Being Pro-Active

Hey Friends,

I found out last Thursday that I wasn't going to be rehired by the district I taught for this past year. It was a really strange feeling because I had assured myself, after nailing my interview, that I would be returning for the upcoming school year. Oddly enough, I was on a phone interview with another district at the exact moment my old principal called to relay the unfortunate news (at least the greater universe knew it wasn't a good idea for me to put all my eggs in one basket).

At first, I reacted in a way that I consider to be very typical of anyone who has ever had their heart set on something and has been let down - initial shock, followed by a temporary stint of bitterness, and then curiosity as to what I could have done to make the situation fall in my favor. The worst part of the whole ordeal was not being told why I didn't make the cut. At the very least I would've liked to know what the interview panel felt I lacked so that I could grow professionally. As we all know, it takes constructive criticism in addition to consistent and proactive reflection to become better. However, just like a bad breakup with a significant other, you learn to move on and luckily I've moved on rather quickly. In fact, my recent woe-activity with unemployment is a direct foil to my recent pro-activity in general.

The picture above is from the first 5k I ever participated in, the Coveskipper 5k, put on by my alma mater, UCSD, back in 2012. I ran in my third 5k last Sunday and was very pleased with my improvement. Officially I clocked in at 29:51 but if you take into account the fact that I arrived 4-5 minutes late for the race (sigh) my time actually wasn't so bad. I've set a new personal goal to finish a 5k in 25 minutes or less and arrive early enough to start the race on time :P.

My Latin dancing has been going tremendously and I have seen some major improvements in my footwork, styling, and overall confidence. With an even longer summer vacation than I had originally anticipated, I have been taking full advantage going on early morning hikes and just enjoying this extended time off instead of sulking due to the lack of teaching jobs.

The Old Mission Dam via Oak Canyon Trail (San Diego, CA). This dam was the first major irrigation project on the Pacific coast of the U.S. and is #52 for California Historic Landmarks and #2 for San Diego Historic Landmarks!

Old Banner Toll Road Trail (Julian, CA)

I honestly can't remember the last time I had so much positive energy. Even though I'm dying to get back into the classroom and teach, all of this physical activity that I have recently had the luxury of indulging in has really increased my fitness level, mood, and health. I know a lot of you may be in a similar boat - looking for a job, stressing out about money, etc. Be proactive about seeking a way to make ends meet but in the meantime, there's no need to make the process an end in itself.

As always, thanks so much for reading and have a great week!