Every time I sit down with a guest on “The Bridge,” I walk away carrying a little more light. A recent conversation with Jornéa Armant was no exception.
She reminded me that teaching—and life, really—isn’t about grinding harder or waiting for luck to strike.
It’s about noticing the moments that spark joy, leaning into the people who lift us up, and trusting ourselves to keep moving toward alignment.
Out of all the wisdom she shared, three takeaways rose to the top: do more of what makes you smile, your network is your net worth, and find your rainbow.
Jornéa dropped that gem mid-conversation, and honestly, I haven’t stopped thinking about it.
In a world where classroom teachers are asked to do all the things, it’s easy to lose sight of what actually lights us up. The joy. The spark. The reason we first walked into the classroom.
And here’s the truth: smiles aren’t fluff. They’re signals. They tell us what’s aligned with our values, what matters to us, and what gives us the energy to keep showing up for students even when the system feels heavy.
So, let me ask you: what’s the last thing in your teaching day that made you smile?
Was it a student’s unexpected joke? A lesson that finally clicked? The five quiet minutes you carved out to drink your coffee before first period?
Whatever it was, notice it. Hold onto it. And then, as Jornéa says, do more of that.
Another truth Jornéa reminded me of: you don’t have to do this alone.
Teaching can feel isolating, even in a building full of people. But your network—the people who listen, share ideas, celebrate wins, and pick you up on the hard days—is your greatest asset.
Think about it: the strategies that work best in your classroom often come from another teacher’s tip.
The inspiration for trying something new usually sparks from a conversation at lunch, a text from a colleague, or a scroll through an educator group online.
Your network is your net worth not because it leads to money, but because it sustains you. It’s what multiplies your joy and lightens your load.
Jornéa and I laughed about the “golden days of Twitter,” when teachers shared freely and found their people in every corner of the world.
While platforms may change, the power of connection hasn’t. You already have a network around you—colleagues, friends, online communities.
The question is: are you leaning on it enough?
Take a minute this week to send a message to a teacher who’s inspired you. Thank them. Share an idea back. Your smile might just become theirs.
Here’s where Jornéa really flipped my perspective: teaching isn’t about chasing luck—it’s about finding alignment.
She described it as “finding your rainbow.” Not a pot of gold, not a perfect fix, but the place where your joy, your skills, and your purpose line up. That’s where teaching feels less like a grind and more like a calling.
It doesn’t mean every day will be easy. Rainbows only show up after the rain, right? But it does mean you can trust yourself to keep looking for the light.
For teachers, that rainbow might be a subject you love to teach, a group of students who bring out the best in you, or a project that makes your classroom buzz with energy.
It might even be something outside the classroom that refuels you so you can show up whole.
The rainbow isn’t about perfection. It’s about alignment. And once you see it, you know you’re exactly where you’re supposed to be.
So here’s your challenge from Jornéa’s episode:
Teaching isn’t about doing more for the sake of it. It’s about doing more of what makes you—and your students—light up.