Kelli Marcus

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

YOUR BRAIN COULD USE SOME GOOD STUFF.

Think about how easy it is to accidentally spend an entire day feeding your stress.

Rush out the door.
Check your phone 47 times.
Worry about something that hasn’t happened.
Replay a conversation from yesterday.
Think about everything you need to get done tomorrow.
Get frustrated in traffic.
Read one more terrible thing online.

And meanwhile, your brain and body are basically saying…

“ARE WE IN DANGER OR SOMETHING?!”

Hello, adrenaline.
Hello, cortisol.
Hello, fight-or-flight.

We need those systems. They protect us.

We just don’t need to live there.

So today, intentionally give your brain some of the good stuff too.

❤️ Connect with somebody.
Call a friend. Hug your kid. Pet your dog. Sit next to someone you love. Connection matters.

😂 Laugh.
Watch something stupid. Send the meme. Be ridiculous for five minutes. Life is serious enough.

🚶 Move your body.
You don’t need an hour at the gym. Walk around the block. Stretch. Dance in the kitchen. Just move.

☀️ Go outside.
Put your phone down and get some daylight. Take a few breaths. Look around. Remind your brain that the entire world does not exist on a screen.

✅ Finish ONE thing.
Not seventeen things. One. Make the bed. Send the email. Empty the dishwasher. Your brain likes progress.

🎵 Play THAT song.
The one you can’t listen to without turning it up.

🌬️ Slow down your breathing.
Try breathing in for 4 seconds and gently out for 6. Tell your body, “There is no emergency right now.”

And here’s something I think we get wrong all the time:

We wait to feel better before we do the things that might actually help us feel better.

“I’ll walk when I have more energy.”

“I’ll call someone when I’m in a better mood.”

“I’ll get started when I feel motivated.”

Maybe not.

Maybe the action comes first.

Take the walk.

Send the text.

Play the song.

Step outside.

Finish the tiny task.

Laugh.

Hug somebody.

Then see what happens.

You don’t need to completely change your life today.

You might just need to give your brain a few more reasons to believe that life is safe, connected, meaningful and occasionally pretty damn fun.

Less time feeding the alarm system.
More time feeding the good stuff.

What’s one thing you’re going to give your brain today?

[Dr. Bryan Pearlman #MaslowBeforeBloom @DrP_Principal]

10 ways to stay youthful (by remembering what it was like to be a kid)

1. Follow curiosity again
What it is: Kids ask questions constantly. They explore without worrying about looking foolish.
Why it helps (brain): Curiosity activates dopamine pathways linked to motivation, learning, and pleasure. Curious minds stay flexible and resilient.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Ask “I wonder…” three times during the day and actually follow one of those questions.

2. Play without needing a purpose
What it is: Children play simply because it feels good. Adults often forget joy can exist without productivity.
Why it helps (brain): Play lowers cortisol, increases creativity, and strengthens neural connections tied to problem solving.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Do something silly for five minutes. Throw a ball, doodle, build something random, or laugh on purpose.

3. Move like you mean it
What it is: Kids run, jump, spin, and stretch naturally. Movement is emotional regulation in motion.
Why it helps (brain): Physical movement boosts serotonin and dopamine, improving mood and cognitive flexibility.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Take a short walk and notice things the way a child would. Look up, not just down.

4. Be fully present
What it is: Kids are in the moment. They aren’t mentally living in last week or next year.
Why it helps (brain): Mindfulness reduces stress reactivity and strengthens the prefrontal cortex, helping you feel calmer and more grounded.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Eat one snack slowly without your phone and notice taste, texture, and smell.

5. Feel emotions honestly
What it is: Children feel deeply and recover quickly because they express instead of suppress.
Why it helps (brain): Naming and processing feelings calms the amygdala and improves emotional regulation.
One small thing to try tomorrow: When you feel something strong, pause and name it out loud: “I feel frustrated” or “I feel excited.”

6. Laugh easily and often
What it is: Kids laugh dozens of times a day. Adults often wait for a reason.
Why it helps (brain): Laughter releases endorphins, reduces stress hormones, and strengthens social connection pathways.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Watch something that makes you genuinely laugh for two minutes, not just smile politely.

7. Be a beginner again
What it is: Kids don’t expect mastery. They expect learning.
Why it helps (brain): Learning new skills builds neuroplasticity and keeps the brain adaptive and youthful.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Try something you are not good at yet and let yourself be messy.

8. Connect without armor
What it is: Children make friends by simply saying “Want to play?” They lead with openness, not defenses.
Why it helps (brain): Social connection increases oxytocin, which improves mood, reduces stress, and promotes emotional safety.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Start one genuine conversation where you ask a real question and truly listen.

9. Imagine possibilities
What it is: Kids live in imagination. They turn ordinary moments into adventures.
Why it helps (brain): Imagination activates many of the same neural networks as real experiences, strengthening creativity and optimism.
One small thing to try tomorrow: Reframe a boring task as a challenge or game just for fun.

10. Bounce back faster
What it is: Kids fall, cry, and then go back to playing. They don’t sit in failure for long.
Why it helps (brain): Psychological flexibility is linked to resilience and lower anxiety. Letting go reduces rumination loops.
One small thing to try tomorrow: When something small goes wrong, ask: “Will this matter a week from now?” Then keep moving.

Staying youthful is not about pretending you’re younger. It’s about remembering that wonder, curiosity, play, and connection were always part of you. The child you once were still knows how to live fully. The goal isn’t to go backward, it’s to carry that spirit forward.

More info at: https://t.co/rC4t9AbAYd

[Meghan Lawson @Meghan_Lawson]

Our schools don’t need more shiny perfect people. We need more deeply human people. Modeling care, reflection, sincere apologies, learning, & changed behavior. We need people who see, celebrate, and utilize the strengths of others. People who believe we truly are better together.

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

@NewHorizonsSB @Techbradwaid @mcnairan3 @teach4endurance @CharlePeck @JeffreyJCollier @DrRebeccaHeiss @steveacho @Rdene915 @mbfxc @Michelle4EDU When and where will you be in Michigan?

[FanDuel Sports Network Cleveland @FanDuelSN_CLE]

Was he nervous at all? What helped him settle in? Who gave him the best advice? Who's getting the ball from his first strikeout?

Logan Allen joins @DreKnott to reflect on his unforgettable MLB debut.

#ForTheLand | @CleGuardians

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

#SNC25 with the best best friend in the world!

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

@DrP_Principal Walking on Sunshine ~ Katrina and the Waves

[Guardians Prospective @CleGuardPro]

#Guardians 23yr old LHP prospect Logan Allen fans 11 in back-to-back games for Akron! Allen now has 104 strikeouts on the season over 73.0 innings.

Tonight - 7.0(IP) 2H 1R 1ER 1BB 11SO

Last two - 13.0(IP) 4H 1R 1ER 2BB 22SO 0.69 ERA

@_Logan2Allen @AkronRubberDuck #ForTheLand

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

@lesliefisher I just learned about kialo-edu and immediately thought of you! This is an amazing tool and I’d love to see it in an upcoming webinar 😊💙

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

First ‘windows down, music up!’ opportunity of 2022 … I’m ready to play 🙂 https://t.co/FDtnvoALOS

[Lake County Captains @LCCaptains]

He was ready

5 IP, 0 R, 1 H, 1 BB, 8 K 🥶

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

We Are the Fledge: A Marathon Fundraiser | The Fledge Foundation https://t.co/QyFt6c5HlS

[The Fledge @GLFledge]

If you are every interested in who has been on Every Damn Day or who is scheduled to come on check out our calendar. Everyone is listed and if you drill in to the event, the video is there too.

https://t.co/XLk1ptz88s

[Kelli Marcus @ae2015]

It’s too damn cold to have the car windows down, but I’m having the 🥶 version of a ‘windows down, music up’ moment, thanks to Joe Walsh - Life's Been Good https://t.co/4C1u5nFal2 via @YouTube