Setting Goals OUTSIDE Your Comfort Zone!

You know that comfort zone that you live in? The one where you kind of stick to a routine and don't push yourself to try too many new things? The one that is safe and doesn't make you work too hard? Trust me, I live for comfort zones. In fact, I find that comfort zone and I hibernate in it!!!

Time for that to change!

I started blogging... well I signed up for a blog last year. I kind of would post every once in awhile when I felt like it. I followed hundreds of other bloggers and soaked up so many ideas. I eventually set up my teaching Instagram and began to follow all of my blogger obsessions (ie: Deedee Wills and Deanna Jump). It wasn't until March that all of the sudden I woke up thinking, "what the heck girl! Why aren't you doing anything with your social media? You LOVE what you do so why not show it?!' (It was like those commercials for V8 when someone gets bonked for not having their veggies)

I think that I was so wrapped up in the idea that I was just a first year teacher in Central Illinois. I didn't think it would make a difference if I wrote my blog post or just mentally reflected. I didn't think people would want to follow me. I'm not anything special!! Once I started my weekly and then daily Instagram and Blog posts, I was on a high. I was happy, felt even more passionate, and sought more opportunities to meet some of the AMAZING people that I was connecting with! I attended a Blogger Meet Up in Indiana where I fell in love with the blogging world. After sitting through round tables with Deedee and Deanna, The Kindergals, and many more, I was just shocked. The amount of inspiration and motivation that I gained from that day was insane!!

As soon as I got home I got to goal writing. Before I was not comfortable posting about my blog because I didn't think anyone would care or would read it. I decided that it doesn't matter if 2 people read it or 40 people read it. I wasn't necessarily doing it for them. I was doing it for me! I gained more confidence the more I pushed myself. I started to post routinely first weekly and then daily!

I can't tell you how AWESOME it feels to be able to post on Facebook, Instagram, Blogger, and now Periscope about things I do in my classroom, new ideas, seek advice, and share my experiences with everyone with confidence!!!! And the best thing is, PEOPLE READ THEM!! This community of teachers SUPPORTS you and is EXCITED to see you grow and help push/encourage you! It is absolutely welcoming. There is nothing besides positivity and happiness that fills my Instagram feed and all the comments are so motivating! I finally took the leap and I don't regret it for a second!!! My whole attitude has changed and I can't wait to continue to grow and connect!

I have met so many truly compassionate and inspirational people through pushing myself. The social media platforms have allowed my introverted personality to blossom and I am less self conscious in myself. I no longer fear that people will tell me I am not good or my ideas are flawed (no one in this teacher world has anything but nice and encouraging things to say) I look forward to reading comments and getting to know the amazing teachers that I follow. It is so rewarding and the more I push myself, the happier and more motivated I become :)

I am challenging you to make some goals that push yourself. Set some goals that challenge you to go beyond that comfort zone. It can be scary, but it will always be scary until you try it!