My Own Slice of Life on What’s Next
My whole life I have been so consumed with what’s next. As a student, I couldn’t wait to start my career and life after school. As a wife, I couldn’t wait to start having children with my husband. As a teacher, I’m always looking to take that next step to further my career. I’m always thinking about what is next.
What if I could go back and change things? I know for sure that I would slow down. As a student, I think I would take full advantage of all of the perks of living at home and paying very few bills. I think I would save more money and be smarter with my money. I wouldn’t spend my time planning for life outside of my parent’s house. I didn’t realize how great I had it.
If I could go back and change things I know I would change the way I acted in the first few years of my marriage. Once my husband and I decided that we were ready to start a family, I became very focused on starting a family. We had some trouble getting started and wound up seeing specialists and spending lots of time at the doctor’s office. I also spent lots of time worrying that it would never happen. If I could go back, I would take the time to be with my husband and enjoy every minute of our alone time. Since we have had children, our alone time has pretty much disappeared. I miss our dates and movie nights and quiet dinners and respectful, thoughtful conversations. If I could go back, I would slow down and enjoy my time with him and be more patient with the process of starting our family.
Right now, at this point in my life, I am a mom of young children and a teacher at an elementary school. I’ve taken graduate courses to prepare me to take the next step in my career. I think I need to slow down and enjoy being a mom of two little kids and enjoy my time in the classroom. Being a mom and a teacher have been dreams of mine since I was a young girl and both have come true. I think I’m going to focus on enjoying all that I have and let the next step come gradually. I think I’m going to take the time to enjoy my students and watch them learn and grow and I think I’m going to take the time to enjoy my babies and watch them learn and grow.
What’s next for me? I’m not really sure where life will lead me. I know that I will approach what’s next with my gorgeous husband and adorable children at my side. I know that I will take all of my experiences as a classroom teacher with me when it is time to take the next step in my career. I know that I will approach what’s next with patience. I know I’m going to start focusing on what’s happening now.
Comments on: "What’s Next?" (5)
Very thoughtful, if you could have only written this and shared it with me ten years ago! We are acculturated, I think, to rush on to the next event in life, and I find it challenging to slow down. Good luck and good for you! The young children gig goes by so fast. Definitely enjoy it.
Loved your post. We so often look forward instead of stopping to appreciate what we have right now. It really is a blessing to stand on the sidelines and watch my students learning and growing…and so often I’m too focused on preparing for whatever comes next and I miss it. It’s not good to miss blessings. Thanks for the reminder.
I think we all need to slow down and enoy what we are blessed with. Recognizing our tendency to speed thorugh life is the fiirst step in changing our behavior. A very reflective piece. I hope you are able to enjoy your joys while also planning for more adventures with balance.
Man, I’ll bet this hits home with so many people, Jill! I think we all wish we would have enjoyed different points in our lives as we look back. Good advice.
Jill, I completely agree with you. In fact that is one of my goals. Living a more simple life. Living in the now and focusing on what’s important. Reflective and true…wonderful piece!