Dreading January?

Not sure how to support clients to return from break?

This one's for you.

Hello, friends, and welcome to the Bride Morning podcast.

I'm your host, Elena Aguilar.

And in each podcast episode, you will learn how you can lead conversations that build connection and spark change.

Today, we're asking, what if they don't want to come back from break?

You've probably heard it, or maybe you've felt it yourself, that dread before returning from winter break. The questioning, the exhaustion

that feels like it will never let up, the wondering, can I really keep doing this?

In this episode, we're talking about how to support clients through the emotional terrain of returning to school in January and how to help them reconnect with hope, purpose, and possibility.

So here's the root of this pain point. January can be deceiving. It feels like a fresh start, but for many educators, it's one of the

hardest times of the year. Coming back from break can trigger burnout, resentment, doubt about

whether this work is sustainable. And if we don't name those feelings and support people through them, then we risk losing them.

Not just emotionally, but sometimes literally.

Here is a common trap to be aware of.

We often dive into January with urgency, new units, data meetings,

second semester goals. But if we don't first reconnect with our clients' humanity,

with their feelings, their fears, their hopes, none of that other stuff will stick.

What people need in January is not just a plan.

They need to be reminded why they stay.

Here's what this looks like in action.

Some years back, I coached a veteran teacher, I'll call her Angela,

...