I find the beginning of the school year to be quite a dichotomy.  On one hand everything is new and fresh and clean.  On the other hand the the starter pistol goes off and everyone is sprinting, even though the school year is really a marathon.

It's so easy to lose focus and that calm and stability you promised yourself you would maintain this year.  When I'm not sure where the path is going, I find affirmations to be a simple and powerful tool.  Short sweet reminders of who you are and what you want to be that gently illuminate the path.


Starting on August 15, I will be emailing a pdf to everyone who signs up HERE.  It will be a daily love note from me to you.  I hope you will honor me by permitting me to share a bit of magic at the start of this school year with you!

May you recognize that all the strength you need
for the challenges ahead
are at your disposal.

May you use your strength
with confidence and grace.

May your strength inspire others
to grab hold of their own strength
and never let go.

Dear Strong and Brave One,

Wishing you a strong and hopeful week.  Keep your chin and confidence up.  You are capable of so much more than you imagine.

With fondness,
Brave Mim

P.S.  The painting is just a week old.  It is "Hollyhocks By The Lake."  It's 20 x 16 , and it's $145.  Email me if you're interested in it!

This weekend I was able to spend about 20 hours painting, resting, and walking by the lake without commitments to anyone else.  It was so easy to be mindful and present and unrushed--letting the rhythm of life unfold without forcing.

I thought about how that blissful experience was the opposite for me of running a classroom.  There are so many factors that make that sort of experience difficult in the classroom, but on the other side there are so many ways to bring simple practices of mindfulness into the classroom to make it flow more often.  

That's exactly what this week's Summer Camp for Teachers is all about.  It's a wonderful opportunity to explore practices for yourself so that you can reflect more of what you want to see. If this sounds like something for you SIGN UP HERE.

If this sounds like something you would like to bring to your school or even a group of your teacher friends, email me about customized professional and personal development.

I'm excited for this week at Summer Camp for Teachers.  This is the week when you get to put together a plan for developing and managing the social and emotional components of your classroom--the foundation of everything else you will do this school year.  It's huge stuff that is almost completely ignored, and so we then pay for the weak foundation with behavior issues, low student motivation, and high teacher frustration.

You will walk away with a plan that feels right to you for the first day, first week, and first month of the year.  I don't have anyone signed up YET, so you will get about 3 hours of my time completely devoted to you or you and a couple others for just $50.  This might be the steal of the summer--even better than 25 cent crayons and 10 cent notebooks!

SIGN UP now, because registration is officially closed when I wake up on Tuesday morning and check for sign ups!

I can't wait to help you build that bridge to the heart and soul of your classroom.  I mean that so sincerely, because i know how powerful it will be.

Have you ever wanted to dip your toe in the pool of yoga and mindfulness with your students?  Are you looking for another tool to add to your classroom management repetoire?  I have a great easy to use tool that has worked with hundreds of students that I have personally instructed.  They are called Yoga Story Scripts. 

Yoga Story Scripts are original stories designed to take students through a series of postures in a fun and engaging way. These are great for helping students gain more body awareness flexibility, controlled body movement and focus. It gives children a fun way to notice their breath and reduce anxiety. Yoga Story Scripts also give students the opportunity to practice listening skills. The stories give students more exposure to a mindful yoga practice.

​
To try just one, grab A Walk In The Meadow, a single story, for just $2 at my TpT shop.

or

Try out a 5 story set-- Seasons, Nature, and Imagination. for $7.50 at TpT

Yoga Story Scripts: Seasons, Nature, and Imagination, Volume 1, includes five unique original Yoga Story Scripts to give your students more exposure to a mindful yoga practice. Yoga can improve, flexibility, strength, focus, body awareness, and self confidence, while reducing stress and anxiety, among other benefits. This set includes these Yoga Story Scripts: Walk in a Winter Wonderland, Walk in the Rainforest, On the Hunt for Pirates, Walk Along the Beach, and Relaxing Robot{Corpse Pose for Kids}. There is also a bonus script: Suggestions for Warm Up or Cool Down that can be used first thing in the morning, after recess, before a test, or at the end of the day.

If you have any questions, feel free to email me!

A while back I used to offer a Sunday blessing here.  I've missed it!  So. . .

May the warmth of the sun
Ignite a spark of loving compassion
in your heart.

May the spark of compassion
burst into an
all consuming storm
of loving kindness.

May the storm of loving kindness
impact your heart and life first
and
then
expand to everyone
and everything
that you impact.

Blessings on your week!

P.S.  If you are planning to come to Making Magic Summer Camp this week, please sign up by Monday, June 27, so that I can prepare everything for our delightful experience together.  {This week's theme is Planning for the Best School Year Ever.  You also receive a bonus online course I did a few summers ago!}

I'm so excited to offer Making Magic:  Summer Camp for Brave Teachers!
It does for your heart something similar to the feeling of sand between toes and the sound of waves does for the body.  That deep release.  A deep soulful sigh.

What's the first session all about?

Making Magic Lesson 1:  The Art and Soul of a Brave Teacher
June 22, Yoga 6 - 7, Workshop 7:15 - 9:30 
You will make a journal, do some thinking and writing, and plan an inspiration board.  You will take home a booklet of journal prompts, a journal, relaxation tools, and an inspiration board.

You've been meaning to sign up, but you just haven't gotten around to it.

SIGN UP HERE NOW

The final deadline is when you go to bed on Monday, June 20.
{When I wake up on Tuesday I will check to see how many supplies I still need}

I'm looking forward to supporting you in Making Magic!

​I can remember so many times when I heard about a workshop, class, or special event that was coming up, and my heart whispered yes while the rest of me hesitated.

The hesitation brought up lots of questions swirled in with fear:  What if it really isn't for me?  What if it isn't worth the time?  What if it isn't worth the money?  What if it's not what I expect?  What if, what if, what if???!!!

I can say in all honesty that everything that my heart every whispered yes to was always worth it.  Sometimes it was different than I expected.  I have attended many classes alone, but I wan't lonely.  It was exactly what I needed at the time, even when I didn't know it.

The heart knows!

You are thinking about attending Making Magic:  Summer Camp for Teachers.  

Common, y'all!  
It's camp!  
It's magic!
It's fun!

You will be supported and cared for by me.  This is a passion for me.  I want to give you some great tools for thriving in your life.  It's going to be simple and lovely, and I know it will be worth.  It's going to be the thing you are talking about and recounting when school starts up again in August.

​What are you waiting for?

Just take a minute and sign up now! 

 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!