Confession: It is hard for me to stay focused on the here and now. I am constantly thinking about the “what could be”s, the possibilities, and the adventures that I might have. Case in point—One of my goals for the year is simplify, which I’ve touched on with a previous post, and the second is fun, which is just my life. Even when I’m at my job, teaching kids needs to be fun, otherwise I lose my kids and they won’t pay attention for the rest of the lesson. For a teacher, chaos (in the form of talking over the teacher, running around the classroom, throwing chairs, yelling) spells disaster for the classroom environment. Side bar, this happens sometimes in teaching elementary. But it is best that the teacher not be the cause of it from lack of planning! #honesty
The good thing is, fun is something that I actively look for in my daily life. This probably started sometime right after my fifth year of teaching when I made the plan to travel to China. I spell out the adventures of that trip in my previous blog when I attended language school for Mandarin. After that, I have made it a goal to travel and try new things, even when I’m scared. I think this makes me a better rounded person and I enjoy what I’m doing, such as my daily job. Now I have chosen a career working with the art that makes me happy and I get to teach this to kids. But still, I am thinking, what could I do in ten years? Next year? Tomorrow? And I lose the chance to enjoy the day. Some ways that I intentionally slow myself down is through my artwork. As shown in my About Me page of this website, I want my art to tell stories. Whether that be my personal experiences or something that is significant to someone else, I strive for my artwork to stir emotion in others, not just be another pretty painting on the wall. When I work on new painting techniques or finish a commissioned piece, I want the person looking at my work to be reminded of something significant in their life. At the moment, I am days away from posting my new HM. Artwork Gallery page. For each of the items available, I have written a story behind the significance. Especially when it comes to my abstract art, I know the person who buys it will see their own story and build their own life around the piece, quite literally. But my plan for what I create it to show that we all start somewhere. We all have our own passions. It is good to improve and plan for the future. At some point (talking to myself here!) we must pause and appreciate the world around us as it is now. I can personally attest that what you have planned for your life will probably not happen. When I was a teenager and even into my early twenties, I prayed for a certain life. I wanted a husband by twenty-five and ten kids by the time I was forty. I wanted to live in Europe. I wanted to hike the entire Appalachian Trail (still a very real dream for me). I wanted to be an author (working on this!).
And yet…
I had my first long-term relationship (other than a few dates) at age twenty-nine. I have over three hundred kids that I teach on a daily basis. I still am not married. I am officially a published author, but my goal is to start putting my novels out there for the world within six months (depending on when my WIP gets picked up). I started section hiking the Appalachian Trail last summer. Not my ideal way, but the most practical for me right now. I try to travel internationally at least once a year. I am constantly coming up with ideas to make my life “more fun” which I’ve learned to outline in a journal instead of spill to my mom. Like most people, she gets overstimulated by hundreds of unrelated ideas pinballing toward her within the span of ten minutes. I am learning to minimize my life so that I can start to appreciate the things I have. I make an effort to go to coffee or text friends whom I haven’t seen in a while. I read books outside of my comfort zone. I go barefoot as often as I can. I wear bulky sweatshirts in the middle of summer.
Life was not what I had planned. This has not stopped me in believing in God, but has rather opened my eyes to the fact that as a young person, I might have boxed God in, giving him only my plan for my life when He had a better one! I don’t understand it most days, but that’s why I write, journal, and draw. As I learn, I want to share. There are people out there who get their dreams! And maybe there’s even more to come!
Take the time this week to encourage someone. Send a text. Share a joke. Sip some coffee. Go outside. And take care of yourself. You never know how long you have! Breathe. Smile. Hug. Dream. Inspire others!
Always adventuring,
Hannah Marie.