Even Though I Love What I Do, I Still Need Breaks Every Now and Then!
People who follow me on Facebook get a real-time view into my classroom experiences.
Experiences I don’t always share in my blog posts.
So, for this week’s post I decided to go back through my FB memories to give you a snapshot of my ups and downs during this past school year.
The Challenges
If you get nothing else from reading my blog posts, I hope you see that teens today are up against so much negativity and face so many more pitfalls than we did when we were their age.
Many of them are battling demons that quite honestly have sometimes left me feeling helpless.
So, I do the only thing I know to do…turn to prayer.
“Blind” Opportunities…
One of the things that’s really hit home for me this school year, is the number of teens I’ve been able to reach who’ve never stepped foot in my class before or one of my assemblies/speaking engagements.
How so, you ask?
Social media (i.e. YouTube, Instagram) and my book, 7 Secrets Guys Will Never Tell You.
And now I’m on a mission to create more content to reach even more teens like your daughter who, even if they never get a chance to hear me speak in person, can still benefit from the same information I share in the classroom via my social media platforms and book(s).
An Encouraging Word
Given the sheer volume of heartbreaking stories that I hear and/or read from teens on a daily basis, I’ll be the first to admit that I need encouragement too!
Sometimes that comes in the form of a letter from a student…
Running into former students years later who not only remember taking my class, but still appreciate being in it…
Or positive feedback from an event host who hires me to speak to the young people they serve…
Which has been the case for the past 7 years that Marjorie Harvey has invited me back to speak at The Steve & Marjorie Harvey Foundation’s Girls Who Rule the World Mentoring Weekend.
The young ladies who attend come from all walks of life with different life experiences, yet when they come together for GWRTW, everyone’s on the same page and ready to be inspired.
And every year when I step on that stage, I may be the one holding the mic but God’s the one doing the talking.
The Guy Factor
Although my blog posts primarily focus on helping teen girls navigate love, sex, and relationships in a positive and healthy way, I’m thankful that my message has a positive impact on guys too.
What Keeps Me Going
I’d be lying if I said this work wasn’t draining at times…
Like the times I’ve had to drag myself out of bed because I felt so bad.
My throat would be sore, I would be hoarse and get little to no sleep from coughing all night.
On my drive to a school, I’d wonder how I’d ever be able to stand and teach for 4 ½ hours feeling the way I felt.
But as soon as I stood up to speak and saw the students’ faces, how I physically felt didn’t matter.
The energy I received from their faces and honest feedback was all the fuel I needed to keep doing what I love to do.
And that’s when you know you’re following your passion…
Hello Summer!
So there you have my 2018-19 school year via Facebook posts.
If you’d like to see more pics from this school year, go here:
Although I always miss seeing my students over the summer break, I’m thankful for the opportunity to decompress and get rejuvenated.
I tell them that when I worked in corporate America, I did what most of my co-workers did on Sunday nights—dreaded Monday morning.
Now, that I’m doing what I love, I look forward to meeting new students on Monday mornings.
But, that doesn’t mean I enjoy hearing the alarm go off every morning.
So, I think what I’m most looking forward to over the next few months is not being awakened by an alarm clock and being able to do a bit of travel.
As a matter of fact, by the time you get this email, I’ll be returning from a 7-Day Alaskan cruise.
What memories will you make with your daughter this summer?
I’d love to hear your plans! You may even give me ideas for my next vacation. 😉
Whatever you do, be safe and enjoy!
P.S. Thank you for coming along for the ride this school year by reading my posts and sharing them with your friends on social media. I’m looking forward to the 2019-20 school year and hope you and your daughter will join me then too. In the meantime, the summer break is a great time to catch up on old posts you may have missed this year.
P.P.S. As always, don’t forget to share this post (or previous ones) on FB.
