This blog has helped me grow financially. It has introduced me to ideas and insights, writers and friends I couldn’t imagine a little more than a year ago. This blog has also helped me start to live more purposefully. What I never imagined, though, was that my struggles with blogging–more than my successes–would really help me grow. As I try to sort through the merriest and busiest time of year, I’m finally learning to be a little bit kinder to myself.
I haven’t been feeling well probably because of the frantic end of the semester and ‘tis the season for students to share their germs. Any other day or week or month, I would have forced myself to keep going. I would have told myself that I was just making excuses and that nothing worth having ever comes easy. Basically, I would have made things worse.
But this weekend, I realized something. Blogging isn’t my job. Blogging isn’t my world. And as much as I love blogging, I have to give myself credit for all the other things I’ve been working on lately.
It’s true that She Picks Up Pennies is one of my passions, but teaching is always my top priority. As a result, sometimes blogging has to take a backseat to lesson planning, grading, and connecting with families. I also made two commitments last year that will help me grow professionally (and land a raise!). In addition to starting a second Master’s program, I also started the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certification process. It consumed much of the last school year, and I finally got my results this weekend after waiting for seven months. I passed! With a rumored pass rating of around 40%, I was genuinely shocked to have cleared the first two hurdles on my first attempts. As much as it pained me to push blogging to the side at times, those scores were an important reminder of why I do that.
I’ve written before at length about side hustling. Sometimes, I feel like I don’t hustle hard enough. Other times, I feel like I’m burning the candle at both ends and through the middle. In addition to tutoring, I also proctor standardized tests once every few months. I also collaborated with a colleague to create another professional development course for teachers in our district. That’s on top of the work I do for Tip Yourself each week and the two sponsored posts I finished in October. Even though my first instinct is to push myself to work harder, when I spell it out like this, it seems like a little break might be just what I need.
Then there’s my family. Normally, I get all of my writing done the weekend before. Ideally, I crank out at least one post on Friday and a second post at some point that weekend. Between catching up with my parents before they go travel next month, honoring my nana on the anniversary of her passing, and saying yes to all sorts of other meals with family and friends, my weekends seem to pass by in a blur. As much as I wish I had more time to chronicle these memories and blog about each moment, I’ll have to settle for making time for the experiences and hope the writing falls into place at some other time.
I know I’ll get back to blogging later this week. I’ll pour through my Vanguard accounts. I’ll start looking at our progress as we gear up for another year. I’ll probably even put together another post for the awkward series.
But in the meantime, I’m going to give myself a pass. In fact, I’ll do more than that. Instead of focusing on everything I have yet to do, I’ll take some time to give myself credit for everything I’ve already done.
Good on you, girl! That’s one of the hardest lessons to learn in life – to be kind to ourselves. You have kicked major ass in the last mo ths/weeks/days (congrats on the certs!). It is the end of the year and we all feel that coming up around us. The burnout is inevitable. Both of my sisters are teachers so I semi understand added end of the school year pressure!
I’ve only been at this blog for 5 months and I feel the pressure to work it like a job. But, let’s face it, I don’t get paid to blog! I started only writing when something inspires me to do so. I don’t want to fill MM with fluff just to get a post up. At this post, I’m happy with it being a journal in real time.
Enjoy the holidays with your family!! And we’re here reading whenever you are writing…no pressure! 🙂
Wow! National Board Certification is a big deal–congrats!
This time of year always adds a major layer of crazy to the schedule. You definitely have to look out for yourself around now!
Thank you on both counts, Basil. I do need to learn to look out for myself. I think it’s a lesson a lot of us need to be reminded of 🙂
Yes, credit is definitely due! Good for you and you should feel good about all you’ve done. Sounds like you’ve been busy and congrats are in order on the certification!
Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you, thank you, thank you. I’m sure I’ll be fine once the dust settles. ‘Tis the season for kids to freak out over missing assignments, making up tests, etc. Once that passes, I’ll be able to breathe (and sleep) better!
I needed to read this on a Monday morning! So many props to you for sharing your story. I think as bloggers, we put so much pressure on ourselves to be perfect and be scheduled. It isn’t easy to write and run a blog while working (and for you, studying for your test…I can’t imagine!)
Thanks for sharing! I think we can all benefit from being a little easier on ourselves as bloggers.
Yup, you’re right, Rachel. Everyone’s lives are so much fuller than their blogs let on it. I’m trying to remind myself of that with others…and myself! 🙂
Congrats on your boards! And on giving yourself a break.
You only have so much time and effort to give until your batteries run out. Letting yourself regularly recharge a bit makes you more effective, and making sure you recharge when you know you’re drained is even more important.
Thank you! I still have two more parts to complete this school year to be officially certified. Hearing back (I’ve been waiting since May!) definitely helped put some pep in my step to get going with the other parts!
Man, you definitely keep yourself busy! I think it’s okay to give yourself a pass. It’s just as important to be kind to yourself as it is to be kind to others.
I’m not sure if this helps, but I schedule blog posts about a month ahead of schedule so I can give myself a few days off if needed. Of course, that does mean you need to have the time to come up with a backlog of posts first. 😉
Anyhoo, I hope the holidays get less crazy for you and you can find the time to recuperate! Sometimes stepping back is a good thing.
You’re so right about scheduling in advance. I try to do that, but I haven’t been able to dedicate the proper time these past few months. It’s so hard to spend all of my weekends writing for grad school. I feel so zapped afterwards, but I’m paying $14,000. And I’m waiting on a raise from it. So I have to put my energy there as much as it pains me to do so!
Another post in the awkward series? You just made my morning! Don’t let me down, Penny!
And also, mad props to you for juggling teaching and blogging. You are a rock star.
It’s time for all of us to do a bit more of the self-care. 🙂 Congrats on all you’ve done this year!
You are certainly entitled to a well deserved break. A little self-care can go a long ways. I honestly don’t know how you’ve managed to fit everything in! Congratulations on passing your certification. Hope you feel better soon!
Thank you, thank you, Amanda! It’s so funny. I used to scoff at the notion of “self care”. I figured I was too Type-A for that. Little did I know that I was actually making myself less efficient and helpful. I’m working on it!
Wow, you certainly have a lot on your plate! I’d say you’re due an immense amount of credit. Kudos on passing your certification and on keeping all these balls in the air! Now take a break, enjoy your family time, take care of yourself, and feel better.
I think everyone experiences it — you’re so busy that it’s exhilarating, not tiring. But then as soon as you actually slow down, KABOOM! That’s what I’m expecting in two weeks for winter break. Thank you for the support, Gary.
Sending so many congrats your way!!!
As for the blogging, of course you get a day off. At work you get spring break, summer break, fall break, winter break, federal holidays, and other random days off plus sick days and professional development days. Why should blogging not have breaks too? It’s part of the healthy balance about which you blog.
Taking a break or a vacation shouldn’t have to mean squishing the same amount of work into less time. It should be a true break.
You’re so right! I think I’ll look hard at my blogging schedule for the first part of 2017 and maybe pencil in a breather or two!
You amaze me – National Board Certification is an incredible challenge to take on. But it doesn’t surprise me that you chose that path. Congrats again and definitely give yourself a break. My son has brought home both strep and pink eye this week from his high school and they were cleaning up from little ones being sick in a few different halls this week. Tis the season for just about any “crud” you can think of to be shared at school 😉
Thanks, Vicki! I hope I can pull it off. It’s really been a lot of juggle with my Master’s classes, too. But it’s been the most rewarding part of teaching. I have never had to think so critically of myself and examine every little thing to make sure I’m doing what’s best for kids. Plus…my students are darn cute in the all the footage I have to shoot for the portfolios!
Congratulations on the certification process and all your other accomplishments. Julie made a good point – why shouldn’t you get a break from blogging like you do with work? Your readers will still return whether you post once a week, three times a week, or every other week. Taking a little space when you need it is healthy and reasonable.
You’re so logical, Mrs. G! I guess part of why I don’t take a “real” break from blogging is because I love it so much, and it’s such a place of refuge for me. The support is unreal. I suppose I feel like the least I could do to thank people is to keep writing.
YES! You cannot burn the candle too quickly. We love you and will read you when you are able to share.
You seriously made my day, week, and possibly even blogging life with this comment, ZJ. Thank you.