Great Blog Kimberly!  I totally agree....  I always try to make time for myself and consider it part of my day just like any other part.

Jane Webby

I really enjoyed reading your post Kimberly.  I think this is something we can easily neglect in our lives.  Teaching has the potential to take up so much of our time and energy that we forget about making time for ourselves.  Your advice to include other people is very true.  At my school the teachers go out for dinner or drinks every Friday after work.  It is a very helpful was to reduce stress and end the week on a positive note.  
Finally, I also liked how you added humor to your post with the underwater basket weaving ;)

I really enjoyed reading your post Kimberly.  I think this is something we can easily neglect in our lives.  Teaching has the potential to take up so much of our time and energy that we forget about making time for ourselves.  Your advice to include other people is very true.  At my school the teachers go out for dinner or drinks every Friday after work.  It is a very helpful was to reduce stress and end the week on a positive note.  
Finally, I also liked how you added humor to your post with the underwater basket weaving ;)
Nicole Ruzycki

I really enjoyed reading your post Kimberly.  I think this is something we can easily neglect in our lives.  Teaching has the potential to take up so much of our time and energy that we forget about making time for ourselves.  Your advice to include other people is very true.  At my school the teachers go out for dinner or drinks every Friday after work.  It is a very helpful was to reduce stress and end the week on a positive note.  
I also liked how you added humor to your post with the underwater basket weaving ;)
Nicole Ruzycki

Sorry for the multiple comment posts.  My computer kept freezing and I was not aware that they all went through!  
Nicole 

I agree with your recommendations.  Without balance and an outlet, teachers are sure to get overwhelmed and experience “burn-out.”  We should never be totally wrapped-up in or completely indulged in anything that causes our self-identity to dissipate.  In my opinion, any career that negatively changes our “self-concept,” regarding how we see ourselves should be immediately examined.   

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Teresa Rowe

       I agree with your recommendations.  Without balance and an outlet, teachers are sure to get overwhelmed and experience “burn-out.”  We should never be totally wrapped-up in or completely indulged in anything that causes our self-identity to dissipate.  In my opinion, any career that negatively changes our “self-concept,” regarding how we see ourselves should be immediately examined.   

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                                                                          Teresa Rowe

Kim -
We all really need outside interests that give us something other than vacations to look forward to.  They can also be activities that we bring up in class so that our students see that we have "a life" outside of the classroom.  I can't tell you how many looks I get from my students when I tell them I'm going to a concert.
Debora Brown Summer 2011

Nice Post Kim! I always thought that I had I had a busy life outside of school, but I realized about a year ago that none of the things that I was keeping busy with was really just for me. I recently started taking yoga and love that it is one thing, just for me, that no one else is depending on me to do. Lauren Kowalski

"Make time for yourself or your will lose who you are."

Kim, your last sentence struck a particular chord with me. It's amazing how quickly and silently little pieces of ourselves can be chipped away. I am one who tends to throw my all behind what I am most involved in at the time and that thing tends to not only become my life, but CONSUME my life. It's also as though I don't really have a choice with regards to WHAT takes over my focus. Being more cognizant of the other components of my life and my personality is something I certainly need to do. Thanks for the advice! Kristin Syverson