STRONG Teacher Newsletter

Letting the Leaves Fall

Like trees letting go of their leaves, teachers grow stronger when they release old stress, habits, and guilt to make room for renewal.

Photo by R. G / Unsplash

Here’s a quote, resource, and reflection to help you breathe, release, and refocus midweek.

Quote of the Week

“Everything has seasons, and we have to be able to recognize when something's time has passed and be able to move into the next season. Everything that is alive requires pruning as well, which is a great metaphor for endings.” — Dr. Henry Cloud

Resource: The Let-Go List

This week’s theme — Letting the Leaves Fall — reminds us that even growth has seasons.

In teaching and in life, we often hold on too tightly — to expectations, routines, and even old versions of ourselves.

But just as trees shed their leaves to survive winter, we need to let go of what no longer serves us so we can thrive when the next season comes.

Try this reflective exercise called The Let-Go List.

Take five quiet minutes and write down three things you’re ready to release this week.

They could be:

The lesson that didn’t go as planned.
The guilt of not having everything graded.
The pressure to always say “yes.”

Then, next to each one, write what you’ll make room for instead:

Curiosity instead of control.
Rest instead of rumination.
Compassion instead of criticism.

This isn’t just symbolic — it’s a form of psychological pruning.

Just as trees shed leaves to conserve energy, your brain naturally “prunes” thoughts and habits that no longer serve you.

Neuroscientists have found that we strengthen the connections we use often and let the others fade — making room for creativity, learning, and renewal.

By consciously letting go of what drains you, you’re actually helping your mind do what it’s designed to do: grow stronger through release.

Letting go isn’t quitting — it’s creating space for what matters most.

Now Repeat…

I release what no longer serves me. I trust the seasons of my life. Each ending makes space for something new to grow.

Journal Prompt

What’s one “leaf” you’re ready to let fall this week — a habit, thought, or expectation you no longer need to carry?

Book Spotlight

Necessary Endings by Dr. Henry Cloud

Explore why endings are not failures but natural, necessary parts of growth.

It’s a guide to knowing when to prune, when to persist, and how to move forward with clarity and peace — in work, relationships, and personal growth.

👉 Buy on Bookshop.org | Buy on Amazon | Book Spotlight Archive

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Remember

The trees don’t panic when their leaves fall — they trust the process. Maybe we can too. Because every time we let go of what’s finished, we make room for what’s next.