I read today’s WEGO Health Activist Writer’s Month Challenge post as a couple of different tasks. The first is to write about burnout and what it feels like and/or the second is to write about what gets you OUT of the pit of despair, when nothing is going your way.

Yvonne at Considering the Lilies wrote two awesome pieces about workplace bullying and burnout at work that captured the pain I experienced myself during the 2010-11 school year. I was in a toxic work environment and as much as I wanted to stay for the kids, the best thing for me was to get out. The situation stole my soul for awhile and sent me into quite a funk, but I got out and for the most part have moved on. I don’t like that I still have bitterness about the situation, but with time has come healing.

So, that leads to the second task which is to write about what gets me out of the pit of despair. This past week, at my monthly support group, we had a special guest speaker who made a presentation about the helpfulness of meditation. She had us share any tools we used to deal with stress/conflict/depression. I thought it was interesting that many of the tools that ended up being suggested were ones that I have been introduced to previously. Even meditation. I remembered first being introduced to it by Mr. Bersh at 6th grade camp 30 years ago!

Anyway, as a seasoned teacher, I have a tool bag of resources that I can use, the tricks of my trade.  I thought it wouldn’t hurt to compile a list of my coping resources.  Here are a few of my favorite tools that I have found useful in dealing with my trials and tribulations.

My Bag of Stress/Depression Dealin’ Resources

•journaling

•talking on the phone with my sister

•swimming

•going to dinner with a close friend

•golfing (there’s nothing like focusing your angst & directing

that energy into hitting a golf ball)

•reading a good escapist novel

•photography

•research

•taking care of my plants

•baking–and sharing the results

•going to the movies

•a nice glass (or two) of red wine

•walking

•backpacking with Terry

•sailing

•downhill skiing

•therapy

•shopping

•drawing

•kayaking

•support group

•Aikido

•emailing a friend

•Skyping

•Writing down 3 positives each day