This is Mr. Funky Teacher with BeAFunkyTeacher.com. I'm coming to you with another Be a Funky Teacher podcast. Welcome back, everyone. Today's episode is a little different. This is a Funky Teacher milestone Episode 200. This was never just a podcast. Before we get into it, though, I want to ground myself in gratitude. Here are three things that I'm thankful for. The first thing that I'm thankful for is consistency. Showing up even on the days when you don't feel like it. Even on the days when it would be easier not to. There's something powerful about just continuing to show up. The second thing that I'm thankful for is growth. Not the kind that you always see right away, but the kind that's happening underneath. The kind that builds over time, quietly, day by day. And the third thing that I'm thankful for is the opportunity to create. To take ideas, thoughts, experiences, and turn them into something that can reach other people. Well, all right, let's get into it. Today's episode, once again, is called This Was Never Just a Podcast. Over the past 10 to 11 weeks, I've been doing something very intentionally. I didn't talk about it, I didn't announce it, but every single weekday episode had a purpose behind it. Each week had a theme. Each day built on that theme within the week. And those last 55 weekday episodes that I put out, they weren't just episodes. They were the foundation of something much bigger. Now, I knew what I was doing. I knew what I was trying to achieve. I knew that this was going to become a book. I just chose to build it first and talk about it later. Now, the first hundred plus episodes of this podcast, those were moments. Things I felt called to say. Reflections, conversations, ideas that needed to be shared. And they mattered. They still matter. But these last 55 weekday episodes, these were built differently. These were written in real time, one day at a time, with a bigger vision in mind. And the reason I didn't talk about it is because I wanted to do the work first. I wanted it to be real. I wanted to show up every single day and build something that mattered, that truly mattered, before I even said a word about it. So today I'm finally saying it. On July 14, I will be releasing my first book: Be a Funky Teacher: Teaching with Heart, Presence, and Purpose. And this part means something to me on a deeper level. I remember telling my mom when she was still alive that I was going to be an author, that I was going to write a book. And at that time, that was just something I believed—something that I said out loud before I had fully had it figured out. But now this is real. And it's not just about writing one book. I'm actually building a series of books. I'm building something that will last and will impact teachers for generations to come. Because this is bigger than me. This is about the kind of teacher you choose to be. This is about showing up with heart, with presence, with purpose every single day. This is about the Funky Teacher movement. Teachers who care deeply. Teachers who lead from who they are. Teachers who don't lose themselves in the work, but bring themselves into it. So when I think about this moment, it's not just about publishing a book. It's about legacy. It's about following through on something I said a long time ago and turning it into something that can live beyond me—something that can reach other teachers, other classrooms, other students long after this episode ends. And I wish—I wish she could see it. I wish my mom could see it. But I do believe… I believe she does see it from heaven. This book wasn't rushed. It wasn't forced. It was lived. It was spoken. It was built. One episode at a time. One podcast episode at a time. And what matters the most to me is that this book is not about doing more. It's about remembering. Remembering why this work matters. Remembering the impact you have. Remembering that teaching is more than content—it's presence, it's connection, it's influence. And as this first book comes together, I'm not stopping the weekday morning episodes this week. They're already part of the second book. Those five episodes—they're not just episodes. They're the beginning of what's next. So if you've been listening, you've been part of this. If you've been showing up, you have been part of this. And if you keep listening, you're stepping into what's next with me. I didn't set out to just record episodes. I set out to show up. And somewhere along the way, the work became something more. This was never just a podcast. Before we wrap up, I want to bring it back to you. Three things. Ground yourself in gratitude. What are three things that you are thankful for today? I've spent almost all of my episodes grounding myself in gratitude. I encourage you right now to think about what are three things that you are thankful for today. And as I sit here thinking about this moment, about the work, about what this is becoming, I think back to that promise I made a long time ago—what I told my mom. And now I'm doing more than just writing a book. I'm building something that lasts—for teachers, for students, for something bigger than myself. It was never just a podcast. Well, if you found value in this episode, head on over to Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts and hit me up with a five-star review and let me know what you think. It helps more teachers to find this space. As we go into the next months, be keeping an ear out. Be listening as I talk. We'll talk more about the upcoming book release and when it'll be available to you, how it'll be available to you. Because I'm excited. I am. I'm so excited. I'm feeling really good about where I'm at right now. It's taken a lot of hard work. Well, as you go into your day, remember to inspire greatness in young people. And don’t forget to be a funky teacher. Bye now.