How Prioritizing My Wellness Changed Everything (and Why I Created Mindfully Radiant)

Teaching has always been more than just a job—it’s a calling. But over time, the stress, long hours, and emotional toll can wear us down. I know this because I’ve been there.

In 2019, I was a 25-year veteran teacher, exhausted and running on fumes. I loved my students, but I was pouring from an empty cup. I thought if I worked harder, fixed my school culture, or created more engaging lessons, I’d feel better.

But I was wrong.

What truly changed everything wasn’t altering my surroundings—it was taking care of myself first. This is my story, and it’s the reason I created Mindfully Radiant: to help other educators reclaim their energy, joy, and radiance.

"Instead of focusing my energy on changing my environment, I focused on changing myself—and it changed everything."

In the fall of 2019, my last-period class drained me so much that I felt like I needed either a nap or a drink just to get through the day. Then came COVID, and the isolation and uncertainty that followed. What stunned me most was how little we heard about true wellness. Liquor stores were open, but no one was talking about getting outside, moving our bodies, or eating foods that supported immunity.

During this time, my mom’s Alzheimer’s worsened. My dad sheltered her out of love, but that lack of socialization seemed to speed her decline. She passed in the spring of 2021, and I realized I needed to take my own wellness seriously—for myself and my family.

I began exercising regularly, losing the COVID weight, and eating for brain and body health. I saw a functional medicine doctor to reduce inflammation, and around that time, I discovered the Health Coach Institute and became certified in health and wellness coaching.

As I focused on myself, I noticed a change not just in my health, but in my teaching. Even though my school culture felt more isolating and toxic than ever, I became more energized and empowered. I realized my efforts to “fix” school culture—serving on district committees, as department chair, and even as the social chair organizing happy hours and retirement dinners—weren’t moving the needle. I shifted my energy inward. I joined F45, began lifting weights, and worked on my mindset. That’s when everything changed.

By 2023, I was in my best shape physically and mentally. With that clarity and confidence, we sold our house, left my 25-year teaching career and the New York pension system behind, and started a brand-new chapter.

The biggest shift didn’t come from fixing my school—it came from fixing myself. If I hadn’t prioritized my own wellness first, I never would have had the courage or clarity to make such life-changing decisions.

If you’ve ever felt burned out, stuck, or like your environment is draining you, I want you to hear this: you are not powerless.

You don’t have to wait for your school culture to change. You don’t have to stay in survival mode. The biggest transformations happen when we start nourishing our own minds, bodies, and spirits.

That’s why I created Mindfully Radiant: a space for educators to find tools, practical resources, and encouragement to thrive—not just survive.

👉 Ready to take the first step?
This month’s theme is Intentional Start, and we’re sharing our entire August resources for free to help you ease into the school year with energy and clarity.

✨ Grab Your Free Intentional Start Resources Here »

✨ Coming Soon! Transformational coaching designed to help you create lasting change, beginning with a complimentary 🎁 20-minute session to spark your journey.

Because when you take care of yourself first, life flows with more clarity, confidence, and radiance✨!