Ah summer...

The carpool line is empty.

The hallways are quiet.

It's time to finally get some uninterrupted planning done for next year!

I remember what that felt like as a school leader. The sun was shining, I was rolling into work in shorts at a leisurely 9am, and life was good.

I knew that nothing was going to go wrong.

No teacher's cars getting broken into.

No kids with broken arms on the playground.

Not even any classroom observations to complete or behavior incidents to investigate.

Just peaceful, quiet, worktime. 

Sounds dreamy doesn't it?

The typical school day during the year is a rollercoaster of emotions and physical responses for leaders. Many of us spend the whole day in a state of fight-or-flight as we scan the environment for threats, position ourselves and our teams to defeat them, and respond to unexpected situations.

Bus running late? No problem, I'll make an announcement and extend breakfast time.

Upset teacher? Easy. Pause, listen, empathize, and problem solve.

IEP meeting getting tense? I got it. Smooth things over with the parents,  reiterate how much we care, redirect the conversation to neutral territory.

And on...

And on...

And on...

And here's the thing... our bodies aren't wired to stay in constant fight or flight mode like this.

That's why leaders burnout.

Or we snap at colleagues.

Or we snap at our families.

Or we take the easy way out and avoid problems rather than addressing them.

Because our bodies are overwhelmed and exhausted.

Sound like you?

If you're not sure, here's the secret to making the most of your summer: see if your body relaxes during these weeks.

Noticing your body, or somatic awareness, is key piece of leadership that doesn't get enough attention.

Because **here's the truth** that nobody talks about... Teachers, kids, parents... they're all feeding off and replicating your energy as a leader. If your heart is racing and you're breathing shallow, all the other humans around you are too.

So notice your breathing this summer.

Notice the pace of your steps as you move down the hallway.

Close your eyes, put a hand on your chest and tune in to your own heartbeat for a few seconds.

This slower, more regulated version of you is the better version.

THIS is your baseline.

This is the state you should be striving to return to throughout the year and throughout the school day.

Chances are, your body is sending you signals during the school days, trying to reroute you to the natural pace you were meant for: the regulated, calm powerful pace you take in summer. The signals your body sends you are the sweaty palms, the upset tummy, the racing heart, the pit in the stomach and the brain fog.

During the school year when your body sends you these messages, it is saying, "SLOW DOWN."

If you're able to return to this baseline even on your busiest, most rollercoaster-ish days, you'll make better decisions, lead more intentionally, and create deeper, more long-lasting change for your students and staff. 

Take a minute and check in with your body.

What does your summer baseline feel like?

Jot it down what you notice on a post-it.

Put that post-it on your laptop.

Save it for a busy fall day when you're overwhelmed and need a reminder that there is a slower, more purposeful way to move through the world, even when everyone wants you to hurry up.

Share this summer secret with your colleagues on LinkedIn and tag @MindfulLeaderCoaching so we can all see your post-it! :)

Have a great summer,