In truth, this will be a difficult post for me to write. I am hoping that this cathartic exploration into my own battle, and eventual acceptance of my anxiety will help you if you find your self in similar situations.

How anxiety impacts my daily teacher life:

• sleepless nights

• Sunday scaries

• Perfection in planning at the expense of family free time and sanity.

• Stress/anxious reactions in meetings and with colleagues. (More on this later.)

• Becoming overwhelmed in new situations.

• Quick to anger when work is added to my plate… er, platter.

• Panic before, during, and after teacher observations.

• Parent emails plaguing my thoughts in constant replay, hours and even days, later.

• And, one particular case, a full-blown panic attack after a particularly nasty parent email.