school

Ever notice how you feel when you slip on a brand-new pair of shoes? You stand a little taller. You walk a little lighter. There’s that “new shoe smell” and that satisfying squeak that tells you—you’re starting something new.

Now compare that to your favorite old pair of shoes. You love them because they’ve been through everything with you. They’ve walked miles of classroom carpet, playground gravel, and maybe a few sticky cafeteria floors. But at some point, those shoes start to lose their cushion. The soles wear thin. You realize—no matter how much you love them—they just don’t feel the same anymore.

The Same Happens to Us

Teaching, parenting, and life in general can wear us down in the same way. We keep walking through busy schedules, long to-do lists, and the pressure to be everything to everyone. Before we know it, our energy feels like those old soles—worn and tired. That’s been our life lately. Between school and sports we have been going nonstop for the past couple of months. Don’t get me wrong, I wouldn’t trade it for the world, but this past weekend we all felt it. We were drained from a very emotionally tough week in our community, tired from busy schedules, and just plain worn out.

And sometimes, we just need a fresh start.

Time for a New Pair

That doesn’t mean throwing everything away and starting from scratch. It means giving yourself permission to replace what’s no longer helping you move forward.

Maybe it’s letting go of a routine that’s stopped working.
Maybe it’s saying “no” to something that used to bring joy but now just drains your time.
Or maybe it’s simply giving yourself a real break (yes, the kind where you don’t grade papers during it).

Think of those changes as lacing up a new pair of shoes—shoes that fit where you are now, not where you were months or years ago. If you know me, you know I hate to spend money on myself. So it was extremely surprising to my family when I purchased a new pair of shoes when we were out and about on a family shopping and dinner trip this past weekend. But, I did it! I spent money on some new shoes – and…they were on clearance! Win, win!

The Walk Feels Different

Once you take that first step in your new “shoes,” things start to feel lighter again. You find your stride. You look forward instead of down. You remember why you loved the walk in the first place. These new shoes were what I needed to motivate myself to get back to walking and running. But, as I started working out this morning in them, I felt the desire to be more productive with other tasks around the house. This fresh pair of shoes was helping me get a fresh start on being creative again. (Hence a new blog post in what feels like forever.) My creativity when it comes to projects and things I want to accomplish are like marathons for me. I take my time, I pace myself, but I get down on doing them when I’m worn out from a busy week.

Teaching and life are marathons, not sprints—and no runner would dream of running mile after mile in worn-out shoes. So don’t feel guilty for taking care of yourself.

So, Here’s Your Challenge

Take a moment this week to think about what feels “worn out” in your life. It could be something big, like a commitment that’s no longer bringing joy, or something small, like that old habit of skipping your morning coffee until it’s cold.

Whatever it is—trade it in. Get your new shoes ready.
Because the world needs you walking strong, confident, and ready to keep making a difference.

And who knows? You might even start running again.

Keep walking forward, friends. You’ve got this. -Adam

Teaching is a profession filled with hustle and bustle, with days that feel like a sprint from the moment the bell rings to when the last student leaves the room. But what if we paused? What if we allowed ourselves to slow down, to breathe, and to embrace the moments that make this career so beautiful? Today, I want to remind you of something simple yet profound: it’s okay to slow down, to soak in the good moments, and yes, even to still have your Christmas lights up in January (or beyond!).

The Beauty of Slowing Down

In a world where everything feels urgent, teaching can sometimes become a checklist of tasks. Grade these papers, prepare that lesson, respond to those emails. But when we’re running at full speed, we can miss the magic that happens in our classrooms.

Slowing down isn’t just about pacing yourself; it’s about making space for the moments that matter. It’s the spontaneous laughter during a lesson that didn’t go as planned, the quiet “aha” moment when a student finally gets it, or the heartfelt conversations that remind us why we chose this profession. When you slow down, you’re not just teaching—you’re connecting, inspiring, and being present.

Soak in the Good Moments

Every day in the classroom is filled with little gifts if you know where to look. The student who doodled a picture of you on their math worksheet, the one who stayed behind to say “thank you” after class, or the way your students’ faces light up when they finally understand a tricky concept. These moments are the heartbeat of teaching, and they deserve our attention.

When we rush through our days, we risk glossing over these precious snippets of joy. Make it a habit to notice them. Write them down in a journal, share them with a colleague, or simply let them be the highlight of your day. These moments are not interruptions; they are the essence of why we teach.

The Christmas Lights Stay Up

Now, about those Christmas lights. If you’ve still got them twinkling in your classroom well past the holidays, let me tell you something: it’s okay. More than okay, actually. Those lights might be the cozy glow your students look forward to each day. They might be the small piece of joy that makes your room feel like a home away from home.

Teaching isn’t about perfection; it’s about connection. If your Christmas lights bring a little happiness to your students (and let’s be honest, to you too), why rush to take them down? There’s no rule that says holiday decor must disappear with the new year. Sometimes, the best traditions are the ones that linger.

Permission to Be Human

We often feel pressure as teachers to have it all together all the time. But here’s the truth: it’s okay to be human. It’s okay to leave the decorations up, to have a stack of ungraded papers, and to not always have the perfect lesson plan. Your students don’t need you to be perfect; they need you to be present.

When you slow down and let go of unnecessary pressures, you create a space where both you and your students can thrive. And isn’t that what teaching is all about?

Final Thoughts

As you move through this week, give yourself permission to pause. Take a moment to notice the joy around you. Keep the Christmas lights up if they make you happy, and remember that some of the best parts of teaching aren’t found in the lesson plans or the to-do lists—they’re in the connections, the laughter, and the moments of shared humanity.

Here’s to slowing down, soaking it in, and shining—just like those twinkling lights. You’ve got this. -Adam

Tag: school

👟 When Life Feels Worn Out, It’s Time for a New Pair of Shoes