Because we're well into the new year ... 2018, what will it hold?! But ... we're halfway through our school year ... 2017 – 2018.

Oh, the memories we share already!

So, while our personal brains might be congratulating ourselves for rocking those new year's resolutions (or kicking ourselves for ditching them already), our professional brains are in the thick of it.

The thick of it.

And for many of us, we're in the thick of winter to boot. And it's so dark. Why is it so dark?!

In truth, this time of year can feel tough. And even though we're halfway through the school year, the end of the line can be buried under the swirling and whirling of programming madness. The end of the line isn't the only thing buried ... sometimes we can feel buried.

But ... it's actually a new year.

It is.

So maybe we can take a new-year approach to our mid-year blues. Consider it a re-start.

Ask yourself:

• What were you most excited to implement this year as you headed into August/September? What could you do to re-energize that?
  
  
• What did you do for your space to kick off the school year that signified a new beginning? How could you update that now to indicate a re-start?
  
  
• What's an idea you had last fall that got left behind? Maybe now is the time to try again?
  
  
• What excited your students the most about your programming when it kicked off last fall? Does it still excite them? If not, what can you create that would re-ignite that excitement in them?
  
  
• What could you do for your staff that would re-fill their buckets—give them a glimpse of the finish line?
  
  
• How could you bring a taste of summer to your programs today?
  
  
• What conversations have you been putting off since October, and how could you start them today?

The list goes on ... but you see my point. In the midst of the middle, there is the opportunity for beginning.

What can you begin?

Currently a speaker, author, educator, blogger and mother, Erika Petrelli has been in the field of education for more than 15 years. She currently exercises her dynamic education experience as Senior Vice President of Leadership Development and self-proclaimed Minister of Mischief at The Leadership Program.

Erika Petrelli is a keynote speaker for NAA18. Learn more about her on our keynote page.