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What to do When You Feel Like a Failure, The Coaching Podcast, Ep. 11

When you ask instructional coaches how they feel, you get some pretty depressing answers. "Lonely", "frustrated", and "overwhelmed," are common, but so is "I feel like a failure." That is such a terrible feeling! If you're feeling like a failure, just know that we've all been there. We've all felt like we're spinning our wheels, trying to motivate ourselves to solve the same problems and work with the same challenging teachers, year after year. Instead of wallowing in despair, listen in to these nine strategies that you can use to stop feeling like a failure. Because we're all learning how to do the tough work of coaching, and you're not a failure. Frustrated. Lonely. Unsure. Bummed. Defeated. Ineffective.  Overworked. Overwhelmed. How often have you used these words to describe how you’re feeling about your coaching work? I know I have.
Coaching is hard and it brings out all sorts of emotions. Even though you might be feeling down, there are ways to boost yourself up when you are feeling like a failure.

#1 Plan It Out

A big reason you might be feeling stressed and bummed is because we simply spread ourselves too thin as coaches. There are so many things we have to do that being overwhelmed is sometimes just part of the job. To combat these feelings there are a few things you can do:

1. Come up with three goals you want to accomplish this year on your campus.
2. Write down everything you have to do on your calendar. These are things you have zero control over. Do this on Friday afternoon or Monday morning so you know what your week is going to look like ahead of time.

3. Look at your discretionary time. Plug in your goals at least once a week. If you know where you’re headed and you actually take the time to do that work, you will feel more effective in your coaching work!

If you’re unsure what kind of goal you want to set or maybe you’re not sure what those “have to dos” truly are, tune into Buzzing with Ms. B Episode 11 for some helpful hints.

#2 Count Your Impacts

This is a lot like counting those blessings but with a twist. When you’re feeling down, think about a teacher that you’ve made a big impact on. Then, write down all of the wins you have had with that teacher and those students. When you are feeling down, check them out and remind yourself why you coach.

#3 Step Into Positivity

Do you need a quick pick-me-up? One of the best ways to get yourself into a great mood is to visit a great classroom. Choose a classroom that you really, truly enjoy and step inside for a while. When you get there, tell the teacher and students that you just want to see some great kids doing some awesome learning. This will not only make you feel great, but it will make the teacher and the students feel great as well.

Feeling down is never good. As a coach, your plate is full, but you need to take care of your mental health. A healthy coach is a happy coach after all. There are so many ways to boost yourself up when you are feeling like what you’re doing is not enough. I have six more amazing tips just for you! All you need to do is tune into Buzzing with Ms. B Episode 11 to hear them all.

Do you have a coaching community? We all need one. We need someone who understands the challenging, emotionally and mentally exhausting work we do. That’s why Nicole S. Turner of Simply Coaching + Teaching and I created Coffee & Coaching: the Membership.
This is a one-stop shop! With this membership you have access to coaching instructional videos that teach you how to do the work of coaching, along with a community of coaches who get it. Check it out and put yourself on the road to happy coaching! You’ll be glad you did.
http://www.coffeeandcoachingmembership.com/
Ready for the how-to? Listen here, or subscribe anywhere you listen to podcasts: Apple Podcasts, Stitcher, Google Play, and Spotify! Direct Link for Apple: https://apple.co/31bUNdN 
Ready to learn more?

Thank you for listening to Buzzing with Ms. B: the Coaching Podcast. Want more coaching ideas? Check me out at buzzingwithmsb.com and on Instagram @buzzingwithmsb. If you love the show, share it with a coach who would love it too, or leave me a review! It’s free and it helps others find this show, too. Happy coaching!
Podcast produced by Fernie Ceniceros of Crowd & Town Creative

 
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