What To Do With The Year You Just Had
From Change Starts Here by Franklin Covey Education
May 27, 2026 · 22 min
About this episode
The episode discusses how educators can transition out of a demanding school year and emphasizes the importance of emotional well-being in leadership.
In this episode of Change Starts Here, Kim Yaris and Dr. Eve Miller explore how educators and leaders can effectively transition out of a demanding school year. Drawing on a Yale study, they discuss how a leader's ability to manage their own emotions directly impacts the well-being of their staff. Because of "emotion contagion theory," the emotional residue leaders carry out of the spring can set the tone for the entire school environment in the fall. Listeners will discover why end-of-year recovery is an essential part of leadership, rather than optional self-care. The conversation highlights three research-backed practices: savoring positive moments to combat exhaustion , using narrative identity to make meaning of difficult experiences rather than ruminating on them , and engaging in the challenging but necessary practice of mentally disengaging from work. By leaning into self-compassion, educators can process the year, recover fully, and prepare a healthier emotional climate for the future. Download the Handout: https://resources.franklincovey.com/c/podcast_handout_s6e37?x=Z0wt6j Hosts : Kim Yaris, M.Ed. Associate Director of Research with FranklinCovey Education Dr. Eve…
People in this episode
Hosts: Kim Yaris, Dr. Eve Miller
Topics covered
- educator transition
- emotional well-being
- leadership recovery
- self-care
- emotion contagion
Keywords
- emotion contagion
- leadership
- self-compassion
- Yale study
- end-of-year recovery
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: FranklinCovey Education, Yale
Books & works: Change Starts Here
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