One Notch to the Left

Some days it only takes one email, one phone call, or one weird surprise to knock your whole mood off track—but what if the real power lies in how you respond, not what you face? What if the difference between burnout and balance is just a tiny shift in your default setting?ASMSA Executive Director Corey Alderdice explores how school leaders—and really anyone—can redirect their automatic reactions from irritation to curiosity, trading energy drain for emotional sustainability. Drawing on metaphors from firefighting, the concept of eustress, and the idea of “microwins” in leadership, this episode reframes the everyday frustrations of school life and offers a simple but powerful invitation: shift one notch from annoyed to amused, and the entire day might change.For additional thoughts from Corey, visit coreyalderdice.com.You can also follow him on Twitter/X, LinkedIn, BlueSky, YouTube, Instagram, and Threads.