Finding the balance.

If there's one thing I look forward to more than anything during the Summer Olympics, it's Women's Gymnastics.
I've been so fascinated by it since the very first Olympic games I can remember watching, which I think was the Atlanta games in 1996, when I 9. Possibly even Barcelona when I was 5.
Anyway.
My favorite rotation in gymnastics is the balance beam.
Hands down.
Its amazing to me how these girls can not only balance, but perform amazing spins, jumps, and flips on a four inch wide beam.

Then I think about my life.
If there's one thing in life I'm extremely proud of myself for accomplishing, it's becoming a teacher.
I've wanted to be a teacher for as long as I can remember, since way back when I played school with dolls in my bedroom.
I had some other short-lived career dreams (vet, optometrist, small business owner), but it always came back to teaching.
Last year was my first year teaching.
I love my job, and truly poured my heart and soul into those children.
I did the best that I could, and am proud of the results I saw at the end of the year.
My kinders grew and learned so much.

BUT.

For 10 months, that was basically my only focus in life.
I would work 10 hour days, then come home and continue to work.
I would research, make centers for them, try to find fun projects, create assessments, etc.
I often worked until it was time to go to bed.
And then I would go to sleep, get up, and do it all again.

I don't want to do that this year.
I still want to put 100% into my job.
These kids need me, and I want to give them my absolute best.
But I also want to maintain some sort of sanity as well.
I was constantly stressed last year, but I didn't realize it until this summer.
Once summer break came, I felt my whole body relax.
I even felt my blood pressure decrease.
I need to learn how to find a balance between work and life.
I can love my job, and pour myself into it, but I have to find a time to stop and be me.
Ty keeps telling me to find a hobby, but I always say that I don't have time for one.
This year I want to make time.
I'd like to set a time each night when I STOP WORKING, unless I have some sort of deadline, like report cards or something.

I want to find time each night to be myself. Lisa...not a teacher.
 I want to cuddle with my husband.
Play with my pets.
Read a book.
Exercise (what?!)
Have dinner with friends.
Watch a television show for more than one episode in a season!

I need to realize that I can be a good teacher without working 24 hours a day.
And now that I'm going into my second year of teaching and I feel like I have  a little more of a clue about what I'm doing, I need to try to find that balance between "teacher Lisa" and "life Lisa."

If gymnasts can balance on a four inch beam...
certainly I can balance those two parts of my life.
Wish me luck.

xoxo, wife.