A Little Reflection

This post is going a little deeper today. It's all about reflection.

It's good to just stop sometimes and reflect on what's going on around you. Sometimes, days can pass you by without you stopping to relax and contemplate on all the good things in your life. It is important to do this, especially if you've maybe lost a little perspective lately. I've been thinking about how different life is for me at the moment so this is my reflection:

When I was at High School, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. I knew the kind of personality I had and my qualities suited this kind of career. I trained in Edinburgh for 4 years to become a Primary Teacher. The course was pretty intense. The most beneficial part of the course was the placements we did, but the amount of paperwork we had to do alongside the teaching was the most tiring part. I ended up taking one year out after second year. It was a tricky decision, as I was enjoying most of the elements of the course, but I don't think my heart was 100% in it. That was the year I went to Camp America. I definitely got some more life experience and I went back to teaching with a better outlook. I'm not going to lie, the last 2 years were testing but I knew it would be worth it in the end.

In Scotland, you do a probationary year before you are fully qualified. Probationary year is a very memorable year for most teachers. The highs and lows you encounter are unreal, but it was in this year that I saw how much I had developed and I knew I was only going to develop more and more. It's nice when you realise you've found a job that you like and that you're pretty good at it (it's taken me 4 years to say that - but you've just got to have faith in yourself and not be too hard on yourself).

Don't get me wrong, I absolutely thrived from teaching and I loved the feeling of making a change. However, getting in to work at 7/7:30, working a full day 8:50-15:15 with sometimes only a 10 minute lunch, and leaving at 17:45 starts to take its toll (and I haven't even mentioned all the late nights and work at weekends). I would rarely have energy to do anything social during the week, or I would go to the gym but not have much energy to do anything. I realise now I probably wasn't eating or drinking enough during the day as I felt constantly worn out. I have also realised I am a perfectionist in some ways so I think I was my own worst enemy. If I was deciding whether or not to do one more thing or leave work early, I would always do one more thing, and then probably do another thing. A teacher's 'To Do' list never ends, though, and as teachers we need to remember that we can't do absolutely everything. Prioritising is the key. So yeah, when I go back to teaching, finding a work-life balance is essential. Also, with this type of job it is sooo important that you not only reflect on what you can do better, but also to reflect on every little success.

Since moving up to Orkney to save up money, I have found that I don't need to take work home with me, I have time to do the things that I like (reading, painting, baking and cooking) and I have a lot more energy to go for walks, go to the gym etc. I am also really enjoying having time writing this blog and planning our NZ adventure. I forgot how much I love writing and it's even better when it's for a purpose - sharing what it's like to be a gluten free veggie on my travels. I can even stay up past half 9 on a weekday, and last night I even managed to start watching a film at 8PM and stay awake. Bless any partners of teachers, honestly. Scott was so understanding when I'd be too tired to cook or doze off early every night. On a Friday, I used to have one glass of wine with dinner and I'd be dozing by 8PM - great fun! Then I'd usually have some work to do over the weekend, which I didn't mind doing, but a work-life balance is so important.

I have read recently that a lot of teachers (either early in their career or later) are leaving the profession. Almost a quarter of teachers who have qualified since 2011 have left the profession. The main reason seems to be the workload, which then can lead to stress and affect wellbeing. I hope something changes, because I'm sure councils are losing a lot of brilliant teachers.

So I am obviously missing my family and friends in Edinburgh, and the Edinburgh 'buzz' but I am making the most of Orkney life and enjoying the lie ins because I won't always get to sleep in until 8. I am enjoying this new chapter and looking forward to whatever happens next. It's important to live in the moment and I'm definitely getting better at it.

My mum is a very positive person and I have learnt a lot from her. Her most used phrase is 'this is a good as it gets moment'and she always says to me that I should write down all the things that make me happy and make sure I do at least one of those things a day. Also, I found these 'rules to life' about 10 years ago and my mum and I related to them a lot. I think, however, that I sometimes need to remind myself of them:

1. Make peace with your past so it won't screw up the present.

2.What others think of you is none of your business.

3. Time heals almost everything, so give it time.

4. Don't compare your life to others and don't judge them. You have no idea what their journey is all about.

5. Stop thinking too much. It's alright not to know the answers. They will come when you least expect it.

6. No one is in charge of your happiness, except you.

7. Smile. You don't own all of the problems in the world.

I hope you enjoyed reading this. The main points I wanted to get across were the importance of reflecting and living in the moment. I hope you can take something from this blog.

x gf v x