After An Exhausting School Day

For the days that ask too much of you. This guided meditation helps teachers release the noise, heaviness, and tension of a long school day so they can restore their energy and head into the rest of the evening feeling lighter and more at ease. The beautiful imagery provides a way to picture how to mentally release some of the exhausting events of the day.

Part of the Radical Rest for Teachers collection, this practice was created specifically for educators.

Perfect for: classroom teachers, educators, instructional coaches, school staff, after school, after a difficult day, teacher burnout, emotional exhaustion, teacher wellness, teacher self-care, mindfulness for teachers, releasing stress, nervous system reset, transitioning from work to home, and end-of-day recovery.

Background Music By: Music of Wisdom, "Deep Into Nature"

Transcript

Hi there, My amazing teacher friend. You're here because today asked a lot of you. Teaching asks so much of us every day, But today, Today felt particularly exhausting. Maybe you worked straight through your lunch, Or you stayed late after school and still feel like there's so much left undone. Or maybe the student needs were so constant and demanding that you're completely maxed out. If you hit play on this meditation while you're still at school, You're welcome to sit in a chair. Or if that grungy floor is looking way too inviting, You're welcome to stretch out on the carpet or tile. I've totally done that on extra taxing days too, So no judgment from this girl. If you're listening after school at home, I encourage you to lay down. Get comfortable, And really let yourself rest. Let's begin with a few slow breaths, Simply checking in with your body and giving yourself permission to just be for a moment. There's nothing you need to fix or accomplish right now. Just be here with your breath. Let's inhale in through the nose. And exhale out the mouth. Again, Breathe more deeply through the nose. And exhale through the mouth. One more time, Big breath in. And blow out all your air. Notice how simply focusing on your breath already starts to loosen some of the tension in your muscles. That one small act of noticing your own breath can create the biggest shift. Now we'll take a moment to imagine. In your mind's eye, Picture all the hectic energy and activity of the day rising off of you. Like steam or mist. Lifting and dissolving into the air. With every inhale and exhale. You release just a little bit more. There's no need to replay your day or analyze what you should let go of. Just feel it or trust that it is lifting and releasing. Dissolving. The fatigue, The frustrating moments. The whirlwind of noise and emotion. All of it rises off your body and dissolves into nothingness. Breathe in. Breathe out. By choosing to pause, To breathe. To rest. You're already releasing the weight of the day. With every breath, The heaviness falls away. Just as sunlight lifts steam from wet pavement, Imagine that same light shining on you. Transforming everything heavy into a brilliant, Peaceful glow. For the next few moments. Let the music guide you as you stay with your breath. You might continue picturing that sunlight. Everything heavy, Rising into mist. Then turning into a brilliant glow. Now bring your awareness back to your body. Notice your breath. Notice the surface beneath you. Take a moment to simply observe how you're feeling right now. There's no right or wrong answer. Just notice what you notice. If you had rushed straight into the next part of your evening, You might have carried all that weight with you. Instead, You took a few minutes to breathe. To pause. To release. And you don't have to feel completely different for this time to have mattered. Sometimes even the smallest shift can change the way an evening unfolds. Rest well this evening, Teacher friend. I'll be right here whenever you need another moment to breathe.