Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore through the author’s personal experience the impact rebuilding the author’s well-being had on the author’s identity and efficacy as a teacher. This describes the author’s experiences after the death of the author’s father and the effect of the author’s emotional state on the author’s personal and professional identity. It also explores how the author developed sustainable habits to cope with daily challenges. Design/methodology/approach: The study adopts an auto-ethnographic approach utilizing journal entries and reflections collected over the years as part of the healing process. These will provide a descriptive view of the author’s emotional state in the years after the author’s father's death. The author employed this method to explore the author’s personal experiences and provide a better understanding of the connections between the reconstruction of the professional identity and the importance of well-being and mental health in light of a significant or transformative event. Findings: The paper provides insights about the significance of a positive mind-set on the efficacy and performance of teachers. This suggests that there is a connection between the impact of improving the author’s well-being on a personal and professional level. Originality/value: There is little research on how self-efficacy or coping strategies could have an impact on teachers. The paper offers a unique insight into teachers' emotional and academic identities.