April is filled with change. We've recently transitioned from winter to spring with the weather changing in crazy ways! April also may be the time for professional decisions to be made for actions such as transfers, resignations, and retirements. How will you be making key changes regarding these decisions?

When the pandemic began in March 2020, it had a similar feeling to my experience a few years earlier! I felt as though I had my own personal pandemic in 2015-2016 when I gave birth to my first child and made the decision to leave the classroom full-time. I had moments of isolation, uncertainty, and a sense of being in limbo. However, I also created time for reflection and evaluation of what I wanted my life and my family's life to be. 

During those immediate changes, many people questioned my decisions (including myself at times). Ironically, some of those same people reached out in the early stages of the pandemic to inquire how I made those decisions and how those changes impacted me. Since then, I have lost count of the number of people who have contacted me (most recently in the last two years) to ask for advice and talk through decisions about making key changes in their lives—most often in regard to their careers. I feel honored that they trust me in this decision-making process, I enjoy making a deep connection with them, and I appreciate offering questions for reflection based on their situations.

When I speak to individuals who are considering leaving their current position (whatever that is), I ask them to reflect on one particular question: If you leave this position, how will you fill the void of the joy, creativity, and productivity this role is currently offering you? For me, I went from the daily teaching of students in a middle school band setting to parenting my own children, teaching private saxophone lessons, writing, studying, and mentoring and motivating educators in unique ways—which has progressively morphed into full-time work. The conducting and teaching high was replaced with the high of watching my children grow and learn, hearing a single musician attain their potential, having a piece of writing published, and encouraging staff members to reflect on their daily practices through speaking and consulting opportunities. I had a vision of how I wanted my career to unfold and how this would gel with raising my family. A vision is essential in making key changes.

Reflect on what you want in life and not what others think a career/job/position should be for 1 year, 19 years, or the golden 30 years. You’ll always be a teacher [or whatever professional] regardless of if you stay, transfer, resign, or retire. No one can tell you what to do, how to do it, or when to make any type of change. The prime advice I share these days with people who are contemplating leaving a full-time job, most specifically in education, is to think about how you will fill the void of the “teaching high” should you choose to make a change. Some people need that "high" 5 days a week, and others may only need it once a week, a few hours here and there, or even a few times throughout the year. Only you know how often that high is essential for your well-being. That decision will impact you in many ways—mentally, physically, and spiritually. What I have experienced and designed for myself is that teaching can be shaped outside the walls of a "classroom," if you are willing to explore, create, and evaluate. "Students" come in all ages and forms and the teaching void can be filled in many unique ways. Only YOU know what kind of walls you need and how tall they should be. 💗

Once you make a change, then own it.

Embrace uniqueness!
💗 Lori

How will you make key changes this month to move closer to the life you've always imagined? Watch/Listen to Lori speak.

If you are considering making a change in your career, how will you go about it? What questions will you ask? Whom will you include in the conversation? How are you feeling? What are you doing to prepare for this change? How will you fill the void of what you are currently doing in your present position? If you are an educator, how will you get that teaching "high" and how often do you need to obtain it in your life? How will you own the decision once you have made it? To whom will you reach out when you need support?

“Always go with the choice that scares you the most, because that’s the one that is going to help you grow.” —Caroline Myss

There will be moments in one’s career when a choice must be made to remain in a position, transfer to another, explore a new level or subject area, navigate a different certification area, take a leave of absence, retire, and so on. Regardless of the circumstances—age, degree, certification, level, personal situation, etc.—the decision-making process can be difficult and emotional. This article offers ideas for making key changes:

• Read the article: "An Individual Path: Thinking Outside the Box When Making Career Changes"

A Question for Reflection: Do Students and Staff See a Representation of Women in Music?

The Heartbreaking Truth about Education: Why and How Will We Survive?

 

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