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< Back The Heartbreak of Leaving the Classroom Reading time 2 minutes Published May 2, 2023 Category: Mental health I wish people understood how heartbreaking the decision to leave the classroom really is. All I ever really wanted to be was a teacher. The decision to leave was one that I labored over for years. I LOVED my students, coworkers, & the beautiful little corner of the world we created. BUT I couldn’t handle the micromanagement, increasing tasks, lack of respect, support, and flat-out hostility of my admin. Eventually, the dread I experienced walking into the building became insurmountable. Ultimately I left because my family deserved a better, healthier, happier version of me. But it was 2020 and times were very uncertain. I needed to earn something AND be able to get our girls on & off the bus. - At least until I figured out my next move. I took a job as a classroom aide where I could help students & teachers - but also leave work at work. The pay was crap, but I loved it and was happier. Then the unexpected happened- I was asked to teach a couple students privately, and the parents would pay me directly. I enjoyed it and was good at it, so I made a few posts letting people know I was available. I got a couple more students - then a couple more. Before long, I had to leave my aide position in order to take on more students. Now I only teach privately. I love my students, families, AND the respect, flexibility, & autonomy I have. I miss my beautiful classroom, but I love my life now. All this to say, the classroom is not the only place to impact students. Best wishes to you all, especially if you're figuring out your next steps. Previous Next

< Back The Unexpected Impact Leaving the Classroom Had on my Family Reading time 7 minutes Published August 16, 2023 Category: Teacher life While I hoped this wasn't true, this thought weighed heavily on me. I had no idea how much my unhappiness in the classroom affected them. Being a teacher/parent is by far the hardest thing I’ve ever done - on every single level, spiritually, mentally, emotionally, physically. But it is not in my nature to give up, especially not on things that I'm passionate about. I fight for the things that are important to me. My students and my family are both important to me. I struggled so hard with divided loyalties. I tried so many ways to give my best to both of them. I turned myself inside out, often sacrificing my well-being to show up for ALL my kids - biological or otherwise. And I thought I was doing an okay job. I was certainly doing my best! So that had to mean it was ok, right? Isn’t that what we say, “As long as you do your best, that’s good enough.” I didn’t understand the cost my family was paying as a result of my unhappiness & exhaustion until I left. Within 2 weeks of not returning the following school year, my husband gave me the biggest hug and thanked me for not going back. He was working so hard to be supportive of whatever I decided, that neither of us knew the strain my unhappiness brought to our relationship. My kids and I both LOVE that I get them on & off the bus. Before the end of first week of school that first year, my teary-eyed, oldest child told me how much it meant to her to be able to give ME a hug and exchange “I love you’s” before heading off to school each day. The three of us love sharing snack together after school and talking about our days before rushing off to after-school activities. Then as I began really working my businesses, I explained to my girls that I was doing this for all of us - for myself, our family, & for them too. I want them to see that if they don’t like a situation they’re in, they have the power to change it. I explained that I missed teaching and that while I liked my new job, it didn't make me happy the way teaching did. I want to teach AND I want to be there for my family too. I want to do the bus, help in their classrooms, AND teach my own students. At the end of that conversation they both hugged me and said, “Thank you for choosing us.” Ooof! That hit me like a ton of bricks. Did they feel like I wasn’t choosing them before? Honestly, I haven't had the courage to ask. Maybe someday. Fast forward to last summer, I began to learn how my own personal transformation affects my daughters. I'd been so busy (as we often are) that I hadn't noticed certain changes in myself until she pointed them out. She told me that she'd gotten so used to "tired, angry Mommy" that this new "happy Mommy" is kind of annoying. She went on explain that she's just not used to me singing and dancing all the time and telling people about what I do now. She explained that she's just not used to me being proud of myself and being so confident. "It's like you know you're enough now." "Wow," I said. It took me more than a few moments to process everything she'd just shared. I AM proud of myself. I AM confident. I DO know that I'm enough. I didn't used to feel those things before at least not to the extent that my children could see it- not while I was so busy trying to be heard, trying to get my needs and my students' needs met, trying to keep up with all the impossible demands of the classroom and family. It makes me feel so good to see how proud they are to tell other people about me, what I do, and why I do it. They were always proud to tell people that I'm a teacher, but this is different. Because I'm different. Now I KNOW I'm ENOUGH. The results of this realization are still unfolding, but I do know one thing. My girls KNOW that they are ENOUGH too. * Above are pictures of our first First Day of School together. We were all so happy that I got to be a part of the First Day of School activities. This was the 1st time I got to walk them to the bus stop and wait with them, the 1st time I got to give them hugs and kisses right before they got on, and the 1st time I got to wave to them as the bus pulled away. The first time I got to do the First Day of School was when they were starting 2nd grade and Kindergarten. As a classroom teacher, having to miss these moments was just part of the job. We all still really LOVE that I get to do this now. Previous Next

< Back Danielle Hobson ACT/SAT Test Prep Hello, I am a dedicated educator with extensive experience as a high school English teacher and vetted test prep coach. I provide expert instruction in all ACT and SAT subjects, in addition to problem-solving, analytical thinking, and critical thinking skills. My enthusiastic and motivational teaching style fosters a positive and productive learning environment. I look forward to seeing you in class. Go to Website

< Back More Teachers Coming Soon! Teachers : Would you like to add your business to the PPT® Directory free of charge? → Click HERE. Students : Can't find a teacher for yourself or your student? → Click HERE.

< Back The Subconscious Patterns of Teacher Life Reading time 5 minutes Published July 8, 2024 Category: Teacher life Since leaving the classroom I’m becoming increasingly aware of the subconscious patterns and coping mechanisms we develop due to the unique stresses of teaching in a traditional school setting. Even now, four years into my life as a self-employed teacher, these patterns strongly influence how I live and work. The first pattern I noticed I call the “Due Date List”. This pattern influences my daily life and decision-making regarding how I prioritize tasks. A mentor of mine once told me that teachers need due dates. Oh, how I’ve found this to be true. A task without a due date rarely gets accomplished. We live with never-ending To-Do Lists and are in a near-constant state of overwhelm 9-10 months out of the year, therefore tasks get accomplished in order of urgency - no matter how much we want to do it or how beneficial completing the task may be. The next pattern I call the “Teacher Hamster Wheel” . This pattern is how I function during a 24-hour period for 9-10 months of the year. Here’s a snapshot of a typical day. Alarm goes off Snooze button 2-8 times depending on the level of sleep deprivation Coffee Get myself ready Get kids ready Out the door Pre-work work Work work Post-work work Pick up kids Make dinner (or at least a plan for dinner) After school activities Veg out and try to visit with my spouse until I’ve worked up enough energy to put the kids to bed Put kids to bed Pass out (or at least try to) In a nutshell, wake ➡️ triage needs/responsibilities ➡️sleep ➡️repeat. A perfect recipe for burnout, exhaustion, and mental health struggles. This is the life of a human-doing, not a human-being.The final pattern I noticed, I call the “Yearly Teacher Cycle” . This is how it goes: Back-To-School, Starting the year off excited, nervous, and hopeful. I’m excited about some of the cool new ideas you want to try. I’m excited and nervous to meet my new students. I’m hopeful and optimistic that the new self-care habits I established over the summer coupled with the new workflow procedures I created will help me to spend less time on the “Teacher Hamster Wheel” this school year. Of course, the district has some new ideas and initiatives of their own, but thankfully I have new systems in place now, so I’m confident I can handle the additional workload. Late Fall , October-November, the first wave of exhaustion hits. My self-care habits are nearly gone by now, many of your new workflow systems and procedures aren’t functioning as well as I hoped (if at all). I’m firmly on the “Teacher Hamster Wheel” and just holding on until Fall Break and then Winter Break when I can work on recovery, get caught up on work, and maybe enjoy some socializing. January . It’s only been 10-14 days, but everyone needs to relearn how to be in school, and some form of high-stakes, standardized, benchmark assessment has to be administered in two weeks. The Long Dark Slog aka mid-January through March. Things usually go fairly smoothly here except for illnesses. Everyone seems to be in some sort routine which is nice, but everyone also takes turns being sick. Sub plans are exhausting and you need to save your PTO for when my own children are sick, so I go to school anyway as long as I can drag myself out of the house. Spring Break is a breath of fresh air (and allergies), but I finally get to catch up on some sleep and some grading. The Last Push , April through the Last Day of School. The older students get, it seems the less they fully return from spring break. For this reason and because of those lovely, high-stakes, standardized spring, assessments, most of us try to get 90% of our curriculum taught by early April at the latest. That last month of school feels like straight chaos and survival as both a teacher and a parent. We’ve also started packing up our classrooms because we might get 2-3 hours of contract time to do 10-12 hours worth of work. Summer Break Part 1 is all about recovery. I’m a shell of a person at this point. I’m in full zombie mode, doom-scrolling, and binge-watching TV (usually TV shows my non-teacher friends recommended during the school year but never had time to watch). I’m only barely able to make the simplest decisions. Depending on the year, this could take 5-15 days. Summer Break Part 2 welcomes “Summer Rachel” I’m a person again, “Want to go out to lunch?” Want to meet at the pool?” In late June and July, I’m ready to be social again. I can’t wait to see all the friends and family I missed during the school year. I do fun things with my children and spouse. I develop healthy routines and healthy eating habits. I also start casually working on plans for the next school year (about 5-10 hours a week). This is my favorite version of me. The only sad part is that I really don’t love this time of year where we live. Summer Break Part 3 I start getting excited about Back To School. Late July into August, I begin moving back into my classroom. Just a few hours here and there. A couple of new projects, bulletin boards, seating styles, new organization, and maybe some new furniture. I also start getting new or updated systems in place to manage routine tasks and workflow that I’m certain will make this next year run much more smoothly. Back-To-School , ... It’s been three years since I left the classroom completely, and it’s taken that amount of time to see how much these patterns became deeply and subconsciously ingrained those patterns had become. Even being my own boss as a self-employed teacher, I accidentally recreated these patterns in my life and businesses. Now that I am aware of these patterns, I can consciously create new ones that support my vision for a more balanced and harmonious life for me and my family. I hope this post will help you do the same. Best wishes always! 💕 Previous Next

< Back Claudia Hall PreK - HS: Spanish Spanish Class with Mrs. Hall I am dedicated to providing engaging and effective Spanish lessons for kids, fostering a love for language learning while nurturing their curiosity and confidence. Through interactive and culturally immersive experiences, I aim to empower each child to become proficient communicators in Spanish, equipping them with valuable skills for a multicultural world. Go To Website

< Back Making the Decision to Leave the Classroom Reading time 5 minutes Published March 1, 2024 Category: Leaving the classroom In the years leading up to my resignation from my beloved teaching position, I found myself making monthly and finally weekly pros and cons lists. Leaving the classroom was a decision fraught with inner turmoil, a dilemma I grappled with long before the pandemic's onset. Teaching had always been my calling; I reveled in the connections with students, the camaraderie among colleagues, and the joy of growing and learning together. Yet, beneath the surface, the dysfunction of the school system, culture, and environment grew. The mantra, "Shut the door and do what's best for your students," had long sustained me through many bureaucratic frustrations. But eventually, the dysfunction and toxicity penetrated my classroom walls and became impossible to ignore. Micromanagement, pedagogically unsound initiatives, and impotent responses to bullying eroded morale and disregarded the students' true needs. Despite my attempts at diplomacy, voicing these concerns rendered me an outcast. The hostility from administration during the Spring of 2020 was palpable and ultimately marked my breaking point. "They really don't care about us," echoed relentlessly in my mind during that grueling summer break. Dread, anger, sadness, and resentment consumed me. For the first time in nearly a decade, I couldn't summon excitement for the new school year. Tears and outrage replaced my usual optimism and silliness. The person I once knew, the one who savored impromptu dance parties and embraced life's adventures, I couldn't find her anymore. With a heavy heart, I finally tendered my resignation that July. Despite pouring my heart into my work, my employer's indifference stung. "We'll miss you, but I'm sure we'll find a replacement," they remarked casually. It was a confirmation of my fears: my efforts had been in vain. At that moment, I had clarity – I had made the right choice. Though heartbreaking, leaving the classroom was the best decision for my family and me. Two weeks later, my husband's embrace and our collective sigh again affirmed my decision to leave. It took nearly two years to heal all of the emotional turmoil I'd been through. Ultimately I emerged as a version of myself my children describe as annoyingly happy, confident, and proud of my accomplishments. And while there are still times that I miss having a classroom full of students, I truly love what I do now and the person it is allowing me to become. Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next

< Back Being a Self-Employed Teacher Costs Less Than You Think Reading time 5 minutes Published February 19, 2025 Category: Teacher entrepreneur Are you yearning to break free from the confines of the traditional classroom but worry about the daunting start-up costs of launching your own teaching business? Fear not! Contrary to popular belief, venturing into private practice teaching is far more affordable than you may think. In fact, with the right resources, you can kickstart your journey with minimal financial investment. Here’s a rundown of my favorite free resources that have been instrumental in running my teaching business and are highly recommended for you, especially if you’re just starting out: Immediate Essentials: Business Registration : Take advantage of free federal registration, and check state-specific requirements. Learn more here Online Learning Space : Utilize Google Classroom (free) for seamless virtual teaching. Note: Students need a compatible email. Invoicing/Bookkeeping: Streamline your finances with Wave.com (free). Stay tuned for a free PPT Guest Training soon. Communication : Stay connected with Slack (free) and Google Voice (free for personal use). Business Email & Google Suite: Invest in Google Workspace ($8.40 + tax) for professional email and productivity tools. (includes unlimited 60min GoogleMeet) Marketing : Leverage social media platforms like Facebook business pages and Instagram business accounts (both free) to reach your audience effectively. Scheduling: Simplify appointment management with TidyCal (free with optional upgrade for $29). Billing: Create professional invoices with multiple payment options and manage your business accounting with Wave.com (free with optional upgrades) Total Monthly Cost: Approximately $9 Recommended within 3-6 Months: Website: Establish your online presence with Wix.com ($17/month). Graphics and Design: Enhance your branding with Canva Pro (free 30-day trial, $14.99/mo or $119.99/yr). Total w/ Additional Monthly Cost: Approximately $40 It's important for me that aspiring self-employed teachers understand the feasibility of embarking on a private practice teaching journey. With minimal overhead costs, just one hour of instruction with a single student can cover your monthly operating expenses, especially when implementing our recommended pricing strategies. At The Private Practice Teacher®, my mission is to empower educators to seize control of their careers, thereby reshaping the narrative around the teacher shortage and elevating the teaching profession as a whole. Together, let’s spark meaningful change in education, where teachers are rightfully recognized as the educational experts we truly are. Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next

< Back Hilary Farmer PreK-12: Math, English Adventure Learning LLC Are you looking for someone to help your child with a certain academic area? I am Hilary, a private teacher who teaches students Kindergarten through 5th grade in all academic areas, but specialize in math. As someone who struggled with math when I was in school, I understand what it is like to feel behind. It wasn't until I started playing card and dice games with my family and relating math concepts to real world experiences that it finally clicked. I love to help kids make those same connections. My tutoring services are unique in the fact that I create individualized lesson plans and activities that involve number sense, making connections to the real world, and solidifying their learning through game play. I offer in person tutoring for those in the Centerville area and virtual tutoring for those in a different area. Go to FB Page

< Back Teaching, Like Medicine, Is a Science-Informed Art Reading time 5 minutes Published May 22, 2025 Category: Education Reform Last week, in my doctor’s office—after discussing the next phase of my care plan for some ongoing health issues—I joked, “I feel like a science experiment.” She smiled and said something that stopped me in my tracks: “Well, you kind of are. Medicine is as much science as it is art. No matter how much research and testing we do, every human body is complex and different. We never really know how a medication or treatment will affect someone until we try it. But, like art, we get better with practice. It’s a science-informed art.” “So is teaching,” I replied.“I guess it would be,” she said. “Every student is different.” Every student is different. Each one who walks into our classroom is a complex human being with unique experiences, perspectives, strengths, and challenges. That conversation stayed with me. And the next day, while walking my dog, it hit me: In both education and healthcare, the people doing the real work are trained, thoughtful, and deeply committed. But in both fields, those professionals are often silenced by systems that prioritize money and metrics over care and wisdom. I’ve experienced this in both spaces—personally and as a parent. Decisions aren’t being made by the people doing the work. They’re being made by the people funding and profiting from it. The Parallel Between Education and Health Care Doctors get overridden by insurance companies. Patients are denied medications because of cost or bureaucracy—not based on what their physician recommends. In our family, it took nearly a year to get a specific asthma medication for my daughter because the version her doctor wanted her to take wasn’t covered by insurance. The name-brand version, which would have been available through a script-sourcing channel, was discontinued, rebranded as a generic, and thus became inaccessible through that channel as well. We tried workaround after workaround and various other medications for nearly a year before finally getting what she needed. In another case, I was prescribed the only medication available to me during a pregnancy complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum. The side effects were so intense and demoralizing that I seriously questioned whether I could go through another pregnancy. There was a better alternative with significantly fewer side effects—but it was $5,000 per pill. It wasn’t covered. It wasn’t an option. In the United States, over 25% of women with hyperemesis gravidarum report suicidal thoughts, and over 6% take their lives each year, according to the NIH. The suffering is that relentless. And while better care exists, it is often completely inaccessible. What This Has to Do with Teaching In education, the dynamics are heartbreakingly similar. Teachers—the professionals doing the work, implementing research, and studying best practices—are often treated as disposable. They are rarely invited to decision-making tables. Instead, curriculum is dictated by publishing companies. Policies are influenced by testing companies. Technology platforms tell us how students should learn, regardless of how students actually learn—or how detrimental all that screen time is to the developing brain. (Both teachers and pediatricians have been sounding the alarm on that one for well over a decade.) We’re seeing more and more school districts so beholden to standardized testing and government funding benchmarks that authentic learning is getting sidelined. Teaching to the test isn’t just happening—in some places, it’s mandated. But educators know better. We know that what helps students grow isn’t endless test prep; it’s practicing the skills those tests are meant to measure, in real and relevant contexts. And yet, we’re forced to retrofit bad curriculum, limit our creativity, and ignore our professional judgment in order to meet external demands that often contradict what we know is best. So What Do We Do? We teach in spite of the system. Just like doctors who bend red tape to help their patients, teachers adapt, advocate, rewrite, intervene, push back, and resist. We do what we can for the kids in front of us. But imagine if we didn’t have to fight the system every day just to meet the actual needs of our students and patients. Imagine what education and healthcare could be if the people doing the work had the power to shape the work. Teachers are not “just teachers.” Doctors are not replaceable by software. These are professions. These are callings. These are forms of care work and craft that deserve respect, resources, and trust . We don’t need more tech. We need more trust in human expertise. We are the science-informed artists. And the longer we practice, the better we get at it—if only the system would let us. If you’re an educator seeking a way to reclaim your autonomy and build a life and business that reflect your values, check out the T2E Intensive or the Intro to Private Practice Teaching mini-course on YouTube. Let’s reimagine what’s possible—together. Previous Next

Discover your Teacher-to-Entrepreneur Archetype in just 3 minutes! Take this free quiz to find out your stage, get personalized tips, and learn your next best step to building a sustainable, joyful teaching business. Barb McCluskey Owner/founder of The Reading Cube ''Rachel, thank you for your guidance, coaching and patience with me. I love my business and my life now!'' Frequently asked questions What’s the investment? The T2E Empowerment Intensive Program is priced from $1,500 to $3,000 all inclusive with life-time access to all course resources depending on which level of live mentorship you choose and whether you decide to PIF or monthly. No hidden or additional charges. A 12-month payment plans are available for all 3 levels. Individual coaching starts at $60 per 30 minute session with discounts available for multi-session purchases. T2E Community members may schedule free 60-minute coaching session each quarter for as long as they maintain community membership. A free discovery call is recommended before any services are purchased to determine which services are right for each person. How long is the Mentorship program? The T2E Empowerment Intensive Program is designed to to have you confidently running your business in 12 weeks or less. Online group and 1:1 mentorship is ongoing as per your plan for 1 year from your enrollment date. However, we are here for you for as long as you need us. You have lifetime access to program resources and program updates. T2E Intensive Members also receive a permanent home on our Teacher Directory at no additional charge and special pricing on T2E Community Membership. Are refunds available if this is not the right fit for me? Of course. We work very hard during the initial assessment interview to ensure program compatibility and to answer all questions a potential mentee has. However should a teacher chose to leave the program within 14 days of the course open, a full refund will be issued upon written request and completion of an exit form. ** Although we have the Refund Policy stated above, not one participant has requested a refund since we began working with teacher entrepreneurs in June 2022. This is because we take the time to make sure that we are a good fit and answer all questions before any money exchanges hands. It is very important to me that NO ONE ever feels pressured into purchasing anything here. We are educators NOT salespeople. At The Private Practice Teacher®, our goal is to care for and support our teachers - NOT make as much money as possible. What about benefits? Just because you're a solo-entrepreneur doesn't mean you can't have benefits. Thanks to the ACA you can shop for affordable health care plans on the healthcare.gov marketplace. All of the plans on the marketplace MUST provide coverage for preventative care, life-saving care, & CANNOT discriminate because of a pre-existing condition. You can also speak with a marketplace broker for FREE if you need help deciding which plan is right for you. As for your retirement savings, I encourage you to speak with an investment advisor about your options for rolling over your retirement plans. This type of financial advising is also FREE, and I encourage you to speak with multiple institutions and an accountant before making a final decision. *** NOTE: This is NOT LEGAL or FINANCIAL ADVICE!! I am not a lawyer nor an accountant. I am a professional French teacher. The above information is from my experience starting my business. I highly recommend that all new US business owners consult a free SCORE mentor for advice on the legalities of setting up their business. What if I already have my own teacher business? If you already have an existing teacher business, than the whole T2E Empowerment Intensive may not be the best choice for you. In that case, I would encourage you to consider either À La Carte Coaching and/or becoming a member of The T2E Community . I encourage everyone to book a free strategy call to discuss which option is best for you. Are the programs live, or pre-recorded? The T2E 90-Day Intensive include pre-recorded training videos, downloadable pdfs, and resources links, so you can work at your own pace. However, they also include weekly live group Q&A sessions, guest speakers, and an online T2E community for both accountability and support. Live 1:1 coaching is purchased separately, at a discounted rate, scheduled by you as needed. There are also prerecorded, fully asynchronous courses available for free on YouTube. How much feedback and accountability do I get? It's important to me that my mentorship courses NOT sit in your inbox until you "have time to do it". In the T2E Intensive, you have a live group accountability meeting and a live workshop meeting. I, program alumni, and your fellow mentees will all "lovingly kick your butt" to make sure you are maintaining forward movement toward your goals. In the T2E Bootcamp we meet twice a week to workshop the content in the prerecorded course, so that each participant is able to get timely answers to their questions and brainstorm with me and fellow participants. We will also hold you accountable and provide support via messaging, email, and our online T2E community. I have little to no online experience, is this program for me? Yes. If you can manage an online grade book and learning management system, then I can help you set up and run all the online components of your business. Whether you want to only do in-person classes or teach 100% online, you will still need to have some online presence. This program is designed to teach you how to set up and manage your scheduling, invoicing, marketing, online learning hub, and website. Can I do this by myself? Of course you can. I did. It took me between 18-20 months to learn how to create a sustainable and profitable business. I created my courses and programs to teach other teachers everything I learned during that time in the hopes that it will ultimately save other teachers both time and money by helping you turn a profit more quickly. The bottom line is that it takes some combination of TIME and MONEY to start a business. It's up to you to decide what combination is right for you and your situation. I offer different levels of support no matter what you decide is right for you. Is this an MLM? NO! I help teachers create their own businesses completely independent of me. I'm happy to add them to my Teacher Directory and market for them, BUT those teachers are completely independent business owners. They do not work for me, nor do I take any portion of income they generate. ** I may ask some teachers if they would like to co-coach new teacher mentees. In that case, I pay them as independent contractors.

< Back Lessons from Fall ~ Rest, Recovery, & Productivity Reading time 5 minutes Published November 9, 2023 Category: Mental health I am very fortunate to live near a park and every morning that the weather permits, Yeti and I take a nice long walk. Some mornings I listen to a podcast, some mornings I listen to an audiobook, but most mornings I listen to the trees and birds and the traffic and my own thoughts. And I find that letting my mind wander and listening to my own thoughts , to be the most refreshing and rejuvenating. I didn’t used to be able to hear the musings of my mind over my running to-do list. It took time for that to come back. Even now as I embrace my 4th Autumn as a private practice teacher, I never take this opportunity for granted. I find it's important to give myself that time to process all of the information I take in from all the different areas of my life. We do this to some extent in our sleep, but if you are a parent and/or a teacher- sleep is not always super restful or consistent. That’s why giving myself the gift of time in the morning to walk and process and allow my mind to wander, to be an essential part of my day. One that never feels like work, but has become one of my most productive and creative parts of my everyday life. From that reflective and creative space, I want to share with you some of the insights that have been coming to me lately while walking with my sweet boy. Looking at the trees, this is probably common for a lot of us this time of year, I've been meditating on the beauty of letting go of things that no longer serve us. There’s a lot of beauty in that - in letting go. People travel all over the country to look for the most beautiful foliage in order to witness this spectacle celebrating the beauty of letting go. Next, I let my mind wander from this beautiful letting go that we are enjoying right now to the cycles of Nature. I’ve been reflecting on what follows this time, which is a period of rest and hibernation, a period of conserving one’s resources for what's to come, all in preparation for bursting forth with new growth again in the Spring. So I’ve been asking myself, “How can I bring this cycle of letting go and conserving my resources in preparation for new growth into my own personal practice?”. This cycle has been really successful for Nature for a long time, and I think we also need to have periods of pruning and periods of letting go. We need to have periods of recovery, introspection, and conservation of resources - all in preparation for the next bursting forth of growth. But this morning, as we were walking through the neighborhood, something new came to me. I was reflecting on how beautiful so many of the leaves are that are now on the ground. It occurred to me that it's okay to let go of things that are still beautiful when they no longer serve your higher purpose. And so a new question for myself emerged, “What beautiful things am I holding on to that are not serving my higher purpose and that I can let go of in order to conserve more resources in preparation for my next growth?” So that's it, those are my current musings inspired by Fall. I hope that you have a great day and that you find time to allow your mind to wander to new places. Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next