March 18, 2026

Drip by Drip: Overcoming Perfectionism and Burnout with Debbie O’Shea

Show Notes

Does the pressure to be an "Instagram-perfect" music teacher have you feeling like you’re constantly falling short? In this episode, Jeanette welcomes back her long-time friend and colleague, Debbie O’Shea, to discuss her brand-new book, The Stalagmite Effect.

Debbie shares how a simple cave analogy can transform the way we look at our careers and our lives. Instead of looking for "quick fixes," we explore how small, consistent "drips" of goodness build something extraordinary over time.

In this episode, we dive into:

The Stalagmite Effect: Understanding how cave structures grow and how it applies to your professional journey.
Overcoming Teacher Perfectionism: Why we don’t feel "comfortable in our skin" for the first five years, and why that’s okay.
The "One Drip" Strategy: How to start small with one singing game or one 10-minute walk to avoid overwhelm.
Checking Your Ego: The bravery of asking for help and the power of admitting when you don’t know the answer.
Together Sing: The story of how a small idea in a motel room turned into a global advocacy movement.
Grabbing the Glimmer: How to find (and give) gems of encouragement in your daily life.

Connect with Debbie O'Shea: