For me, today is the day that I return to things that I am most passionate about, the small things in life that mean the most. I've been away from my shop for nearly two and a half years of Etsy vacation. Those two and a half years have been filled with not one, but two weddings between my husband and I, and my appearance within the world of 9-5.
Don't get me wrong. I like my job, and I know that what I do helps students to experience and learn things here in London that they otherwise never would...but my job is not all of me. But is my job so far from me personally? Perhaps not as much as I have been treating it. That is, until recently, and until I found a little help in the expertise of a friend.
Over the course of the days, weeks, months and hopefully years to come, I'll be recognizing many of my friends for their amazing accomplishments, but I want to be certain to give credit for today to one very special friend: Fritha. Fritha is a performance coach, and the owner and founder of Believe YOU
Can Make a Difference. Fritha is exceptional at what she does, so I want to spend a few moments right now to thank her.
So, how did Fritha help me? Here's the story: from 9am to 5:30pm, every weekday, I am the Assistant Director of Academic Affairs at a wonderful study abroad program here in London. As part of my job, I am currently teaching a class that helps our students intellectually and academically contextualize the experiences working as interns in a wide variety of businesses while studying abroad.
Just last week, Fritha appeared as a guest speaker in my class. She told my students about her journey, and then conducted a short speed coaching session with all of us. I was probably the most eager participant of all. Through this speed coaching session, I realized just how out-of-touch I had become with my own loves and passions over the course of the past two years. I learned that I DO have the time and creative space to pursue BOTH my ambitions on the job, as well as my personal interests. I actually have a fantastic opportunity to do both simultaneously. I can integrate my own interests into what I can teach to students on my program, a great opportunity to find personal satisfaction through my job. Conversely, I can use the students' impressions of and experiences studying in London to inform and inspire my designs. Win! Win!
My professional goals and my personal do not have to be as discrete. I realized that it is up to me to make BOTH happen. Nobody else can do that for me. So thank you Fritha. I hope that the goodies I design and post to my shop will please my new clients as much as they make me feel satisfaction and fulfilment.
Hats off to you Fritha! You are an inspiration, and a motivator. I'm so lucky to know you.
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