I think it's time for me to spend more time concretely reflecting on my good things in my life. There are such a plenitude of blessings! One of those blessings is my job. It comes with plenty of stressors, but God is blessing me so deeply where I work...
It gives me a great sense of purpose. I get to make a difference in so many lives, and while perhaps I've drempt of being married with kids at this age, I go into work each day knowing I have a purpose to care for children who need that light in their lives. There is a reason God has put other things on hold for me. He has so much purpose where I'm at. I wouldn't exchange anything for His plan for me.
Summers off (for freedom to explore). Let's be real and acknowledge that "summers off" is not really a thing for teachers with all their lesson planning and so forth. That said, I am blessed to be in a role (to have chosen a role) that gives me that 9-5 "work is at work" AND a full summer to explore new things without having to worry about health insurance. Summer can be so many things. Rest and rejuvenation. Enjoying God's beautiful world/weather. Opportunities to dabble in other types of work, to choose my own schedule, opportunities to travel or even move somewhere else for a couple months without having to ask off work... Oh, and lots of breaks throughout the year: winter break, spring break, long weekends.
Spirit weeks: How many people can say they went to work dressed up as Princess Leia?!
Free annual picture. This one is rather hilarious. I don't think many people in their 20s are really looking for an annual school picture to hand out to friends and family. That said, we get that. Dress up once a year, look your best, and watch yourself age beautifully lol. It is great if you need a professional shot!
Annual memory book. Yearbooks. I've stopped buying them for various reasons, but I think it's pretty amazing that for each year of our life, we get to have documented (mentally or in print) moments that really meant a lot to us: unique accomplishments, things unique to that year... and we're watching our kids grow which is crazy! We get to see the difference we've made in their lives as well as the difference they've made in ours.
Specific to my job...
Paid to exercise and play games with kids. That's right. PE para. A role I begged my supervisor for that he generously gave me. Not saying it's a stress free piece of cake. I can assure you there is plenty of stress in this role just as their is plenty of stress in other classrooms. That said, part of the reason I wanted this role is that it makes me workout daily, and I get paid to do it versus paying to do it! I also get to develop positive relationships with kids playing games and being their cheerleader--things that would be harder to do in other subject areas. (And I don't have to sit around all day. I'm constantly moving which is great for my mental health.) -- I get a home base but I also get the opportunity to sub and to explore various areas around the school, many which I wouldn't want to work in full time but that I enjoy trying from time to time.
Opportunities to try new things/change things up. I'm blessed that my supervisor is super flexible about where I want to be placed. Every year we can change things up if we really want (mid-year as well if things aren't working for whatever reason). This provides opportunities for variety but also stability.
Christian coworker! I almost left my job this year. With secular influences in our school taking over, I felt I had to hide my Christian self at work to blend in. I didn't like this feeling that I couldn't bring the most important/central part of my life and my identity into my daily work. I didn't like that rejoicing in my faith with others was only something I could do after work. Miracle of miracles, God not only called me to stay at my job, but the day before I had been scheduled to resign he sent an INCREDIBLE Christian coworker into my life, and now we thrive and constantly talk about what bringing the light of Christ to our job looks like--navigating the joys and sorrows of our daily life in Him. Now, I really can/get to shamelessly rejoice in being a daughter of God everyday with my dear sister.
Some pretty stellar coworkers (at similar stages to me in their lives). Despite plenty of coworker challenges in the past couple years--this year definitely included--I really do have many incredible coworkers, and they value me so much and so often talk me up which is a blessing. Feeling valued is huge (and well as feeling good at what I do). There are some other jobs I've been at where I've worked with vulnerable populations. That said, many people in those jobs are just at different stages in life than me: still in college, etc. It's nice to have coworkers who I can relate to in regard to out post-college stage of life who also aren't necessarily in a rush to "accomplish" everything by a certain age (such as raising a family) or judging me based off of that.
Kid-free professional collab time/on the clock. This is something most schools don't have to the extent that we do. In the majority of schools, paras come in with the kids and leave with the kids. There isn't time to decompress or problem solve with other staff members or just connect and prep for/decompress from the day. At my job there is that open time to do what you think is important and to work towards making time with the kids run more smoothly while still on the clock.
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