Therapeutic Thursday and Freebie Friday

OK, I know it's Friday and I missed Therapeutic Thursday, so I thought I'd combine the two. First for the therapy. Teaching is hard, and substitute teaching can be even harder in many ways. It is very important that you remember to take time for yourself to decompress and remind yourself of the positives.

Here are some things I do:

• Focus on my own family. I have a supportive husband and delightful children, so when I need to be uplifted, I look to them. They always can make me laugh, give me a hug, or listen to me whine.

• Food and drink. I know, it's not the healthiest of responses... chocolate and wine. But, a good ooey gooey chocolate dessert will do wonder to lift my mood. And a glass of wine in the evening always helps take the edge off and help me relax.

• Focus on the positive. I keep a gratitude journal and try to write in it every evening. I try to list at least five positive things about each day. Sometimes, I have to reach to come up with a positive, but I promise they can always be found. One day I had to reach so far as to write, "I am thankful that the puddle of water I just stepped in was not a dog mess." Ha! It was true, though.

• Soaking in a bubble bath. I a bath kind of girl. Running a hot bath full of coconut-scented bubbles and reading a good book does wonders.

• Getting enough rest. This can be a hard one sometimes too, but I promise that being tired obscures your perspective. It is truly amazing what a good night's sleep can do for your spirits.

• Having a good cry. Sometimes you just have to let it out.

• Quote mongering. I love to read quotes. Somehow, they let me know that I am not alone in what I am feeling. Here is one of my all time favorties (I have even turned the "dance in the rain" part into my mantra):

Now, for the freebie part. Yay! Those of you who have been following me for a while know that I love to post freebies! Just take a look in my Teachers Pay Teachers store under the FREE category to find 18 (and growing) products for free. Sub plans for grade K-5, a gingerbread unit for the holidays, and plenty of other holiday and other activities. So, go grab all your free stuff and enjoy!

To find plenty of other freebies or link up a post yourself, visit Blog Hoppin'.