I find CLARITY in challenges. I am open to experiencing life through a CLEAR lens without expecting CHALLENGES to slow me down. (L Titus, 2021)
As I woke up this morning, I got my day started, a couple of things hit me as I began my workout:
I have been working out with Garage Strong Fitness for 11 weeks!
I am three weeks into Couch to 5K!
Challenges have helped to go grow, push myself, and thrive in ways that I never expected when I determined my #oneword2021 210 days ago.
How have challenges helped me to GROW?
I feel like the ways these challenges have helped me to grow in indescribable in many ways. So many things have changed in my life since January 1, 2021. My days are different from the time I wake up until I go to sleep at night. I am truly in the process of transforming my life! I am embracing challenges and pushing myself to level up in ways that I could have never imagined.
In the past 11 weeks specifically, I have begun a renewed fitness and health journey. Although the scale is moving slowly, I have lost and kept off about 20 pounds so far this year, I wake up each morning and either do strength training or a training run as part of Couch to 5K. I am tracking my food again. I can lift heavier weights. I have more endurance and can run at a faster pace. I am amazed at the progress I see when looking at pictures. I am so thankful that three months ago, I reached out to Dawn Reese of Garage Strong Fitness, who was one of the art teachers at my school at the time. She truly gave me the motivation and the push that I needed.
How have challenges helped me to PUSH MYSELF?
After my morning workout, I continue my day by journaling using Lindsey Titus' 90 day journal. After finishing my first journal, I promptly ordered another one. The quote that starts this blog post was the one that greeted me this morning. Yes, I find CLARITY in challenges. They have truly helped me to not only push myself, but venture into unknown territories.
Since the beginning of the year, I have blogged every three days- wow, that's a lot of posts! But more than that, I have learned so much- from reading, from exploring new resources, and more. I have attended conferences and learned amazing new things from my peers. I figured out, with some help, how to set up a weekly email newsletter which I have been sending out for 13 weeks already! I have read some truly amazing books. I am embodying the lifelong learner mindset everyday.
How have challenges helped me to THRIVE?
There are so many ways that these challenges have helped me to thrive. In 2021, I became a published author for Road to Awesome LLC, one of my lifelong dreams. I got the opportunity to present at ISTE21. I opened up a Facebook group where I am starting a community that supports educators to use technology in transformative ways to amplify student learning. I have gotten to present at so many amazing virtual conferences. I wrote a contributing chapter to an upcoming book being published by EduMatch in late 2021/early 2022. I even started a business, TannenbaumTech and booked my first few clients!
These challenges are just the beginning. There is so much more in store in the coming months. I can't wait to attend and present at my first in person conferences starting in October. I am working with some other amazing educators on some exciting future collaborations. There might even be another book in the works...I am so grateful to my PLN- my support network for all their support. I got where I am because people believed in me and encouraged me. I want to be that same support for you- after all, we are all #better together!
