Small Shifts

✏️ Edited Blog

The end of the school year is no joke for teachers and school leaders. Eighth-grade graduations. High school graduations. Staff celebrations. Grades. Last-minute IEPs. Meetings that somehow multiply overnight. It all lands at once, and it lands heavy.

What I found this year is that actually doing some of the things I’ve read about has been surprisingly helpful. Not just bookmarking them. Not just nodding along. Doing them.

Here’s what I tried.

I changed the route I drive to work. I had been taking the exact same way for seven and a half years. A couple of weeks ago, I switched it up. Something that small — a different road, a different view — actually lifted my mood. I didn’t expect that.

I also changed my morning coffee routine. I used to drink water, then have coffee on the drive in, then another coffee the moment I got to work. Now I drink water first and wait until I arrive before touching the coffee. My mood has been noticeably better. A small tweak, a real result.

The third thing has been morning walks. I started taking my dog out earlier and for longer stretches. During those walks, I have time to think, to process, and to simply exist for a little while — before the day starts asking things of me.

None of these are dramatic. None of them required a productivity system or a life overhaul. They’re just small shifts.

Sometimes when we’re stressed, we think we need a massive change to feel better. But maybe what we actually need is a slightly different road, a delayed cup of coffee, and a little more time with our dog in the morning.

The school year is ending. You can drag yourself across the finish line — or you can finish strong. What small shift might help you get there?