Episode 81: Bet On You

When I left the classroom, it all felt scary. It felt scary because I needed to make up my teaching income. It felt scary because I had only really been a classroom teacher before. Straight out of college, I went and got my teaching credential, and then I started teaching. So when I left the classroom, everything felt unknown. And that unknown part made it feel scary.

When I left the classroom, I needed to really bolster my confidence, and take this leap intentionally. And I had this post-it on my computer forever, that said, “bet on you.” And it was so powerful to me, just really betting on myself, you know, rather than working so hard in my classroom, together with my colleagues that to help my students in school, which was all great in some ways, I really was taking this leap to bet on me bet on what I wanted to do in the world of education, bet on what I wanted to do for my family. So today, I want to encourage you to bet on you, whatever way that might mean to you.

 

Topics Discussed:

  • Normalizing the feelings and fears that come up when moving beyond the classroom

  • How to build confidence and bet on yourself

  • Strategies for believing in yourself on your journey

Resources mentioned:

Related episodes and blog posts:

 
 
 
 

Read the transcript for this episode:

Welcome to Educator Forever, where we empower teachers to innovate education. Join us each week to hear stories of teachers expanding their impacts beyond the classroom and explore ways to reimagine teaching and learning.

When I left the classroom, it all felt scary. It felt scary because I needed to make up my teaching income. It felt scary because I had only really been a classroom teacher before. Straight out of college, I went and got my teaching credential, and then I started teaching. So when I left the classroom, everything felt unknown. And that unknown part made it feel scary. 


I just want to normalize that doing unknown things feels scary, because it's new to us, not necessarily because it's dangerous or bad. But I digress. 


When I left the classroom, I needed to really bolster my confidence, and take this leap intentionally. And I had this post-it on my computer forever, that said, “bet on you.” And it was so powerful to me, just really betting on myself, you know, rather than working so hard in my classroom, together with my colleagues that to help my students in school, which was all great in some ways, I really was taking this leap to bet on me bet on what I wanted to do in the world of education, bet on what I wanted to do for my family. So today, I want to encourage you to bet on you, whatever way that might mean to you. 


But as you think about maybe leaving the classroom or doing something in addition to teaching, it's totally normal to have times of uncertainty and moments of impostor syndrome and self doubt. It happens to literally all of us. So really just normalizing that as part of the process. And when you're considering doing something new, all sorts of feelings might creep in. And that's true for us considering leaving clubs, teaching or doing something outside of the classroom, or even just taking that leap to apply for a job or put ourselves out there in a new way. So just recognize these thoughts and understand they're a natural part of any transformative journey. And as you think about leaving the classroom, it's important to get your confidence together, and really think about betting on yourself believing in yourself. So think about how this is probably not the first time that you've had to believe in yourself as a teacher. I remember, as a first year teacher feeling completely overwhelmed. I did not feel competent at all, I had really challenging students, I had a school with no prep time and very little resources, I had so many things that I was trying to figure out as a new teacher, and I didn't feel confident at all. But through that experience of tackling this challenging situation, is actually how I built that competence. And if you look back at your life, you know, or your career in education, and really think about those times where it was hard. And the times where you persevered. Those are probably some of the times where you've learned the most. So leaning into doing something new, doing something challenging as a learning opportunity. And so I want to go over five ways to really be more confident and believe in yourself as an educator, even when it's hard. So first, reflect and be unapologetic about your desires. As you go on this journey of self discovery and perhaps transition. Take a moment to find clarity and reflect on your true desires. Ask yourself, what do I really want to do next? How do I want to feel that part is key. Think about not only the thing you want to do, the accomplishment you want to have, but how you want to feel. This is such a powerful tool for getting clarity about your aspirations, and then aligning your actions with what you really want. And then consider how you want to show up for yourself as you embark on this new chapter. Think will I shrink and play small? Or will I boldly pursue my dreams? Will I bet on myself and embrace the idea of being unapologetic and going after what you want? So often I know when I left the classroom, I felt so concerned with what other people would think about me leaving the classroom. So much so that I kind of lost my connection to what I really wanted. And once I became more unapologetic about it and just like hey, I'm going for this thing because it's important for me, then it became so much easier. The second tip of how to more confidently Believe in yourself is to recognize and confront self doubt. Acknowledging self doubt is the first step. So when you hear a negative thought or recognize your mind going into a place of self doubt, it's essential to shift perspectives and redirect energy towards powerful, positive and empowering thoughts. So here are some ways to do this. You can shift your perspective, instead of dwelling on what might go wrong focus on what could go, right. I know that my mind often goes to a worst case scenario. Not the most helpful, though, and definitely doesn't build confidence. And so if you keep thinking about like, Oh, my goodness, no one's ever gonna hire me, how am I going to be able to pay my rent like, we spiral right. And instead, you can shift this to some the right person will hire me, let me think about things that I can do to get me closer to that place. So really shifting to a more empowering action oriented thought. You can also give yourself a pep talk, when self doubt creeps up. Consider the accomplishments and skills and knowledge and passion and expertise that have brought you to this point. This is so important because as teachers, we often are not told, all these things that we've done that are amazing. And we don't realize all these things that we've done that have been amazing. So recognize those things, and envision how they can shape your future endeavors. You can even create a list to remind you of all these things you've done before, and you can refer back to it when you need that confidence boost. And you can lean into energy giving practices to reconnect with possibilities. This can be making a list of activities or people or resources that inspire you and energize you. Whether it's listening to a podcast or doing your favorite exercise or reading or listening to music. Keep the list handy. This is important because you can help change your mood and perspective through these activities. So if you're feeling like you're in a funk, maybe you have a favorite song that you put on, or maybe a passage from an inspiring book that you read or a podcast you listen to. All of these are sources of positive energy, and they can reignite your passion and remind you of the possibilities that lie ahead. These practices can be a source of both motivation and inspiration and a deliberate intentional connection to positivity can help you overcome obstacles and keep your focus on the exciting possibilities that lie ahead.


My third tip for really becoming more confident as you move beyond the classroom is to trust your instincts and embrace uncertainty. Learning to believe in yourself starts with trusting yourself. And trusting yourself involves listening to your instincts and intuition. If your desire to explore certain new career path persists, trust that inner voice guiding you towards change. This trust in your instincts can provide the competence you need to navigate uncharted territories, and try to view uncertainty as an opportunity for growth and exploration. Because it really is it's not comfortable. Nobody really loves uncertainty, I don't think but embrace the chance to discover new passions, skills and avenues that align with your personal and professional aspirations. And then my next tip is to take action. Believing in yourself is not just about positive thoughts. It's about taking intentional and strategic action, we have to do the thing. And if you think back to my example of gaining confidence through hard times as a teacher, this is how we move forward. This is how we do these things. We build confidence by doing them. So break down your goals into manageable steps and create a roadmap for your transition. And whether it's acquiring new skills or networking or exploring opportunities or applying for jobs. Every action you take contributes to your journey. And every action is a learning experience. By taking action no matter how small, you not only demonstrate your commitment to your aspirations, but also build the momentum necessary for a successful transition. Every step you take is a testament to your belief in yourself and your ability to shape your own destiny. So take the action, do the thing and do it on imperfectly let go of perfectionism and just try learn by doing it. And along with that comes my last tip, cultivate resilience and support in the face of setbacks. The road to fulfilling your dreams and goals likely will always be smooth, I can pretty much guarantee it won't be and setbacks are inevitable. So cultivating resilience involves bouncing back from disappointments, learning from quote unquote failures because I'm saying quote unquote, because I believe all failures are learning opportunities, and adapting to new challenges. Each setback is an opportunity to grow stronger and refine your path. So really key in this is surrounding yourself with a supportive network or community that understands your journey and can offer guidance and encouragement. Our educator forever network is one of those communities you can check out I'll put the links below. But really sharing your aspirations and challenges with others can provide valuable insights, emotional support, and inspiration during moments of self doubt. So whether you join the educator forever network or have a trusted friend or colleague, it is so important that you cultivate the community that will support you as you go after your dreams. So to recap, these are my five ways to really bet on yourself and believe in yourself. Number one, reflect and be unapologetic about your desires. Number two, recognize and confront self doubt. Number three, trust your instincts and embrace uncertainty. Number four, take action. And number five, cultivate resilience and support in the face of setbacks. And even if you don't feel super confident all the time, don't let it stop you know that you get confidence by doing the thing. So don't let not feeling confident stop you from going after your dreams. I can't wait to see what you do with this newfound confidence and I sure do hope that you bet on you


Transcribed by https://otter.ai

Lily Jones