As I sit quietly in my living room with my feet crossed on the table, a cup of tea warm and steamy beside me, I’m finally able to exhale and reflect on how these days seem to pass so very quickly. Two years ago, I became a mother to the most beautiful little girl, and now it only goes quicker. [wp-svg-icons icon=”busy” wrap=”i”]Truthfully, I try very hard to live each day in a very thankful way. As many of us are, I am constantly reminded of how thankful I am for my husband, our daughter, our parents, our new home, our good jobs.

But if I’m going to be deeply honest, how often am I specifically thankful for classroom life? The things that only we lucky ones get to experience? There are many days when I leave exhausted, work some more at home, and return the next day to do it all over again. Teachers deeply give of ourselves each and every day, and sometimes we forget to be mindful of the lives we are lucky enough to touch.

If you have seven minutes to spare, watch this video on the science of happiness:

Trust me, it’s worth it. In a nutshell, scientists have been able to prove that we are happier when we are thankful. That resonates with me. In a go, go, go classroom setting, with an ever-changing curriculum, driven in no small part by testing and scores, I believe that one easy way to endure is to simply be more thankful. To take time each day or week or month, to remember the smiles, the hugs, the high-fives, the lightbulb moments, the times we’re so proud, and reflect.

At Powerhouse Education, we strive to incorporate best practices into our teaching each and every day, believing that they are critical for the successes of our students. Equally critical is the best practice of having happy, in-the-moment teachers. What’s one way to be a happier teacher? Simply to be more thankful. Don’t take my word for it – it’s science! [wp-svg-icons icon=”lab” wrap=”i”]