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It’s been 5 years since I’ve embarked on a life of self-employment and academic studies. Unlike teaching in secondary schools or learning as a student in K-12 schools or university for that matter, I create my own deadlines, my own rules, and my own weekly routines. I am unaccustomed this. Think about it… from the age of 5 to 40… I have been comfortably subjected to a schedule created by somebody else. As a K-12 student, university student, or high school teacher, I would simply comply to the bell schedule or timeline. I was being pushed from behind to get the job done.

Now as an adult learner trying to complete her dissertation and self-employed as an independent educational consultant I am privileged (or burdened, pending on perspective) with the responsibility of having to create my own schedule. Admittedly, I relished in the idea of being unconstrained by someone else’s rules, at first. I felt empowered. I was the creator of my doing. What? I am the creator of my doing? Only in my 40’s do I realize that I was ill-equipped to manage my 9-5 work schedule.

Took me a few years to reach out for help to gain some perspective and strategies to prioritize. My focus was divergent. I wanted to do everything and anything. This is not a bad place to be when my objective is exploration and discovery. It was time time to refocus and converge my time and energy into what’s truly important to me. For me, it’s professional learning as it relates to student learning. Last year, I worked with Leah Goard along with the DDA group to harness my pedagogical journey. I learned a few lessons from Leah and the work she engages you in.

First, it takes a community. You can’t move forward by yourself. It’s impossible. Well, it is possible but others can leverage you into places where you never thought possible. I thank Leah and the DDA group for helping me to realize this. I love my PLN and learning community, my SFU supervisors and cohort, and the boards that I serve on. Learning is a collaborative effort. I appreciate the patience, kindness, and expertise people around me are willing to share to help me grow and thrive.

Second, your personal wellness equates to your professional wellness. I am not sure if those are the exact words Leah would use, but this is my take away. It is so true. If I’m confused and unhappy, then my business is confused and unhappy. So much of my work over the last few years have been rebuilding myself, understanding my self-efficacy, and engaging in opportunities of professional and personal growth. I am doing more each day that scares me to realize it’s all good. I love that!

Finally, Land and Launch. This took me quite some time to conceptually understand because this is where I am most reluctant to spend my time. As mentioned in a previous blog, Grounding Oneself, sometimes you have to invest the time in ‘landing’ so that you can take your next step in ‘launching.’ Next steps are suppose to be strategic, purposeful, and intentional. Landing and launching enables you to see where you are, consider where you need to go, and block the time.

I am saying YES to my edu-blog. For the past few months, my blogging has been sporadic at best. In saying that, I have not been overly obsessed about my website, marketing, or educational/business plan. I have Tzaddi, Carolyn, and Leah to thank for that. I have landed. I am making choices on what’s important to me, taking steps that moves me forward, and creating a schedule to enable this action.

In 2015, I stepped away from Leah Goard‘s work to COMPLETE some of my goals and move forward. I am making progress. “One step at a time” … a good friend would say to me. This is an act of patience, kindness, and expertise development for myself. What does it mean to be a writer, researcher, or public speaker? To understand it, I have to be it, live it, and do it. So, expect some more CYH Edu-Blogs. 🙂