Every February, there was a literary convention in town, Reading For The Love Of It.* It was a highlight on the calendar that was sorely needed when we were in the months of snowsuits, puddles of wet slush, lost mittens, and damp socks. It re-energized me to see all the newly published books, get some… Continue reading Teaching Partners: Turning Good Intentions Into Actions
Tag: teacher
Who Are You?
NOTE: Written below are the raw reactions that I had years ago, when I was newly retired from teaching. If you’ve recently retired, perhaps you can relate. Originally published January, 2023. Suddenly I’m not me anymore and it’s jarring. All my adult life I’ve been a teacher. It’s who I was. But what is a… Continue reading Who Are You?
People From Strange New Worlds
Trying new things means meeting new people from worlds that you’ve never even imagined. That may seem like hyperbole. I’ve worked in a people-facing career all my life. How can I have been unaware of these worlds? I didn’t think I was. I tried to keep up with current events. But understanding what peoples’ experiences… Continue reading People From Strange New Worlds
Returning To Learning In Midlife
There are very few things that need only be stated once for us to learn and remember them. Usually these things are connected to an extreme emotion – a time that hits us as a core memory. When you’re learning to drive, there’s nothing like the panic of almost hitting a car for you to… Continue reading Returning To Learning In Midlife
How are you enjoying retirement?
This post was originally published 2023/01/12 when I first began writing about what’s next after retiring in midlife. How are you enjoying retirement? It’s a frequently asked question from my still-working colleagues and friends as they greet me. That is a loaded question. They mean well, I know. They probably really wish that they were… Continue reading How are you enjoying retirement?
Think for Me
When I was working, I didn’t have time to think. Like most people, my day was a rush of things that needed to get done, from the moment I woke up, until the dinner dishes were done and the laundry put away. By the time evening arrived, I was too tired to do any thinking.… Continue reading Think for Me
The Pitfalls Of Taking Another Qualification
As I continue to develop my path after retiring in midlife, I was surprised to catch myself falling into an all too familiar pitfall. I’d seen it happen to others in my situation when they were trying to decide what their next steps should be. I’ve also seen others stay stuck in this place for… Continue reading The Pitfalls Of Taking Another Qualification
Clarifying Your Values To Guide You
I’m a big believer in getting clear about your values* to help build the life that you want. It’s foundational. But, it’s often a step that we fly over in our eagerness to start new opportunities. I’ve found that flying over my values in an attempt to move more quickly onto the next step in… Continue reading Clarifying Your Values To Guide You
Why Move Forward?
She made a compelling case. When a young teacher asked me the other day, if I would consider doing some supply teaching, I hesitated. She caught me at a particularly bumpy time, when building my new business was not going as smoothly as I’d hoped. There are so many things to learn and so many… Continue reading Why Move Forward?
The Day Planner Experiment
As anyone who is retired knows, time management in retirement is a struggle. It comes as a surprise that having “all the time in the world” does not actually help you get anything done. It’s ironic and annoying. Recently, I discovered the work of Nir Eyal on Distraction and I’m trying his time management technique… Continue reading The Day Planner Experiment
Retired, And Now What? 