Did you know that teachers are packrats?

True story. One of my teacher mentors retired last year and she had items going back her whole tenure of thirty years to share with the staff!

As for me, I hoard classes...and memories.

For the classes, I don’t necessarily take them all at once. But, when I’m able, or have some downtime....I will take a class like the current class I’m taking on composition (see above). The classes I choose are typically in line with either my goal of becoming a better letterer or my goal of owning a successful, online sticker shop some day. My bet is, if it’s for the latter goal, I won’t always use the class material right away. I just stash it away for future reference when I do need it.

I’m a packrat.

My Why

I mention all this because, last week, I signed up for Dominique Falla’s Creative Funnel Formula class...and I may have stumbled upon My Why. Not for my day-to-day, art teaching grind. I’ve shared My Why for that. I’m strictly talking about this blog.

One of the questions Ms. Falla asked was about being crystal clear on your niche. What I dumped into that answer was a very long story…of a memory, if you will…about a girl I used to loathe working with.

Let’s call her, Michelle.

About Michelle

Everyone that knew Michelle knew her as a turn up queen...the life of the party. But I didn’t. She just seemed like a black cloud behind our closed, office doors. I never let on I didn’t like her personality very much. I remained fairly neutral in her presence. Work is work.

One day she shared she had been seeing many of her friends progressing further in life and felt like hers was stagnant. I could feel that. The problem was, I still had to work with her. And I wanted the fun Michelle. Not whoever that person was.

Not to mention, we were also the only two advisors for young people at a local non-profit. I needed her to be together for our department.

Some time later, we took our middle school, girl groups on a field trip to a local museum. When we got there, we separated our groups for our tours. At one point during our tour, as my group was passing by hers, I caught a glimpse of her seated in the back of a studio where an artist at the museum was leading the group in a creative project. She was quietly working on hers by herself. It seemed to be the most at peace I’d ever seen her. In my imagination, I thought maybe that was the missing component and my mind started making arrangements.

I’ve always had a creative outlet. As simple a life as I’ve always wanted, I have yet to have one. Creativity seemed to be the one outlet I found to deal with all that life threw at me. Thank God for an interests in the arts. No matter what was going on, my breath came from being able to have my own, creative pursuits. If ever I found myself uptight, down in the dumps, or overall miserable, it was usually some creative outlet that brought me back from the edge.

That particular job was enjoyable, but also pretty hectic...and at the time, planning became my creative outlet, complete with the search for planner peace, bullet journals, sticker addictions (see why I would want a sticker shop?), etc. In between traveling to workshops, planning workshops, running workshops, writing curriculum, revamping programs, pitching to school leadership, giving presentations, coordinating mentor programs, co-counseling kids, and attending meetings for the meeting...and, and, and...I was playing in my planner...lettering, stickering, writing, drawing, painting...all the things.

So, back to the story...

After that field trip, I went home and gathered some Happy Planner materials. Happy Planner planners hadn’t worked for me. I was more of a hybrid (the Travelers Notebook meets Hobonichi planner plus Happy Planner sticker variety). But, I thought it might be the perfect fit for her.

I gathered a planner that I had bought that hadn’t gotten any play, some fresh inserts, and some other Happy Planner items I thought might go well with it and presented them to her the next day. I said nothing of what I felt I had picked up on when I saw her the day before. I just casually told her that they hadn’t worked out for me and if she wanted she could have them or pass them along.

The next day, she came back to work saying she had taken the items home and once her family had went to bed, she played with those materials all night. Funny enough, she even had a glow!

After that, she started lightening up and I was beginning to see something of the person in her that up until that point, I had only been hearing about. Unbeknownst to her (and fortunately for me), that was when I started to actually like her!

I don’t see her often anymore since we’ve both moved on from those careers. But, when I do see her around online, she hasn’t lost that light since. I’ve seen her go on to speaking engagements, community organizing, and even founding her own local, non-profit.

It’s pretty cool to see...and it all started by recognizing that we working women are all creatives. We need our own space and tools and time to be so...whatever that looks like. Without that, we are bound to be dissatisfied with our own journeys, miserable and possibly making everyone around us miserable too. But, with it, we can light ourselves up, fulfill our purpose, and probably make the world a better place to be in the process.

Going back to My Why

I began this blog during the pandemic. I wasn’t brand new to blogging. But, the last time I blogged regularly was before social media blew all the way up. The blogging landscape has totally changed since then.

When blogging was newer, it was more about sharing. That aspect has shifted now in that many bloggers also use it as a career option. It’s not just a tool to share anymore, but a means to sell as well. I admit...I’m not immune to desiring additional income. But, it can be a little off-putting to be sold at wherever you go online.

I’ve thought all this over, since, technically, as far as being a positive distraction from the pandemic, this blog served its purpose. But, since it has become one of my favorite happy places (cheesy, but true ), what else am I to do with it?

I still share, of course. I also sell now. But, as I discover my why to keep going with it, I attempt to do those things with purpose.

I provide tools and materials in the form of downloads for all the Michelle’s that come across this blog to take home and play with, free of charge. In this way, if you happen to be a Michelle, I believe I’m equipping you to take time out to care for yourself so you can better achieve your own version of success in this life-whatever that looks like for you. If you get a little girl talk (or not-so-small talk) with it, all the better.

I can do this because I’ve been a Michelle myself...At some point, we’ve all forgotten our creative centers and have had to go find them again.

Why?

Because, taking time out to reconnect with it makes you a much better you.

That’s why.