How to create your own Post-It Note Pep Talk!
* Real-life examples of empowering, believable thoughts you can borrow or build from.
* How this quick mindset shift can help both you and your students build confidence and resilience.

✨ Teacher Tips and Support You Can Use Right Now:Grab a sticky note, jot down one empowering thought that speaks to your heart, and place it somewhere you’ll see it—your desk, your mirror, your laptop. This little habit can help rewire your brain for more peace, more clarity, and more joy in your teaching day.
📥 FREE Resource for Teachers:

Want a ready-made list of inspiring pep talk phrases? 🎁
 👉 Download your free Post-It Note Pep Talk guide
💬 Let’s Coach Through It Together:
Struggling to believe those positive thoughts? That’s where coaching comes in. In your free first coaching session, we’ll clear out those unhelpful thoughts and create believable ones that actually make a difference.

Check out the blog post HERE!
🎯 Book your free session now at: brennanelsoncoaching.com/free
❤️ Help Another Teacher Friend:
Know a fellow educator who could use a mental and emotional lift?
 📩 Share this episode with them and let’s spread the support!

And if this episode of the Next Level Teacher Podcast helped you, please take a minute to leave a kind rating or review. It helps more teachers find the tips and encouragement they need.
🎧 Until next time, keep going, keep growing, and remember—you’ve got this.
 #NextLevelTeacher #TeacherPodcast #TeacherTipsAndSupport #TeacherMindset #TeacherWellness #PostItNotePepTalk

🎧 Episode #52: Are You Stuck in the Teacher What-If Wasteland?

Are your thoughts spinning with all the unknowns of next school year? You’re not alone—and this episode of the Next Level Teacher Podcast is here to help you stop the spiral. 

We’re talking about the “what-if wasteland,” that mental space where our brains try to plan for every hypothetical scenario and leave us feeling anxious, overwhelmed, and burned out.
In this episode, we’ll explore:*The most common “what-ifs” teachers face at the end of the school year
*Why your brain fixates on hypothetical problems
*The emotional cost of spinning in uncertainty
*Simple mindset strategies to bring you back to the present moment
*How to re-anchor in what is real—and stop wasting energy on what isn’t

Whether you’re worried about staffing changes, your contract, new curriculum, or just feeling too burned out to think about next year, this episode offers clarity, calm, and direction.

✨ You don’t have to live in the what-if wasteland. You can come back to now—and take care of what’s real. ✨

Helpful Links for Teachers Mentioned in this Episode:

FREE Coaching Call with Brenna - Feeling lost in the What-if Wasteland? Bring your list of worries or concerns to a free 1:1 call and I can help you focus your energy on what matters now. Click HERE to schedule!

The Calm in the Classroom course is open for enrollment! Learn all the tools, skills, and strategies I teach my 1:1 clients at your own pace, on your own time! If you are looking for more calm, clarity, and confidence in yourself, in your classroom, in your life, then this class is for you! Sign up today by clicking HERE!

Related Episodes:26. When Your Teaching Contract is Not Renewed29. How to Solve Any Teacher Problem40. Five Thoughts Happy Teachers Think

Welcome to the Next Level Teacher Podcast! In this debut episode under our new name, I’m sharing why this rebrand felt like the right move—not just for the podcast, but as a deeper reflection of what so many of us are craving as educators: growth, purpose, and powerful transformation.

This episode dives into how you can start your own personal rebrand. Whether you're trying to break old habits like people-pleasing or perfectionism, or you’re building new ones like setting boundaries or prioritizing your health, the first step is always the same: learning to love yourself exactly as you are right now.
You’ll learn:
✅Why self-love is the foundation of any lasting change
✅Why increasing your capacity will serve you and others
✅How mindset—not willpower—is the secret to true transformation
✅Why “white-knuckling” change doesn’t work, and what to do instead

If you’re ready to take your teaching—and your life—to the next level, this episode is the perfect place to start.

✨ Let’s grow together.

👉 Ready for support on your next-level journey? Let's Go! Book a Free Coaching Call HERE or check out my brand new course just for teachers, Calm in the Classroom HERE.