Happy New Year, everyone!
It's funny how some folks wait until the new year to set up goals, focus on doing all the things that they didn't do the previous year, get a new body, blah blah blah. I, myself, was suckered into this for a while until I became a teacher. When 10 months of the year revolve around setting up goals, constantly measuring progress towards those goals and adjusting accordingly (talk about TFA jargon!), all the reflecting that only happens on Jan 1st of any given year for most folks is just a normal, everyday item on our to-do list. While I was in NYC for Christmas and had a lot of free time in my hands, I started to think about my own goals that I had set up for myself and where I was in relation. The funny thing is that all the while I was in NYC, I kept thinking was "I really want to be back in DR!" Sure, it was cold and ugly in NYC but it was more than wanting to be near the beach and in 70+ degree weather that made me feel that way. When I was DR I couldn't wait to be in NYC but when I was there, I couldn't wait to be back in DR. Why did that happen? Was it a matter of habit? Or, had my quality of life changed so much that I craved to be back in a fulfilling and stress-free environment? Better yet, was it both?
Habits/Routines. I started to think about habits and how a lot of what we do as human beings revolve around this notion. Someone somewhere said that it usually takes 21 days for a new habit to take form and become a staple in someone's life. While I can't say that totally happened for me when I first moved here (it took me about two months to fully adjust!), I now realize that I need routines. When I was in NYC, it was nice to wake up whenever I wanted and do different things on different days, but after a while, I became restless.....although all I could do is rest. Funny, right? While I love, love, love NYC and it will always be home, the reality is that Cabarete is my home now and thus my routines and habits are all here.
Quality of Life. I had a 4 week vacation...but I couldn't wait to be back at work. (Blasphemy, I know!) I remember when I was a teacher and dreaded being back to work after a 1.5 week break. Back then, I would kill for a 4 week vacation. Upon more reflection, I realized that part of the reason why I wanted to be back at work was because my work here is fullfilling and demanding, but NOT DRAINING. I know there will be some sort of stress related to any job but life here is just so easy. So simple. It makes work so much more enjoyable. Mind you, my job responsibilities have changed and acutally increased: I coach teachers, develop and deliver professional development workshops, and I devise curricular materials. Even so, I love it here. My work is fulfilling, I know I am making a difference in not only the lives of our students but also our teachers, and I am happy. Isn't that all that matters?
When I return back to NYC, I want to bring back this lifestyle with me. I want to be in a fulfilling and challenging role while still living a stress-free life. I know it will be a challenging in a place like NYC, but I will make it happen. Watch.
No comments:
Post a Comment