Often we make choices in life based on what the easiest thing would be, not what would be in our best interest. We avoid hard work and take the path of least resistance. We do this, and then later wonder why life is not as fulfilling as we had hoped. I guess we refused to listen when we were told that "there is no such thing as a free lunch". I know - I've been that person a number of times in my life. I stayed in relationships that were not serving me because I didn't know who I was without them. I allowed jobs that did not pay me what I was worth to have more than they paid for because the fight seemed too tough. The thing is, I also stayed stagnant and unfulfilled. I complained that life had dealt me a bad hand so that I could be the victim of my circumstances and not have to take personal responsibility for how my life was evolving or heading. I thought that doing hard things was a drag. As a student who made the choice to come back to college after nearly 20 years, I can say honestly that it is one of the hardest things I have ever done. But, it is also one of the best things I ever did because it has helped me to grow exponentially. Today I GET to do hard things! Taking risks, struggling, climbing to the top of the mountain. Those mountains were meant to be climbed! People sometimes ask what I get out of this journey, and this is what I have to say: A Second Chance - When I was a kid, I took school for granted slacking off on homework, doing great on exams and the standardized testing, but bringing home a sub-par GPA (C+ average). I made excuses and kept terrible study habits. Being in school again has allowed me to find focus and re-learn how to learn, study, and get much better grades (A- average). I'm even part of the honor society at my school which is a huge departure from my younger self. Personal Growth - Doing the work to deal with my demons so that I can be present in my life today has been suuuuuuuuper uncomfortable. I have had to look at things that had been buried deep in my soul, dust them off, explore, and then resolve the things that left me paralyzed. Those thing are the things that told me that I did not deserve to go back to school, and that leaving my husband to be responsible for our finances while I did this 'selfish' thing was totally not okay. The truth is, it has been good for both of us; we have learned more about ourselves in the process and been forced to ask for help. Fiscal Responsibility - Going from a dual income family to a single forced us to make some changes. Prior to my going back to school my husband and I had separate finances - without me bring home any bacon, we had to learn to communicate about money and get on the same page. Remarkably, both of us have better credit scores than we did when we were both working because we have more respect for the money we make. Giving Back - When I enrolled full time at the community college, I had been humbled by years of the corporate climb and was burnt out. The one thing I knew more than anything was that I had something to give mostly by way of perspective. As a tutor, I get to help students struggling with their studies and remind them of the things that really matter. Physical Health - If there is one thing that suffered the most in my former life, it was my physical health. I sat for 8+ hours a day only getting up to eat, use the washroom, or get another cup of coffee. The food I was ingesting was mostly healthy, but I often made choices of convenience, not health. Today, I bring food with me to school and am too cheap to pay for a parking permit and play the parking lot game, so I park quite a ways away and walk - most days I get north of 8k steps which is about 5k more than when I was working. Balance - This blog is all about how I have a full plate and live a life without gluten. Knowing that I have only 168 hours in a week has been one of the most freeing discoveries because it forced me to look at how I was using my time and reallocate. When I make my schedule, it is important to me that I can not only get through the semester with good academics, but without a mental breakdown as well. Every semester I try to take one elective, one tough as nails class, one online and be able to work as well. That elective and online class will have work, but because I pair them with a class that takes a lot more time, I can plan my time at home more effectively knowing that the tough as nails class takes first priority and then fill in with the other things. More Self Confidence - At the end of every single day, I get to enjoy putting my head on the pillow knowing that I tried my hardest, accomplished something (finishing that 5 page paper), and lived to tell. There is nothing like the pride of knowing that my classmates, professors, boss, friends, husband and kids can count on me to come through for them with my best effort. Doing the hard things - the things that have moved me out of my comfort zone - those are the things in my life that I look back on and have the MOST gratitude for. Xo, Michelle
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AuthorI'm Michelle, and I've got a full plate! As a full-time dietetics student, step-mom, wife, study coach, and tutor in my late 30's, some days I'm barely scraping by. But, no matter what is on my plate, it's always gluten free! Categories
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