Author name: Rhapsody

Hi, I'm Rhapsody! I've been a teacher for 19 years, working mom for 10 years, and National Board Certified for 12 years. I hold a master's degree in Secondary English Education and am license to teach in two states. I am passionate about helping teachers find work-life balance without sacrificing their success or sanity.

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Causes of Overwhelm, Part 1: Unrealistic Expectations

If you are setting an impossibly high bar for yourself that can only be achieved by constantly overworking, then guess what you’ll end up doing…?

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my wrecked car

How Overworking Almost Killed Me

I was assumed dead–but God had other plans for me. The constant sleep deprivation finally caught up with me, and my body just said “NO.” My brain just shut itself down in self defense, ironically creating a life-threatening situation.  

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family of four walking at the street

7 tips for Intentional Parenting

When you’re in the survival period of parenting, it can be really tough to be an intentional parent. We all love our kids and want to do the best we can for them. Sometimes (many times) we are exhausted. Here’s a list of some of my personal intentional parenting non-negotiables: the things that I will pay attention to and do ON PURPOSE for my kids, no matter how tired I am. 

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minimalist room

De-Clutter to De-Stress: The Magic of Letting Go

When you feel like your life is out of control…take a look at your STUFF. Physical surroundings can have a profound impact on your emotional and mental state. I’ve found a balance between letting go of the control and having it firmly in hand. I know, that sounds paradoxical and impossible…but here’s how it plays out.

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Working a Summer Job? How to Refresh & Recharge WITHOUT Summers Off

Even though you are working and don’t have the full summer time off that some of your colleagues do, know that you are doing what you need to do for yourself at your season in life right now. Work with what you’ve got, enjoy it, be intentional, and guilt-free. 

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calendar spaces full of "busy"

How to make Vacation Enjoyable, not Exhausting

If your summer break is so jam-packed that you need a vacation from your vacation, this post is for you.

Summer has already begun for some of you, and for others, is so close you can taste it. How’s your calendar looking? If your summer calendar is already so packed with events that you barely have any white space on there…join the club.

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happy kids jumping into pool

Turn OFF “teacher mode” and Turn ON “summer mode”: How to Unwind!

If you’ve ever found it difficult to “come down” from the busy-ness of the school year once break begins, this post is for you.

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grayscale photo of road

How to Survive the Final Stretch

In the final weeks of school, it’s somewhat of a “magical” time…but not in a good way. Kids who are just waiting for summer break start to go off the wall and act out–so that even classes who have been well-behaved for most of the year sometimes go sideways in these last few weeks. What’s a teacher to do?

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Lost Your Job? What to Do When Teaching Breaks your Heart

When all the giving and self sacrifice of teaching is met with…nothing…or worse, rejection, the wound can run really deep. Read on for what to do when you’ve been let go: how to take care of yourself, process your emotions in a healthy way, and ultimately, move forward stronger.

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Lessen Your End-of-Year Stress: Start Early!

As the year winds down and you have about 1 million things to do before checking out for summer…here’s a quick list of suggestions to make that outro a little less stressful and a little more manageable. 

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