Writing: The Gift We Can Give Ourselves

Backstory

My personal writing life has taken a backseat this fall. Once a loyal Tuesday Slicer, I took one week off… and suddenly one week turned into two, then three, and now I’ve missed more Tuesdays than I care to admit. Writing has always been a bucket-filler for me. Living my week with one eye open for ideas, drafting in my head, and finally sitting down to get words on the page has always left me feeling grounded and accomplished.

This week, I stumbled on a blog post I wrote back in 2019. It brought me right back to a proud moment in our district when a group of Slicers shared our experiences with colleagues and encouraged them to find small ways to bring writing into their own lives. If I hadn’t captured that moment, it might have slipped away forever. Rereading it reminded me that writing is a gift I’ve given myself over the years, and, in many ways, an act of self-care.

So if you, too, are crawling toward winter break, I invite you to consider how you might give yourself the gift of writing this season.

Ways To Start Writing

Reflecting: Looking Back to Move Forward

The end of the year is a natural pause point-a moment to slow down, take stock, and notice who you’ve become both personally and professionally. Whether you’re jotting down a few lines about a single moment or writing your way through a bigger reflection, this kind of writing brings clarity. It helps you consider what worked, what challenges you faced, and what you hope to approach the year ahead.

This Might Look Like:

• Using an invitation to spark your writing. If you’re stuck, give one of these a try:
  • What has surprised me lately, and why did it matter?
    
  • What is one moment I want to remember from this day, week, year?
    
  • Where did I feel most confident today? Least confident?
    
  • What question am I still carrying with me?
    
  • What small win am I overlooking?

Dreaming & Imagining: Giving Yourself Space to Wonder

Writing is one of the safest places to dream. Let yourself sketch out ideas for your classroom, your life, or your creative projects without worrying about obstacles. When you write in the land of “what if,” you give yourself permission to notice what feels exciting and you might even discover something you want to pursue. 

This Might Look Like:

• Dreaming comes in many forms. You may jot a list, sketch, or write about whatever comes to mind!
• Selecting a One Little Word to guide you in 2026. Read more about OLW here.

Remembering: Holding Onto the Moments That Matter

So much of life rushes past us. Writing lets you save the moments you don’t want to lose: the interaction that made you laugh, the breakthrough a student had, the conversation that shifted something in you. Capturing these small stories will most definitely serve as a gift that continues to give in the future.

This Might Look Like:

• Jotting down stories of moments worth remembering
• Being intentional about observing the world around you and capturing what you notice. This can be done in your personal world and is also a worthwhile practice in the classroom. 

Connecting: Finding Yourself in Words Again

Writing can be a bridge to yourself, to your community, and to those you care about. Whether you join a writing challenge, share a Slice of Life on Two Writing Teachers on Tuesdays, or simply send a thoughtful note to a friend, writing invites connection. It reminds you that you’re not alone.

How to Get Started

Now comes the fun part: beginning. Start by choosing a time that truly works for you. Maybe early morning, when the house is still quiet, will give you the space to ease into the day. Maybe you do your best thinking at night, when everything finally slows down. There’s no perfect time, you have to figure out what works best for you!

Then, gather whatever tools make writing feel right: a favorite journal, a fresh notebook, your laptop, or a handful of pens that just make you happy. Whatever you choose, the important thing is simply to begin. The blank page is waiting for you.

The Bottom Line 

When we carve out even small pockets of time to write for ourselves, something shifts in our teaching. We remember what it feels like to struggle with a sentence or to savor a moment worth capturing. This experience makes us more authentic writing teachers. Our students benefit from that. When we return to the classroom feeling a little more grounded and filled up, we create spaces where their writing lives can also grow.