The alarm goes off. You hit snooze. Twice. Maybe three times. Then you finally roll out of bed, already negotiating with yourself about whether dry shampoo counts as “trying.”
You get to school, coffee in hand, and the copier is jammed. A student forgot their homework, another forgot their shoes (somehow), and the email you just opened says “urgent.” By 8:15 a.m., you’ve already made about 20 tiny decisions, most of which fall into one category:
Do I let this make me crumble . . . or can I choose to stay steady?
That’s the real work of mental toughness. It’s not the big heroic moments, it’s the small, everyday ones. It’s choosing patience when a lesson goes sideways. It’s choosing kindness when you’d rather sigh. It’s choosing to show up, again and again, even when you’re tired, stretched, or just plain over it.
Teaching has a way of testing us daily. But it also gives us the chance, over and over, to decide what kind of energy we bring into the room. Toughness doesn’t mean never feeling frustrated or overwhelmed. It means acknowledging those feelings, taking a deep breath, and choosing strength anyway.
So when your alarm goes off tomorrow, or the copier jams (again), or your students come in with more energy than the coffee you just finished—remember: Every moment is a choice.
You don’t have to be perfect. Just persistent. Because the truth is, the toughest teachers aren’t the loudest. They’re the ones who keep showing up with heart, even when it’s hard.
This article might be missing links that were included at the time of publication.
