Are you a kindergarten teacher in or near Arkansas that’s coming to the SDE Arkansas conference? If so, I can’t wait to meet you!
P.S. I’ve got a brand new session packed with resources for reading interventions that you’ve been requesting! See you next Tuesday! 😉
Shout out to everyone who’s ever had to fight to become who they are! ✊🏽 #keepfighting
Dodged the snowstorm ✅
Left all my energy in Cleveland ✅
Left my voice in Cleveland ✅
Met tons of Excellent Educators ✅
Hopped on a conference call in my Uber ✅
Made it back to Atlanta ✅
Sat in my car to regroup for 15 mins ✅
Counted my blessings ✅
Wondering how I’m going to get up my stairs when I get home. 🤔😳🤦🏽♀️
Thursday Thoughts:
Headed to Cleveland Metropolitan School District to deliver my very first keynote speech...Ironically it’s entitled - Disrupting Your Comfort Zone to Reach Your Maximum Potential. Last year I became comfortable with traveling to different states to do training sessions but when I was asked to do a keynote speech for one of the largest districts in Ohio, I was once again faced with the decision to disrupt my own comfort.
In 2017 I had a vision to create a training for teachers that was totally different from my typical subject matter content. I wanted to speak to teachers on a level that wasn’t about their students for a change. I didn’t want to cover a topic from their lesson plans or anything related to their daily interactions with children. I wanted to speak to them about the hidden gems they poses on the inside that being a teacher produces. I wanted to convince them of their excellence and to dig deep and realize all the potential that is often unrealized.
I wrote my content, delivered it in 2018 at a Self-Care Conference as a breakout session and it was well received. Little did I know that I was on the brink of stepping out of my own comfort zone to pursue my passion AND shift career paths that very next month. (Farewell to any comfort I was clinging to!)
*Fast forward to today 1/17/19*
I sit here at this airport in awe of the opportunity to live my dream because I was willing to be uncomfortable and dive into unfamiliar territory. I also sit here and think about all the all interactions with people who believed in me before I even believed in myself.
Teachers, coworkers, mentors, consultants, friends and family always saw me speaking and pouring into people on a larger scale. The only one who didn’t see it or believe it was me. I was too busy holding tight to what was known and familiar. I let fear grip me for far too long. Every time I would think about change or maximizing what others would speak into me, I’d eventually talk myself out of it. I’m known for playing it safe. I’m not a risk taker...
Correction, I wasn’t a risk taker.
I’m proud to say that the days of comfort holding me hostage are over. The times where I second guess my potential are done and the limits I once placed on myself are off!
To every teacher that interacted with me over the years, who has been with me on my journey, and who helped to encourage me to pursue more and expand my gift - THANK YOU! To every excellent educator reading this post, I want to encourage you to pursue everything that your heart desires. If you have a true passion but fear is keeping you from it, go get it! When you remove the limits you place of yourself and diligently walk in excellence, the opportunities will blow your mind!
Let my story and transparency show you it can be done. Prayer, persistence, and patience will get you there, you’ve just got to take the first step to make it happen!
Cleveland, get ready! Here I come!
🛫✈️🛩🛬🤓👩🏽🏫
Yep...Don’t make it wait forever. Your passion leads you to your purpose!
#IGrepost #pursueyourpassion
Teachers are you ready for an AMAZING week of PD provided by teachers for teachers? Join me in Vegas for an experience you will never forget! SDE hosts their National Conference in Vegas each July and it's an experience like no other!
They even have a scholarship you can apply for to go. Check it out with the link below! 👇🏽
www.cvent.com/events/sde-2019-national-conference/custom-130-084bce35e5224e0c8876572e98ad457a.aspx
Staff Development for Educators
New Year's goal? Go to Vegas for #SDE2019! 🙌
Everyone else may see the title “teacher” but only we know the cost of that title!
Have a wonderful week teacher friends! 💚