Big Steps
It’s hard to believe our son Ari is 18 months old today. I know he’s tall for his age, but these days I often find myself looking at him in wonder, not quite understanding where time has gone and how he’s gotten so big. It seems like every day he is growing… and there are some times when I look at him and think “you must have grown during your nap!” His vocabulary is expanding daily. Hearing all these new words pop out of his mouth is just so amazing. He has even started stringing a couple of words together once in a while. This age is just too much fun!
And on that note, my big boy had a new chapter begin this week. Actually it was a week full of new beginnings…
Ari had his first day of daycare this week. He has been super attached lately so it was a bit of a rough go; tears were shed and sleep was lost, but we all survived. And I know that it will get better.
The whole day he was at daycare I was rushing as if I had snuck out of the house during his nap and had a very limited time before he would wake up and need me. I think it will take some time to get over that feeling and realize that I have the whole day to myself, and can get things done on my own time. Or that I have my “own time” again.
A few posts back I talked about growth mindset and teased that I was also going to have some new beginnings coming my way. Well, I’m excited about two big beginnings for me.
I just started working with an amazing organization called Artshine that offers art classes mostly for kids but also for teens and adults. They also have a non-profit portion where they teach underprivileged kids, teen moms, in prisons, etc… providing art as a form of unofficial therapy to people who need it most and don’t have access to it. Amazing organization. And I am lucky enough to be invited to shape the mosaic part of their curriculum, and maybe even teach a little along the way.
Today was also the start of a new chapter for me as I had my own first day of school: Yoga Teacher Training. Yoga has been such a big part of my life in these past few years, being a huge part of my self-care and mental wellness regiment on a daily basis. I am so excited to pursue a deeper understanding and more intimate knowledge to not only deepen my own practice but also to help others by sharing that love and knowledge.
Following that growth mindset is what helped me move forward and take these steps. Ever since leaving Microsoft I have had a hard time deciding what path is the “right” path to follow. I have been afraid of failure or of getting stuck on a path I didn’t want to be on. But I am confident that following my interests and pursuing what I love will not only be an enjoyable experience itself but will also lead me somewhere I will want to be.
My school “desk” & The view from outside of this beautiful yoga studio
After 18 (plus another 10) months together, it’s hard to accept that Ari has a life outside of me, and I have a life outside of him. I already missed him so much during these first couple of days apart. But I know that we are both going to be so much better off because of these big steps and I’m excited about how we’ll both grow and learn along the way. I’m so proud of us.