Today's guest blog is brought to you by Lauren Kaufman. Lauren is a dedicated district leader in Long Island, NY, with a rich background as an assistant principal, classroom teacher, literacy specialist, instructional coach, and mentor coordinator.

Throughout her career, she has championed job-embedded professional learning and led teams in shaping comprehensive approaches to literacy. As the author of The Leader Inside: Stories of Mentorship to Inspire the Leader Within, Lauren brings a coaching mindset to all she does. She is passionate about cultivating strong professional learning communities that inspire meaningful growth and connection.

Take it away, friend!

Guest Blog by Lauren 

The paths we walk present us with a collection of choices, some small, others life-changing. Each one opens the door for us to summon the momentum within ourselves, take action, and embrace the reality that growth and comfort cannot coexist. I share this sentiment in my book, The Leader Inside because it's a truth I've lived time and time again.

It's the small moments that remind us why we do this work and fuel our constant pursuit to be better for those we serve.

It's running into a former student and hearing that I cultivated his love for books.

It's a teacher reaching out to tell me that I believed in her ability to have a classroom to call her own.

It's the text from a former colleague telling me that I inspired her to have a long-overdue, crucial conversation.

It's stepping into a classroom, hearing a teacher lead social-emotional check-ins, and listening to a student say, "I'm feeling like a 9/10 because I get to sit in your classroom."

It's listening to students read an excerpt of their writing, incorporating the sophisticated vocabulary they've learned from the literature in class, and feeling proud of their growth.

It's watching teachers take risks, embrace new instructional tools, and push the boundaries of their instruction to meet the needs of all learners.

These are the moments that matter; the ones that remind us we are always striving to be more, while also being enough for the people who need us most.

Recently, I was grateful for an impromptu conversation with a veteran teacher retiring this year. She thanked me for my leadership and collaboration but I couldn't help thinking about how much she had helped me. She taught me so much about high school education, one of my biggest learning curves in this role. Her gratitude reminded me that leadership is never one-way, we shape and influence each other more than we realize in the moment.

These are the moments. 

Listening to Lainie Rowell's Evolving with Gratitude podcast with guest Sahil Bloom, author of The 5 Types of Wealth, reminded me of an important truth. In education, we often chase more impact, opportunities, and growth. But, we can't lose sight of the moments that define our purpose. As Bloom shares:

"Never let the quest for something more distract you from the beauty of those moments of enough."

In education, we constantly push forward, always looking for ways to grow and refine our practice. But what if we took a moment to acknowledge where we are right now? To recognize the small wins that, over time, become the foundation of something bigger?

Dan and Chip Heath write in The Power of Moments, "Defining moments shape our lives, but we don't have to wait for them to happen. We can be the authors of them." This resonates deeply in the work we do as educators. Every day, we have the opportunity to create defining moments, not just for ourselves, but for our students, colleagues, and the communities we serve. 

In Rowell's podcast, Sahil Bloom reminds us:

"Time is your most precious asset."

Educators give so much of themselves, and with the demands of each day, it often feels like there's never enough time. But if time is our most valuable resource, how are we spending it? Are we investing in the people and moments that matter most?

"The strength of your relationships impacts your health and happiness."

The most meaningful work in education happens through relationships. The connections we build with students, colleagues, and families lay the foundation for growth, not just for them, but for us, too.

"Your life has seasons, and what you prioritize in each season will change."

This is especially true in leadership, which is not about titles, but mindset, action, and influence. There are seasons of building, refining, transitioning, and resting—and rest is just as essential as growth.

The arrival fallacy…the belief that we'll eventually feel like we've "made it" is just that: a fallacy. Growth is ongoing. And that's what makes the journey meaningful.

Moving Forward

So what do we do with this?

We focus on one tiny thing we can do today. Because stagnation doesn't come from a lack of ideas, it comes from waiting to have it all figured out before taking action. 

So let's ask ourselves:

• How are we using our time?
• Are we strengthening the relationships that sustain us?
• Are we focusing on one tiny thing we can do today?
• Have we defined what enough looks like in our work?

The pursuit of growth is important, but not if it means losing sight of the present. Growth and comfort cannot coexist, but neither can growth without purpose.

For me, the answer is clear. It's in the students who remember how I made them feel. The teachers who found confidence in their own classrooms. The colleagues who leaned into courageous conversations.

It's in the moments that matter. 

The ones that exist between more and enough. 

Those moments? They are enough. 

And so are you.

Thank You, Lauren!