Category: - Brave Teachers

Snail Mail Filled With Inspiration

6/2/2016

I recently sent out giant stickers to the people who responded to a little survey I made. It was so much fun to create the stickers and then draw on the envelopes and send them out. The last few just were mailed on Tuesday. That experience along with the most common response to my survey was that people were interested in snail mail care packages, has led me to think that I would like Brave Snail Mail Care Packages to become an amazing source of inspiration, encouragement and empowerment.

So I'm read to start, and the first lucky folks are going to be the people who sign up for Making Magic: Summer Camp for Teachers!

So here is how it works:

You sign up for one date or the whole shabang of Making Magic: Summer Camp for Teachers. I will send you an email. You will send me your address. I will send you a mailbox full of inspiration from my heart and art studio to you. Cool right?! So what are you waiting for? SIGN UP NOW

Would you like to share the love? If you sign up a friend for one more more days of summer camp I will send you BOTH a Brave Snail Mail Care Package!!! {Just make sure you note it's a gift for a friend in Note to Seller} This is for real! SIGN UP NOW

I am so looking forward to addressing a care package to you!

Leading With Your Heart

1/27/2016

Today I reminded myself of the peace and power of leading with your heart. I was able to walk away from an hour and a half long meeting/interview feeling full and content, and there is no guarantee that we will work together. {I am excited for possibility!}

How can I feel so good without any resolution?

I lead with my heart! I didn't try to have some great presentation prepped. I didn't plan out how I would answer imagined questions. I followed my heart as it lead the way.

Following one's heart takes LOTS of practice, and sometimes it feels REALLY scary. I'm still learning to embrace the uncertainty of it all. Over time it all becomes easier as authenticity and confidence and compassion and creativity lead the way.

Where in your life and work can you lead with your heart?

A Day of Inspiration and Action

1/11/2016

It's that time of year. It's cold. It's dark. The holidays are over, and our to do lists are LOOOOOONNNNNNGGGGG. This makes it difficult to do two things:

1. Feel inspired
2. Take action.

"Just let me stay in bed and procrastinate a little longer," might be our first thought.

And from this place it is so easy to spiral down into guilt and shame--which is just an ugly pit that can be difficult to escape.

So today I am inviting you and me to take action--maybe even mini, micro actions. Let's take little steps together to get our inspiration back and our action on track.

Let's start with inspiration:

Take a walk--even a quick one and look at trees. Here in Ohio there is a light blanket of snow that makes the trees look gorgeous. Breathe in the beauty of trees.
Scroll down through this site or another site for inspiration. Set the timer for just 15 minutes. This is inspiration, not a time sucker.
Choose to eat one meal that really nourishes you. It tastes good and it's good for you. Let this inspiration fuel you.
Be an observer of inspiration--just seek it out today.
Grab yourself a Brave Inspiration card deck
Do a fun activity for just a few minutes or a few hours--you decide.

An now for action:
{When you have lots to do the getting started part can be the biggest obstacle, so let's get started!}

Make a list of the 3 most important things for you to accomplish today. {I did NOT say 3 pages, just 3 things!}
Take the first step in doing the first thing on your list.
Solicit support for completing your list.
Stay focused, even when there are interruptions or roadblocks--3 Most Important Tasks

YOU HAVE THIS!

P.S. Tomorrow I'm going to ask you for some support. I hope you will be able to help me take action!

Heavy Heart?

10/22/2015

Dear Brave One,

Is your heart heavy today? It is a powerful thing to notice. You don't even need to know why or how to change it just notice it. Be with it.

I have several heart paperweights. I love them. They remind me of different times in my life. Of the ebb and flow. Of what matters most to me right here, right now.

You matter so much in your world. You are a gift to so many. Remember this. Honor this.

xo Brave Teacher Mim

P. S. I happened upon this quote yesterday. I hope it speaks to you the way it spoke to me:

“Sorrow prepares you for joy. It violently sweeps everything out of your house, so that new joy can find space to enter. It shakes the yellow leaves from the bough of your heart, so that fresh, green leaves can grow in their place. It pulls up the rotten roots, so that new roots hidden beneath have room to grow. Whatever sorrow shakes from your heart, far better things will take their place.”
― Rumi

P.P.S. Brave Teacher Tribe is an amazing growing movement for you--especially if your a person who resonates with this sort of thing. Sign up to receive email encouragement and inspiration right HERE.

Let's restore the fresh new teacher

10/19/2015

Restore, 11 x 14 acrylic on canvas $90

Do you remember when you were the fresh new teacher?

You were filled and overflowing with new ideas and enthusiasm.
You were going to make a difference in the life of every student.
You were going to change education for the better--at least in your little corner!

Do you remember how much you could not stand the snarky older teachers who tried to steal your enthusiasm and hope?

Today's question:
Are you more like the fresh teacher or the snarky veteran?
Who do you want to be?

I'm inviting you to restore your enthusiasm and hope. I want you to make a difference in the life of your students. I want to restore in you the fresh new teacher. We can liberate our spirit from the bureaucracy and experience that hold our spirits down. You, Brave Teacher, are so much more! Let's restore you!

Over the next few weeks you will see so many opportunities {many of them free and easy} to restore your vitality as a teacher and human being. Sign up now for Brave Teacher Tribe so you won't miss one bit of this amazing life affirming adventure.

You Can Do It

9/27/2015

Dear Brave and Amazing You,

You can do this! You've got it! It might even turn out better than you expect.

Let hope be your refuge as you take the next step.

Sending you courage and strength,
Brave Teacher Mim

Experience Grants the Soul Power

9/20/2015

A little over a month ago I reached out to the amazing Jen Lemen as my life took a radical turn and I was fighting fear at every turn. Even though I knew this was what I was meant to do, and I have not wavered on that point, I was scared. In the wisdom that only a lifetime of putting love out into the world and all the joy and suffering that brings she responded, ". . .whether it works out or not doesn't matter nearly as much as who you become and the power that grants your soul to make an impact." And she went on to say, "It's going to be better and worse than you think and in the end, no matter what, you will know love and true power."

This week I felt so tested as I gave the last several days to staying at home with a sick boy who wanted to cling to me. And as none of my plans were accomplished I felt more fear about money and insurance, and am I just crazy to think that schools should be caring for their teachers in a holistic way and teaching their staff to care for students in a holistic way, and is my art good enough, and that crazy spiral down into fear and self doubt. I felt rotten. I was not sitting in a place of acceptance.

But today is a new week! And I want those of you who are struggling today, that my thoughts are with you. This struggle is all part of the journey. You are at this very moment being filled with the love and power you will need so that your soul can and will make an impact.

I'm sending you buckets full of courage to keep going. This is all part of the plan. In the end you will know love and true power! I am hopeful for us all!

Light and Shadows

9/11/2015

Life is filled with all sorts of events. Some are filled with light. Some are filled with shadows. Most days are filled with both.

Today seems like an appropriate day to remember that on the days when shadows are long, it is best to have support. Community. Others to hold you up when you struggle to stand on your own.

Dear Brave Teachers,

If you're year is off to a rocky start, and you need some help holding on, please consider gifting yourself with a subscription to Brave Teachers Personalized Professional Development. By subscribing at the premium level you will have email access to coaching with me every day of the year. That means you can use my email box as your sounding board or ask for suggestions every single day, and I will give you the very best I have every day all year long. {Plus you receive the weekly newsletter from me!}

If you are wanting support around your students and classroom environment I recommend The Heart and Soul of the Classroom. If you are looking for full on encouragement and personal inspiration I recommend Teaching Young Minds Without Losing Yours.

I'm just waiting to offer YOU support!
Brave Teacher Mim

Want to improve today?

9/9/2015

Here is one secret. . .

Let your little light shine brightly and encourage others to shine their little lights.

You may be the only person who is not actively trying to extinguish your students' light. Remember that before the words and actions come out of you.

When we invite others to shine in our presence, we are brighter, too!

So go shine your light, and honor the light in others!

Teaching Children To Choose Kindness, Part 1

6/28/2015

When I think about what I really want to do with my life--how I want to be remembered--what mark I want to leave on the world, here is the one thing I know for sure:

I want to leave the world a kinder place.

{I feel like if this was a vlog or podcast we would break into "You may say I'm a dreamer. You're not the only one."}

It sounds so lofty, but really it is about being intentional and mindful and compassionate. Those are really very simple concepts. It is the ongoing practice of them in life that is difficult and therefore dismissed as lofty.

We must be taught these amazing aspects of human existence. We must practice and meet them like a stranger every day.

And so how do we teach children to choose kindness? I have lots of fun ideas, but I'm going to start with the most difficult one. We teach children kindness by treating them with kindness and respect and responding rather than reacting to them. {This is really difficult, people, but it's so worthy of us!}

The first step to responding rather than reacting is taking a moment to ask ourselves what is going on here before we say or do anything. Sometimes I have to walk away from the situation to do this! Just practice this step. The more I practice the easier it becomes and the clearer the needed response becomes.

It's also lovely to have our kids see us practice this with ourselves and other people.

The first step to teaching kids to choose kindness is to model with them responding instead of reacting!

Today I choose to respond
rather than react.

I am a beacon of kindness.

I treat myself with kindness