A New Chapter Is Beginning

After five years of teaching junior high school, tomorrow is my first day of a new chapter.

Tomorrow, I become a Pre-K teacher.

Honestly, it feels a little surreal.

Ever since I was in junior high school myself, I remember knowing that I wanted to become a teacher. I would think about having my own classroom one day, creating a space for children, and building a life doing something that hopefully made even the smallest difference.

And now here I am.

Over the last week of summer, I found myself going into my new classroom little by little to set everything up. Hanging things on the walls, organizing supplies, moving things around, and trying to make the space feel warm and welcoming before all of my little students walked through the door.

There were moments where I would just stand there and look around.

My classroom.

A completely new space. A new beginning. New little faces I haven't met yet. New routines. New challenges. New memories that haven't even happened yet.

And I couldn't help but feel emotional.

After spending the last five years teaching junior high school, this feels like such a big change. I'm leaving behind something familiar and stepping into something completely new. There's always something scary about starting over, even when it's something you know you want.

But there is also something really beautiful about it.

Lately, I feel like so many parts of my life are changing at the same time.

I'm starting a new chapter in my career while planning a wedding and preparing for marriage. I'm continuing to build my small business. I'm teaching Pilates and trying to create a community around something that started as just an idea in my head.

Sometimes I wonder how all of these different versions of me ended up existing at once.

The teacher.

The Pilates instructor.

The small business owner.

The woman planning her wedding and getting ready to step into an entirely new chapter of her personal life.

It's a lot.

But maybe that's what this season of life is supposed to feel like.

A little messy. A little overwhelming. Exciting. Emotional. Full of change.

I think I'm learning that life doesn't always wait for you to finish one chapter before beginning another. Sometimes, multiple chapters begin at once. Sometimes everything around you starts changing, and all you can really do is take a deep breath and trust yourself enough to grow with it.

Tomorrow is my first day teaching Pre-K, but it feels like so much more than just the first day of a new job.

It feels like the beginning of a new story.

One that I have been waiting for since I was a little younger than the students I used to teach.

And while I have no idea exactly what the next few years will look like, I know that right now, I feel excited.

Excited for my new classroom.

Excited to meet my students.

Excited for my wedding.

Excited to continue growing Serenity Stretch.

Excited to keep teaching Pilates.

Excited for all of the versions of my life that are still unfolding.

There is something really special about realizing that you are living in a moment you once dreamed about.

Tomorrow, I get to start a new chapter.

And I have a feeling this is only the beginning.