February arrives with a quiet invitation: to pause, clear the mind, and look again at what matters.
Unlike January, when the world often rushes into resolutions, February offers something deeper and more sustaining: clarity. The kind of clarity that simplifies, sharpens and steadies. Clarity offers a form of light. For teachers, this light allows us to see our learners, our work and ourselves; without the clutter of urgency or noise.
Clarity begins with noticing.
“The real voyage of discovery,” wrote Marcel Proust, “consists not in seeking new landscapes, but in having new eyes.”
February encourages us to find those new eyes. After the fullness of the previous months, the return to routine can feel both comforting and confronting. We feel compelled to ask ourselves: What is essential? What energises me? What can be released? What deserves space?
Clarity also invites honesty.
Teachers are adept at pouring energy into others, sometimes at the cost of their own direction. February’s quietness offers a moment to tune into the inner voice that is often drowned out in term time. This is the month to ask clearer questions: How do I want to show up in the classroom this year? What values will guide me? What boundaries will protect my wellbeing? What practices will anchor me?
Seeking clarity does not only require an internal focus – the seeking is relational too. It requires engagement.
“Clarity comes from engagement, not thought. Write that down. Memorize it. Tattoo it on your tush. Whenever you’re trapped in the hell of indecision, do something about it as quickly…
– Marie Forleo, Everything is Figureoutable
Maria Forleo was saying that simply thinking about ‘what next’ is not enough. Clarity requires that which is implicit, to be made explicit.
In education, as well as in all walks of life, clarity strengthens connection – and connection strengthens clarity. Students thrive when expectations are visible; when routines feel predictable; and when guidance is given with gentleness and confidence.
When teachers speak clearly and unambiguously – in tone and intention – it creates a sense of safety; and creating a sense of safety creates a condition in which learning occurs.
Clarity is also a commitment to simplicity.
Teachers are often tempted to over-plan, over-decorate, over-explain or over-stretch. But this February whispers the wisdom of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry:
“Perfection is achieved not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away.”
Simplicity is not a lack of effort; it’s a heightening of purpose. What is the one most important task in any given project? What would your classroom look like if simplicity guided its structure? What if your planning focused on depth rather than breadth?
Clarity is presence, not prediction.
A clear mind does not know all the answers; it simply creates enough space for wise decisions to unfold. As teachers, we cannot anticipate every challenge the year will bring – but we can cultivate the steadiness to respond well.
Clarity does not shout; it quietly reveals. And what it reveals, when welcomed, becomes the guiding thread for the rest of the year.
February, then, is not a month of intensity but illumination. It invites you to sharpen your vision, declutter your heart and align your actions with your values.
Don’t wait to take care of yourself. Your wellbeing matters today.
Enrol in my self-paced, online course now for only $4.13 per week:
Overcoming Overwhelm: A Teacher’s Path to Wellbeing
© Gaynor Clarke, February 2026
Gaynor Clarke
B.Ed (Teaching), Cert Tertiary Teaching, PGDip Ed, MEd Leadership
Reach.Teach.Lead.
Reach Education Ltd
Teacher Leadership Mentoring and Life Coaching. Personal and Professional Development.
Gaynor is a teacher educator and mentor facilitating personal & professional leadership wellbeing outcomes for teachers.
Leave a Comment
You must be logged in to post a comment.