It’s my first bloggy birthday! Hurrah! I genuinely don’t know where the time has gone, all massive cliches aside, but I have loved every minute.
The fact that I love blogging so much has led to a HUGE decision in the other half of my life. As you may know, I am a secondary school teacher in Tower Hamlets and have been at the same school since 2003. I’m very passionate about education and I could talk for hours about it. I used to love my job. However, the situation has changed very rapidly in the last couple of years; the creativity I was once able to pour into my job is no longer welcomed (I’ll be writing an open letter with more on that but it’s not really for this forum).
So, I have made the difficult decision to walk away from teaching for good. I do feel guilty about this decision as it’s the kids who lose out every time a good teacher walks away but I also need to think about me and what I need from life as we only have one of them. I want to be creative every day. I want to answer to myself and not people I constantly disagree with. I want to feel relaxed sometimes as opposed to stressed out of my mind. I want to meet new people and see new things. I want to do something different rather than follow the same timetable every day for the rest of my life. I don’t want to get on the tube everyday of my life. I just want to find out what happens outside the school gates for the first time in my life. I want to explore.
I have no fixed ideas about what I am going to do next but I’ve got six months to figure it out (if anyone has any ideas, answers on a postcard please!). The ‘not knowing’ is so exciting compared to each day being mapped out for the rest of time. One thing is for sure that I will have more time to spend on developing my blog – more original content, more posts, meeting more exciting people and their beautiful homes.
To celebrate my first birthday I want to do a small round up of the posts I have most enjoyed over the last year…
Just remember everyone – YOLO (see how down with the kids I am?)!!!
Katy x
P.S. Thank you sooooo much for dropping by this year, your comments, ‘likes’, tweets and photos. If there is anything you would like to see more of or less of please leave a comment below and I’ll try my best!
Featured image was photographed by Katharine Peachey.
Have fun exploring Katy! Wishing you all the best. How exciting!
Thank you Liz! X
Good luck with the life changes, a brave but worthwhile decision, and I look forward to the 2nd year of your blogging.
Yay! Here’s to year two! X
Big, brave decisions. I know how tough it can be to come to that decision. Do what makes you happy and you won’t regret it one bit. Exciting times ahead!
Hi Becky! Thanks so much for the comment. Hope all is well with you xx
I agree….YOLO!! You go girl! All the best to you. I look forward to working for you one day!
YOLO!!!
Katy, I too know how hard it can be to finally make the break. Perhaps we should meet for a coffee! I feel very saddened by education right now and would love to read your open letter. Love love love and go for it, whatever you do. I’m certain you will rock! XXX
Sophie! We should definitely meet up. Thanks for the love xxx
Wow, what a brave lady you are! I wish you all the best with whatever you decide to do with your future. I understand how hard it is in teaching as I have close friends who do it. It sounds exhausting and must be frustrating having your job dictated by people who have never set foot in a classroom. You’ve made your blog a success in just a year so who knows what else you can do!
Hi Anna, thanks so much for the comment. Just popped over to your blog and I’ll be following your house renovation from now on – very exciting! 🙂
Happy..blog..Birthday…..I’ve enjoyed your firsts year…brave decision with work…..speak later xx
Thank you Penny! x
Great news Katy. I guess this is quite obvious-I think your passion lies in beautifying and innovating old objects and concepts and spaces (and you like history) so I would suggest you learn all the restoration techniques and to make money get/buy bunch of these objects (big and small) and do you magic-make them pretty and purposeful-open an online shop and also offer restoration/innovation/decoration/organisation services to people and businesses who want the look but don’t have the time nor skills… Good luck. x
Thanks for the lovely, thoughtful comment Kasha. Great advice too xx
Good for you, Katy! Well done on being so brave. There are so many who are working in jobs they hate, and there’s just so much more to life. Good luck on shaping your life to the one you want – I have no doubt that this is the start of something exciting for you. 😀 Leanne x
Thanks Leanne! x
Happy Blog Birthday! And good for you on your big decision. I’m a firm believer in making the most of life. I left my job of 9+ years last October for health reasons and am still resting and figuring things out. It is very freeing. No time to think in the midst of a busy stressful job…I’m certainly enjoying being creative for now! Enjoy!
Thanks Zoe – so nice to hear from people who have experienced something similar. I definitely agree that there is no time to think and be creative when you are doing a stressful job; it all just becomes about survival. Look forward to hearing what you plan to do next x
Wow, Good luck Katy. That sounds like it was a hard decision, brave lady. You have to follow your dreams. Can’t wait to hear what you get up to. You are brimming with creativity and very inspirational – can’t believe you’ve only been doing your blog for a year. Thought you were a veteran! 🙂
Not so how I’ve only just seen this post but I also used to be a teacher!! You’ve done amazingly well looking back- hurrah!