Meditation helped me through the most stressful year of my life

I really struggled at work and found I couldn't switch off. I would be out running, having dinner with the family, out with friends, falling asleep at night and instead of having "me time" I'd be thinking about planning, marking, assessment, the children's targets, my targets, observations, Ofsted etc. My to-do list was never ending and I just couldn't cope. I made the decision that the school I was at just wasn't for me, so quit and got a new teaching job. When I broke up for the summer I started to get worried about changing schools. Surely I would still have the same pressure, stress and worries.

I spoke to my mum about this and she suggested doing some meditation to help. The thought of spending just 10 minutes alone with myself wasn't very appealing. However, one morning I bit the bullet and did my first 10 minutes of meditation. I came away feeling so calm and ready to face the day with enthusiasm in a way I hadn't in ages. I've now been completing the Headspace challenge for 35 days and swear by it.

The time I have spent on self-reflection as a result of Headspace has really made me want to live in the here and now and not think about things I should have done or things I have to do. It's given me more confidence and definitely made me like myself more. I'm so excited to start my new job and meet my new class. I am going to change the way I work and not get bogged down in the negativity my profession can sometimes bring. Instead I'm going to think about how I work, be more organized and teach with the confidence of knowing that I can do this. So thank you Headspace. That 10 minutes a day you give me has made me a much happier and healthier me. It may have also saved my career, but only time will tell on that! One thing I can be sure of though is that I will definitely be completing my Headspace sessions everyday from now on, even on those observation mornings when time is precious and runs out fast!