Today’s Morning Buzz is brought to you by Jenn Reichelt, first year middle school teacher and contract employee with The Novak Consulting Group now a part of Raftelis – connect with her on LinkedIn and Twitter!
My life took a big turn these past few months. Since my last Morning Buzz, I sold my condo, moved across the country, and changed careers. All of this amid the backdrop of a pandemic.
In May, I decided it was time to be closer to my aging parents, and I started exploring one of my other passions: education. This journey has become an adventure. I moved home to Yuma, Arizona, and I am teaching a middle school Business and Careers class in the same middle school I attended.
I’ve always hated it when I heard people talk about the importance of discovering your passion or honoring your passion. And to be honest, I think working for and in local governments is a passion of mine. I always enjoyed my work and felt like I was making an impact in the communities in which I worked, but I felt like it was time to explore something new.
When I envisioned teaching, it looked a lot different than my reality today. I teach from an empty classroom and talk to my students via Zoom each day. However, it is a tremendous opportunity to provide tweens with important life skills (budgeting!) and help them learn about and explore career options. I have the opportunity to share my knowledge and experience and expose them to world of local government!
Will education be my final career destination? I don’t really know. I can tell you that I like what I’m doing, but I also miss working directly in local government. For me, right now, this is the right decision. Taking the risk and making the change has been overwhelming, exciting, and invigorating. And – I get really excited when I talk about my students, classes, and content.
I encourage you to be open to exploring your passions. Think about what motivates you. What gets you excited? Take the risk. You never know what doors life will open.