Shoe Personality of the Week: 04/19/10

Aside from the fact that this sandal is a Jimmy Choo, everything about it is easily attainable. I’ve attained it in several ways in my shoe collection over the years. Easily attainable is the point.

This sandal is representative of the reward awaiting me at the end of this week. A cruise ship will carry me [& my family] away to a sun and sand rejuvenation session in honor of my grandmother’s 80th birthday [YAY GRANDMOMMY]. My excitement isn’t containable, like my toes won’t be in this sandal.

This trip is layered for me. I have gotten over the guilt I once carried for taking days off to regroup; you know, the mental health day. These days should be taken BEFORE you snap, not because you have snapped. The rap for teachers is that we should be present EVERY day because we get summers off. In theory. I have purposely NOT worked the last 2 summers and I won’t have a job this summer either. But in order to maintain your certification, you MUST take a certain number of courses (90 hours to be exact) per 5-year period. That means classes during the school year for some, or courses during the summer. Normally, I take them during the school year, this summer I’ll be in class. The other thing about taking time off as a teacher is that it’s easier to show up for work than it is to prepare for an outsider to come in and do your job. Sub-prep is excruciating, trying to keep the work relevant and engaging for your class but not so much work that the sub pushes your plans aside in favor of all day minimally supervised gaming. The teacher returns to his/her classroom to what looks like a crime scene or a tornado, or maybe a tornado committed a crime in there. It’s bad. This year, I have no classroom, so it’s easier for me to get over that mental hurdle.

The last 2 years found me not taking care of myself. I haven’t spoken about self-care here in a while, but it’s important to me. I have to do better at it. My diet’s good, my exercise tends to be better than most-with room for improvement, and I am religious about at least 7 hours of sleep. Slowing down is my problem. It takes a stress-induced illness to lay me on my ass, literally, in order for me to STOP moving. I’ve even been busted in my home, sick, grading papers when I should clearly be vegetating and allowing my body the rest it needs to recover. This trip, that will require me to wear some version of this sandal everyday, is a long overdue break in time where I will be completely unable to devote any mental or physical energy to my job.

When’s the last time you took such a break?

Even if it’s just taking a day trip with a picnic basket to your semi-local nature reserve…maybe checking in to a B&B off a highway exit at least 30 minutes away from your home…taking up space on the sofa of a friend…home or spa pampering…whatever it takes for you to relax and disconnect from your family, friends, even yourself –MAKE IT HAPPEN! Book a Window Seat and disappear from it all. I have, and I am.

Watch me move.