The Casualties of Settling

Despite any low or limited expectations different people in my life had in mind for me, I’ve managed not to settle. Although I know many who’ve settled, I never will. I have family who’ve settled. Friends. Acquaintances. And more. My refusal to settle in any area of my life has certainly caused doubts, fears, frustrations, uneasiness, challenges, and has required heavy patience on my end, however, I can’t bring myself to grow comfortable with accepting less and be content with doing so. That’s not me and I’ll accept nothing less. Because even when people tell me I should do things like, settle for guys I’m not attracted to or even like because they say I’m “getting older” and that “the older you get the harder it’ll be to meet someone…”, or to do online dating because people don’t meet people in person anymore, or to live with my parents instead of getting my own bachelorette pad, or to not browse an open house because I can’t “afford” to be a homeowner, or stay put and not travel and see more of this world, or to not pursue an English degree and settle for an Associate’s degree because a four year B.A. would take too long to complete, or that my writing is not “ready” to be shared with the world, or that I should remain at one job for the long haul for stability instead of aiming towards my dreams, I’ve heard all these things and yet, I continue to have faith, hope, and substance for things that appear out of reach that remain in my heart and spirit. Hebrews 11:1 reads, “Now faith is being sure of what we hope for and certain of what we do not see.” Sometimes it’s tough, difficult, and discouraging but I won’t be a causality of settling. No one should. Even if you have to work harder, wait longer, fight for what you want, make different arrangements, cut people out of your life -- even well-meaning ones that continue to be discouraging, make new friends, date new people, start over, and shuffle some things around, you should never be okay with settling. I can testify that God’s shown me big things that will happen in my life and I’m looking forward to collaborating with Him and proving so many people wrong in the process. Family. Friends. And anyone else who’s ever insisted I do something as ridiculous as settling. Unlike settlers, I have the courage to hold out for the best. Do you?

A Year Of Being Ghosted

Ghosting: the practice of ending a personal relationship with someone by suddenly and without explanation withdrawing from all communication. I’ve been ghosted by every guy I’ve met within the past two years. About six to be exact. · The first guy pursued me and then got shady whenever I asked him about what he did for a living and where he lived. When he started dodging and avoiding questions, wouldn’t initiate dates, and slowly stopped keeping in touch with me altogether, eventually, all communication ceased. · The second guy was someone I met through a family member. He was super cool, very smart, handsome, and funny, but didn’t want to be in a relationship and acted like he didn’t want to be seen with me publicly. When we had plans to meet for an outing, he didn’t show up, and then texted me about a week later with an apology. We chilled at my place a few times, had a few phone conversations, and exchanged occasional texts, but eventually he stopped responding to me

Teacher Table Talk: When Parents Attack

As an English teacher, a core belief I’ve held close since the beginning of my career has been the importance of relationship building. I believe that if great relationships between teachers, students, and parents are established at the beginning of the school year, everything else will fall into place. Authentically modeling, practicing, and establishing mutually respectful and professional relationships within my classroom has been the bridge for effective communication, solid classroom management, and creating a safe and effective learning environment that fits each of my student’s needs. And though I’ve seen and experienced the benefits of great relationship building, unfortunately, there have been times when some students and parents have not been receptive or interested in my efforts to establish connections that would best serve all parties involved. I’ve also noticed and shared spaces with other educators, school counselors, and administrators who’ve experienced the same. And

How To Respond To A Nasty Email

Technology has made many people bold, rude, and incredibly messy. Often to the point where some may hide behind words they’ve typed instead of verbally communicating a message they want to convey. Such can be the case when it comes to sending emails. Ah, emails. You know what they are. Electronic messages that can be quickly drafted, sent, and misinterpreted (because you can’t always interpret tones or emotions through them). Which is why it’s key to know how to respond to nasty emails if they should ever come your way – especially in the workplace. As a working professional, there have been plenty of times when a coworker or superior sent an email my way that was petty, mad disrespectful, and unprofessional. And before I learned how to properly utilize email etiquette, my first instinct would always be to clap back. I just felt the need to respond and to communicate that I wouldn’t allow anyone, no matter who they were, to disrespect me. And while I haven’t taken things too far

Making Waves