Weathering The Storm With​ The WP - Blog #2

​This 14th year in business, as with many, started as the last business year ended, mostly bleeding cash, but giving me a chance to re-connect with kids. I had been working in one of the local school districts, but this had been supplementary income. Since I am former school teacher and as a side gig, in good times, became a full time adventure, first in childcare, then hybrid learning, distance learning and now back to childcare and a little building security on the side, has allowed me to pay the bills and give my life meaning as the kids continue to keep me feeling young. I run around the gym with the kids, and that is them, but also my lifestyle change and walking 3 to 5 miles a day and eating healthy, now coming up on 11 months. Even with my primary income, essentially at a standstill, this allowed me to at least try to keep up the best I could, but the kids helped keep up my spirits up, even though the world could not travel. I started in the district back in 2006 and never left, so I met so amazing people and even my admin and multi-media person, was one of my very first students. 
 
All this is to say that my love of educating, be it my valued clients or working with kids in some capacity, never left me. Being a travel planner and advisor, it is key that I educate my clients as part of my profession. Being flexible and finding other sources of income, but also the enjoyment of working with kids, has kept me going. The time also gave me a different perspective in keeping up with friends and family. I even had a chance to visit one of my brothers last September, when I was working for Census Bureau and was flown to Georgia for 3 weeks. As I mentioned in my last post, the most important lesson I have learned is appreciating the simple things and this is how I have been able to weather the storm to the best of my ability. The kids and the light at the end of the tunnel, staying connected with others important to me and staying up on the relevant news in my industry has allowed me to remain hopeful that there is a future in what I am passionate about. Thank you for following the Wandering Puffin. Your comments, questions, thoughts are always welcome, so please join the discourse. I look forward to hearing from you.