Taking the First Step

“Dream big they say.  But who are they? And what are they dreaming about?” 

That’s the reply of 16 year old Ashley, whose voice is alive and well as I walk through this transition in my career. And she/me, is ultimately right. What are you dreaming about? What am I dreaming about? I’ll be honest, for a while I didn’t think I knew the answer to that question. And then I realized that I had been working towards this dream for quite some time. 

In July 2021, I began “living the dream” as the Director of Educational Technology. That fall, as I had my annual birthday reflection and planning session, I realized that it was time to establish a new goals and a new dream. After all, I was very young to have already obtained what I thought would be the pinnacle of my career. I wasn’t even 40 years old, yet. That’s way too young to decide that I had reached the limit of my potential.  I set out that fall on a journey of self-discovery. Who am I now and what do I want? As expected, the answers to those questions were very different than they were in 2007.  

“If your goals don’t scare you, they are not big enough.”

I’ve read this quote on multiple occasions. There are multiple variations of it floating throughout the internet, but the premise remains the same — big, hairy, audacious goals are what society encourages us all to develop. So I dug deep, I peeled back layers, and I decided on the next goal for my career.  It is indeed big, hairy, and audacious. Working towards this goal has stretched me so far out of my comfort zone that at times I don’t recognize myself (in the best possible ways). 

I am being changed by the process of reaching for something I once believed to be unattainable. I remind myself daily, the dream I’m living now is one that I also once believed to be unattainable. And so I continue to press on.

In this season of unexpected changes, I’ve had to also accept that life doesn’t have to work out according to my plans. I’m learning to trust that everything is indeed always working out for me. I’m leaning into this challenge, and looking forward to all of the ways I will turn this into an incredible opportunity.  Sometimes, you won’t see the entire staircase; you just have to take the first step. 

On July 1, 2024, my new journey will begin. I will be taking on more responsibility. I will have more visibility. I am thankful that I will still be privileged to lead in the community in which I choose to serve. I will succeed because I am not afraid to fail. In fact, I hope to fail quickly, so that we can learn, iterate, and move forward doing what is best for kids.  

While this was not a part of the original dream, it an important piece of the journey to the new one.

Until next time….

~Ashley