Stressed out? Frazzled? Overwhelmed?

You don't have to be. 

Check out this guest post by Dan Tricarico, author of The Zen Teacher and his newest release Sanctuaries, 

and discover YOUR sanctuary!

I was sitting across from our vice principal with my head in my hands, overwhelmed and burnt out. I had nearly 40 students in each class, I had just gone through training for yet another new curriculum program, we were in the middle of high stakes standardized state testing, and now she was telling me that the student with a behavior problem would not be removed from my class because they had nowhere else to put him. I consumed with anxiety and not sure where to turn.

When the vice principal asked what was wrong and I said I was completely stressed out, she lowered her voice and leaned in.
“Have you thought about calling the EAP?”

The EAP was the Employee Assistance Program, the mental health branch of our benefits plan.

I remember thinking, “You’re telling me I need therapy because the SYSTEM is broken??”
I didn’t take it out on her, of course, but I was furious.

I’m no stranger to therapy. In fact, I joke that while I’m sure there’s no connection, I’ve had more therapists than girlfriends. I refer to therapy as the emotional gym because it’s where I work things out. But this time I knew that it was the system that was broken, not me. And yet, it was infuriating to know that nothing was going to change. That’s when I knew if I was going to get better, it was up to me.

When I wrote The Zen Teacher: Creating Focus, Simplicity, and Tranquility in the Classroom I was simply looking for a way to cope and writing, for me, was just another form of therapy. In truth, that book was just a list of reminders for myself. What I didn’t realize until much later, however, was that there were teachers all over the world who were feeling the same way I was feeling. And I had stumbled on to a way to help them.

Now we at least had an approach. We had some tools and strategies to help us cope. That was three years ago. I am so much happier, healthier, and relaxed than I was during that meeting with that vice-principal. And the truly humbling part is so many other teachers are better as well simply because they read The Zen Teacher.

Not only am I more content both in the classroom and in life, but I have found a new path and a new way to teach. This time I’m teaching teachers. And I love it.

To continue my work on this new path, I have just released my newest book called Sanctuaries: Self-Care Secrets for Stressed-Out Teachers.

During the workshops I’ve given in the last three years, most of the teachers have asked about the best way to approach self-care, so that’s what this book is about.

Sanctuaries covers:
 The importance of giving yourself permission for self-care
 How to work in harmony with your authentic self
 How to harness the power of stillness and silence
 How to build resiliency
. . .and so many other self-care “secrets.”

Sanctuaries shows you concrete, practical ways to take care of yourself and create sanctuaries in your life that are meaningful to you both inside and outside the classroom.

So if you’re feeling overwhelmed, frazzled, or stressed out, and you’re looking for a way to navigate all the things that The Education Machine throws at you, check out Sanctuaries.

If The Zen Teacher reminded you to take care of yourself, Sanctuaries shows you how.

Because you know what?
You’re worth it.
You’re enough.
And we need you.
You can’t teach your students or impact the future if you’re not in the classroom. And discovering your own sanctuary can help you stay where you belong.

Friends, if you haven't already...check out Dan's fantastic books! They are full of applicable strategies to help us handle the work load of an educator! You won't regret grabbing both The Zen Teacher and Sanctuaries. Amazing message with unbelievable results!