One of my high school students came into class today talking about how he just couldn't wait for break, and how the next few days were going to feel so hard. Dude, I hear you.

In fact, as I scroll through social media these days, all of my teacher friends are posting memes and photos reflecting this deep desire to just be done with it. To get to through this week and to those days of sweet freedom. To end this particularly challenging week of giddy children vibrating with the excitement and/or terror of spending so much time away from school and with their families.

But that fervent anticipation, that needing it to be over, only compounds the difficulties that often come with the week before break. This is not for us to fight, or tell ourselves we “shouldn’t” feel this way. This is an opportunity to acknowledge exactly what is, without judgment.

The first practice I find most helpful is just to notice my mind is going there. As Dan Siegel says, "Name it to tame it," so I observe, "I am really wanting to be done. I am really wanting to be drinking egg nog at my mom's house in front of the tree." Just saying it out loud helps take some of the intensity our of my feelings and gives them some space to breathe.

So today, if it is true for you, try to acknowledging in yourself that desire for it to be over, and see if that gives you any freedom from the want. It is the want that needs to be heard to continue on.