How to be BOLD and Brave at the Start of the School Year...

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The start of another school year is here and it looks much different than what we’re used to. 

In my conversations with educators gearing up for the year to begin, it’s clear that many are experiencing similar concerns.

Here’s what I am hearing a lot of:

• I’m starting to get the start of the year jitters (like the Sunday Scaries).
• I’m nervous about how to connect with my students virtually.
• I miss my students and colleagues AND I want everyone to be safe.
• I want to protect my family and stay safe and healthy.
• I don’t know how to be a parent of school-aged children AND an online educator at the same time.
  

These are all very real conversations.

Some of these thoughts bring up more anxiety than others, and some of us are better at going with the flow than others, but ultimately we’re all feeling a little more uncomfortable than normal for this time of year.  For those of us who like structure, order and organization, all of this uncertainty and change feels like we are swimming in chaos right now.

I get it. On so many levels, I get it.

For me, as a single mom who is super ambitious and goal-oriented, and dreams of making the BIGGEST impact possible, I often feel like I am stretching to fulfill BOTH sides of my biggest priorities - time with my girls and bringing my professional vision to life - amidst a global pandemic to boot. How do I manage the emotions of my girls and meet their needs while also making sure they are having fun and can still feel like kids? And how do I work from home and run a successful business when they are home ALL THE TIME?

This is where I get to be BOLD and BRAVE.

I get to do things I’ve never done before.

I get to shift my perspective to allow it to support me and my loved ones in this new context.

I get to turn my frustration into fire.

I get to stop wasting time and live into my passions and purpose NOW.

I get to actually prioritize my priorities.

I get to keep it simple, focused, and easy!

I get to play, I get to laugh, I get to have fun! 

I get to release what doesn’t serve me and I get to pour into what lights me up!

I get to choose how I show up, and I get to choose what to say YES to and what to say NO to.

To me, this is what it means to be brave and bold. 

To stand in my truth.  To stand in authenticity. To be real about how I feel, to talk myself off the ledge when I feel like jumping, and to connect deeply with the people I love and those I am meant to serve.

So, as you kick off the new school year - the oddest, most new, uncertain, and uncomfortable school year yet - get reconnected to your purpose.‍

Why did you become an educator? 

Why did you say yes to being a guiding light to the youth you serve? 

And despite where we are in this moment in time, why did you say YES again, even in the middle of all of this?

It is so easy to just go through the motions, and it’s so easy to let the motions separate you from your purpose. But if there is one thing we are getting from this COVID life, it’s that that no longer works.

‍We cannot just go through the motions anymore.‍

What I’ve chosen to do, and encourage you to do as well, is to hit ‘refresh’ and start anew.  Use this as motivation to do things differently.  Let’s reconnect to our purpose, and remind ourselves why we are here in the first place.  

If you are struggling with any of this, know that there is support out there for you. You DO NOT have to face this alone. I’ll be honest...I’ve gone through my fair share of COVID struggles and I have a buffer of support around me and I know exactly who to turn to for the support I need.

For you - an educator who wants to be BOLD and BRAVE (and SAFE) at the start of this school year - what kind of support do you need? What kind of support do you already have?  Being BOLD and BRAVE also means you are willing to reach out and get that support! It means you are brave enough to ask for help. It means you are bold enough to dig deep so you can reveal your next best steps in up-leveling your life.

I have news for you: YOU ARE NOT MEANT TO STRUGGLE!!

Sure, life can suck sometimes. And yeah, sometimes it can super suck, BUT it’s important to remember we can shift out of the super-suck at any moment when we have the right help.

So if you can relate to any of this, and you are ready to be BOLD and BRAVE, and you want to join a community of other like-minded educators who are also ready to be bold and brave, then become a BOLD EDUCATOR and enroll in the Bold Educator University. 

BEU is a signature coaching program to support educators throughout the course of an academic year. We focus on transformational personal growth and professional development with kick-ass community support. This is about up-leveling in ALL areas of your life! 

My mission is to ensure that YOU have the best year yet! And yes, even in the middle of a pandemic and civil unrest, it IS possible to experience wonder and greatness and live into the vision of your best life - 100% of the time, all year round.

I got you. We got this. Now all you’ve gotta do is say YES to yourself.

Are you ready to step up for the Bold Educator University? Click here to schedule a call and let’s talk about how we can make this your BEST and BOLDEST school year yet!