Introduction to me and the purpose of this blog

As a life long educator and learner, I am always reading and trying new things. I have developed my own personal mindfulness, yoga and meditation practice that has helped me to navigate stormy times I have faced, especially in the pandemic. I am hoping some of the ideas I pull together here will be useful to others on a similar journey.

For nearly 30 years I have been a high school teacher. For 25 of those years, I have been a parent and have juggled career, kids, marriage, divorce, single parenting, remarriage and a myriad of family health issues. Like all people, my life has been filled with great challenges and great joys. This blog will chronical some of the tools and techniques I have learned to stay sane and mostly positive.

Throughout my life, I have been a lover of nature, reading and writing. I found solace and escape in reading about other cultures, lifestyles and places. I am happiest when I get to walk on the beach or wander on a path near a river or stream. For over 40 years I have kept a journal and I have been an active member of a 12 step program for 28. My faith and experiences as a camper and counselor at a summer camp in Maryland led me to become a Quaker. There, in the woods I first learned to find God in the silence. As a 12 year old camper, I learned to meditate.

In high school I became a runner and learned that physical exercise both tired me out and calmed my nerves. As an adult, I switched to walking multiple times per week as part of my stress management arsenal. Later, after I had children, continued to teach full time, and my first marriage became extremely challenging, I started to practice yoga. More recently, I became curious about mindfulness and started taking classes and reading about mindfulness, meditation and methods to calm the central nervous system. All of these are tools are a vital part of my on going self care.

I have loved all that I have learned about Mindfulness and am excited to share with others. For 6 years I have taught drop in mindfulness classes to students at the high school where I am a librarian. I am super lucky that my principal has supported my endeavors. In the past year I have completed my 200 hour yoga teacher training and have started to incorporate yoga asana into my weekly Mindful Monday lessons. Perhaps one day I will teach Mindfulness or yoga professionally?

Why start this blog?

• It is giving me a creative outlet to organize my thoughts about mindfulness.
• I am hoping it will give me clarity about tools and techniques I can share with my students and other folks who are also on a journey to a happier, more centered life.
• My short term goal is to share tips and techniques for people who want to develop their own mindfulness practice.
• Later, that want to explore the possibility of teaching yoga and mindfulness to adults and other people outside of my school.
• From time to time, I may also share some non-fiction, memoir or fictional pieces via this blog as well.