1
00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:09,340
At my lowest, I couldn't even leave the house to go for a walk without medication, let alone

2
00:00:09,340 --> 00:00:12,680
stand in front of a classroom and teach.

3
00:00:12,680 --> 00:00:13,680
But I had to.

4
00:00:13,680 --> 00:00:18,320
I had a marriage I was desperately trying to keep together, a daughter I needed to be

5
00:00:18,320 --> 00:00:22,800
strong for, a full-time job I couldn't afford to lose.

6
00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:28,720
And eventually, I had to gather enough strength to leave my marriage, navigate a divorce,

7
00:00:28,720 --> 00:00:33,840
and support my middle school daughter through it all during a global pandemic.

8
00:00:33,840 --> 00:00:37,240
I put on a brave face because I had no other choice.

9
00:00:37,240 --> 00:00:39,880
I had to find a way through it.

10
00:00:39,880 --> 00:00:44,960
And the truth is, it broke me.

11
00:00:44,960 --> 00:00:45,960
Welcome back.

12
00:00:45,960 --> 00:00:52,720
Today's episode is a little bit different, probably more like a Patreon episode.

13
00:00:52,720 --> 00:01:00,760
But it's been on my heart for a while, and I always follow signs from the universe, which

14
00:01:00,760 --> 00:01:04,520
I believe I received this week.

15
00:01:04,520 --> 00:01:11,200
So hopefully you're up for a little more raw, personal episode this week.

16
00:01:11,200 --> 00:01:21,840
And the sign that I received to do this episode was a book that Anna Straylow, my guest from

17
00:01:21,840 --> 00:01:30,520
episode eight, sent to me, autographed from her mindset coach, Siri Lindley, who she

18
00:01:30,520 --> 00:01:32,440
mentions in that episode.

19
00:01:32,440 --> 00:01:40,360
And the book is called Finding a Way, Taking the Impossible and Making it Possible.

20
00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:47,400
And I opened the book recently during a kind of hard day.

21
00:01:47,400 --> 00:01:54,520
Been fighting an illness, been dealing with, you know, dark cold months in Wisconsin, counting

22
00:01:54,520 --> 00:02:04,720
down the last days of a 29-year career, and just kind of feeling at a crossroads.

23
00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:13,160
And when I opened that book, it was like listening to my own words.

24
00:02:13,160 --> 00:02:16,240
And I could not put it down.

25
00:02:16,240 --> 00:02:23,320
And so first of all, I have to thank both Anna and Siri Lindley for this gift, this

26
00:02:23,320 --> 00:02:26,200
book that, you know, found its way to me.

27
00:02:26,200 --> 00:02:28,800
And I don't think anything is chance.

28
00:02:28,800 --> 00:02:33,240
There's a reason for everything that happens.

29
00:02:33,240 --> 00:02:40,600
And I really had a different episode planned for this week.

30
00:02:40,600 --> 00:02:43,240
But something in me kept saying, I think you need to talk about this.

31
00:02:43,240 --> 00:02:44,960
I think you need to talk about this.

32
00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:51,760
So that's where we are.

33
00:02:51,760 --> 00:02:55,120
Thank you for joining me for another episode of Life Snacks Lesson Plan.

34
00:02:55,120 --> 00:03:01,360
I'm Rachel, and I started this podcast during my 29th and last year as a high school teacher.

35
00:03:01,360 --> 00:03:06,360
Goal of my work with Life Snacks Lesson Plan, as well as my Live and Learn Patreon, is to

36
00:03:06,360 --> 00:03:09,200
create a connection where we are all teachers.

37
00:03:09,200 --> 00:03:12,840
We all have lessons and stories to share that can help others.

38
00:03:12,840 --> 00:03:17,680
I'm so fortunate to be able to extend the four walls of my previous classroom to an

39
00:03:17,680 --> 00:03:22,000
unlimited audience where we can all learn from each other.

40
00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:26,760
And my guests are some of the most inspirational people with the best stories and lessons I

41
00:03:26,760 --> 00:03:30,600
know, which is why I want to share them with you.

42
00:03:30,600 --> 00:03:32,760
Their words are something everyone should hear.

43
00:03:32,760 --> 00:03:37,640
It is my hope that you are able to take away something from each episode to apply to your

44
00:03:37,640 --> 00:03:43,960
own life, whether that be a career search, path to a more fulfilling life, or new ideas

45
00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,760
on current topics.

46
00:03:46,760 --> 00:03:54,600
100% of men and women have hormones, and with the increased presence of processed foods

47
00:03:54,600 --> 00:03:59,960
and environmental toxins, it's more important than ever to make mindful choices in the products

48
00:03:59,960 --> 00:04:01,200
we use every day.

49
00:04:01,200 --> 00:04:03,880
That's why I trust Q&G.

50
00:04:03,880 --> 00:04:09,360
High-performing, clean products designed to support hormone health while reducing exposure

51
00:04:09,360 --> 00:04:11,960
to harmful chemicals.

52
00:04:11,960 --> 00:04:17,960
Because this topic has been my primary focus since ending birth control in 2024, in an

53
00:04:17,960 --> 00:04:24,080
attempt to regulate my changing midlife hormones, after making healthy swaps in my diet, personal

54
00:04:24,080 --> 00:04:30,000
care products, and exercise routine, I've been able to lower my dose of anxiety medication

55
00:04:30,000 --> 00:04:36,240
I once relied very heavily on, and have restored balance to my nervous system and cleared up

56
00:04:36,240 --> 00:04:40,120
the brain fog I was experiencing in perimenopause.

57
00:04:40,120 --> 00:04:47,280
Q&G has played a key role in this transformation, offering safe, effective, non-toxic solutions

58
00:04:47,280 --> 00:04:49,800
that support my wellness journey.

59
00:04:49,800 --> 00:04:55,240
If you listened to episode 16 with certified Mayo Clinic health and wellness coach Tracey

60
00:04:55,240 --> 00:05:00,560
Danielson-Mitchell, you heard our talk about the importance of hormone health.

61
00:05:00,560 --> 00:05:05,120
Coming in March, I'll be doing a deep dive into heart and hormone health on my Live and

62
00:05:05,120 --> 00:05:11,240
Learn Patreon, where I'll list all the tests, supplements, and product swaps that have helped

63
00:05:11,240 --> 00:05:13,760
me balance my hormones in my 50s.

64
00:05:13,760 --> 00:05:18,680
Plus, Tracey will be back to answer all your heart and hormone health questions at the

65
00:05:18,680 --> 00:05:20,360
end of the month.

66
00:05:20,360 --> 00:05:25,160
If you're on this journey with me and are interested in exploring you and Grace's trusted,

67
00:05:25,160 --> 00:05:35,120
non-toxic products, visit my link at hueandgrace.com.slashlessonplan to receive 10% off and free shipping.

68
00:05:35,120 --> 00:05:41,400
You can also reach out to me at any time with questions at nextlessonplan.gmail.com.

69
00:05:41,400 --> 00:05:45,800
Live and learn with me as we focus on living fully and feeling our best.

70
00:05:45,800 --> 00:05:51,200
Visit hueandgrace.com.slashlessonplan to see how easy it is to start making some healthy

71
00:05:51,200 --> 00:06:00,920
swaps on the way to non-toxic livid.

72
00:06:00,920 --> 00:06:07,680
So the first quote that I want to talk about, which highlights exactly what I was feeling

73
00:06:07,680 --> 00:06:13,040
like I could have written these words, and I'm sure some of you listening are going to

74
00:06:13,040 --> 00:06:19,560
feel like, yep, I could have written those words as well, were on page 14.

75
00:06:19,560 --> 00:06:24,520
And Siri writes, I have suffered deeply for much of my lifetime.

76
00:06:24,520 --> 00:06:30,200
On the outside, my whole life tells a different story, one of overcoming challenges, achieving

77
00:06:30,200 --> 00:06:35,240
huge goals, and being a love and light to those around me.

78
00:06:35,240 --> 00:06:40,400
This came at great cost to me internally.

79
00:06:40,400 --> 00:06:42,400
Yeah.

80
00:06:42,400 --> 00:06:51,880
Again, some of you have listened to my Patreon, some of you know me very well.

81
00:06:51,880 --> 00:07:00,360
But even then, I think I've kept a lot of things from others for various reasons.

82
00:07:00,360 --> 00:07:09,280
And on this day that I was reading Siri's book, I was thinking a lot about my next steps

83
00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:17,440
and just why am I pouring myself into this podcast.

84
00:07:17,440 --> 00:07:29,360
And realizing that I knew I was using it for an outlet for me as I bridge a transition.

85
00:07:29,360 --> 00:07:33,480
And so in that way for me, it is a lifeline.

86
00:07:33,480 --> 00:07:40,760
And although it is helping me personally and selfishly, I'm really hoping that in some

87
00:07:40,760 --> 00:07:46,320
way, shape or form, it helps others as well.

88
00:07:46,320 --> 00:07:52,920
And there was a line on the very next page as I started having this feeling that Siri

89
00:07:52,920 --> 00:08:00,760
writes that says, I see you, I feel your pain, I share your fear, I know how to help you

90
00:08:00,760 --> 00:08:02,480
through it.

91
00:08:02,480 --> 00:08:11,280
And I thought, wow, she had this feeling when writing this book that her words and her struggles

92
00:08:11,280 --> 00:08:14,800
could maybe somehow help someone else.

93
00:08:14,800 --> 00:08:23,480
And I remember as a teacher, I always told myself, if you just reach one student a year

94
00:08:23,480 --> 00:08:30,720
and you make a difference for that student, then that school year was worth it.

95
00:08:30,720 --> 00:08:38,920
And I never made the connection to this journey as a podcaster until that day that I read

96
00:08:38,920 --> 00:08:45,320
that line and I was doing a lot of reflecting on just why I'm doing this and the purpose

97
00:08:45,320 --> 00:08:47,400
of it.

98
00:08:47,400 --> 00:08:55,480
So I'm hoping that although I don't have all the answers, you know that being seen and

99
00:08:55,480 --> 00:09:01,960
heard and understood is the first step to healing and transformation.

100
00:09:01,960 --> 00:09:09,720
And I'm hoping that by creating a space where I can be real, you can be real, we can be

101
00:09:09,720 --> 00:09:17,000
vulnerable and support each other through whatever change we might be facing.

102
00:09:17,000 --> 00:09:24,200
So just getting into kind of thinking about some of the things that I've kept inside or

103
00:09:24,200 --> 00:09:32,000
have been on my heart is there's a lot of what people see of us on the outside, right?

104
00:09:32,000 --> 00:09:34,800
And a lot of what they don't.

105
00:09:34,800 --> 00:09:42,080
And I did for a while there feel really comfortable sharing some of my struggles on social media.

106
00:09:42,080 --> 00:09:50,920
And I was actually basically told at one point that it was a reason that I didn't get a job

107
00:09:50,920 --> 00:09:56,360
and I was looking at a career change.

108
00:09:56,360 --> 00:09:57,840
Still within teaching.

109
00:09:57,840 --> 00:10:06,440
I was told that my posts on social media were too emotional and they held me back.

110
00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:11,200
And again, I wasn't doing it for any sort of attention.

111
00:10:11,200 --> 00:10:17,760
I was doing it at the same purpose that I see this now as a lifeline.

112
00:10:17,760 --> 00:10:22,880
And there were a lot of people who reached out to me who said that it helped them.

113
00:10:22,880 --> 00:10:28,600
And that's why I did it when I did it.

114
00:10:28,600 --> 00:10:34,640
And then I kind of pulled back on that and I have pulled back on that.

115
00:10:34,640 --> 00:10:41,000
And maybe this new venture will be another way to bring some of that back and to help

116
00:10:41,000 --> 00:10:43,760
others.

117
00:10:43,760 --> 00:10:53,560
But basically, for some part of my last marriage and years of my career, there was a pocket

118
00:10:53,560 --> 00:11:02,960
of time there that some of you listening know, I battled absolutely debilitating anxiety.

119
00:11:02,960 --> 00:11:05,400
It was not just stress.

120
00:11:05,400 --> 00:11:12,200
It was the kind of anxiety that made the simplest tasks feel impossible and I had no control

121
00:11:12,200 --> 00:11:13,920
over it.

122
00:11:13,920 --> 00:11:19,760
And those closest to me and even some of my students I had at the time saw glimpses of

123
00:11:19,760 --> 00:11:21,600
it.

124
00:11:21,600 --> 00:11:25,720
But what they didn't see were the moments that I could barely function.

125
00:11:25,720 --> 00:11:30,040
The times I had to leave school mid panic attack.

126
00:11:30,040 --> 00:11:34,080
Times that I lay away, convinced something was physically wrong with me.

127
00:11:34,080 --> 00:11:37,480
I had no idea what was happening.

128
00:11:37,480 --> 00:11:40,080
At one point, I truly thought I was dying.

129
00:11:40,080 --> 00:11:41,440
I was having a panic attack.

130
00:11:41,440 --> 00:11:46,920
I thought I was having a heart attack and I went to the ER.

131
00:11:46,920 --> 00:11:52,760
And at my lowest, I couldn't even leave the house to go for a walk without medication,

132
00:11:52,760 --> 00:11:56,120
let alone stand in front of a classroom and teach.

133
00:11:56,120 --> 00:11:57,400
But I had to.

134
00:11:57,400 --> 00:12:02,200
I had a marriage I was desperately trying to keep together, a daughter I needed to be

135
00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:06,880
strong for, a full time job I couldn't afford to lose.

136
00:12:06,880 --> 00:12:13,760
And eventually I had to gather enough strength to leave my marriage, navigate a divorce and

137
00:12:13,760 --> 00:12:17,360
support my middle school daughter through it.

138
00:12:17,360 --> 00:12:22,960
Which happened to be time two months before the world shut down for a global pandemic.

139
00:12:22,960 --> 00:12:26,800
I put on a brave face because I had no other choice.

140
00:12:26,800 --> 00:12:30,240
I had to find a way through it.

141
00:12:30,240 --> 00:12:34,880
And the truth is, it broke me.

142
00:12:34,880 --> 00:12:38,000
But here's the part I want you to hear.

143
00:12:38,000 --> 00:12:40,520
I survived.

144
00:12:40,520 --> 00:12:42,480
Eventually I healed.

145
00:12:42,480 --> 00:12:49,880
It took time, therapy, medication and a complete mindset shift.

146
00:12:49,880 --> 00:12:51,800
But I did it.

147
00:12:51,800 --> 00:12:55,360
I no longer live with impending fear.

148
00:12:55,360 --> 00:13:00,320
And if you've ever felt like I did, if you've faced moments where you thought you couldn't

149
00:13:00,320 --> 00:13:05,000
keep going, I want you to know that I see you.

150
00:13:05,000 --> 00:13:06,720
I feel your pain.

151
00:13:06,720 --> 00:13:08,960
I share your fear.

152
00:13:08,960 --> 00:13:12,000
And I know that there is a way through.

153
00:13:12,000 --> 00:13:19,000
And I think now I'm realizing that this is part of why I started this podcast.

154
00:13:19,000 --> 00:13:25,080
Not really to share my stories, but to share other people's stories.

155
00:13:25,080 --> 00:13:30,520
Because I wasn't at the time comfortable with sharing my own, but I knew that I wanted to

156
00:13:30,520 --> 00:13:31,600
help people.

157
00:13:31,600 --> 00:13:38,160
And I knew other people's stories that had been inspirational to me could maybe help

158
00:13:38,160 --> 00:13:42,000
someone else and let them know that they're not alone.

159
00:13:42,000 --> 00:13:49,600
And to remind you that no matter how impossible it might feel, you can find your way too.

160
00:13:49,600 --> 00:13:56,040
So I want to share another passage from Ciri Lindley's book that resonated so deeply with

161
00:13:56,040 --> 00:13:57,040
me.

162
00:13:57,040 --> 00:14:02,080
And it's from page 20 where she writes, life is short.

163
00:14:02,080 --> 00:14:05,960
We don't know how long we have on the planet.

164
00:14:05,960 --> 00:14:08,560
What will matter most to you?

165
00:14:08,560 --> 00:14:13,680
And are you living your life to reflect that?

166
00:14:13,680 --> 00:14:18,240
Reading those words stopped me in my tracks because for so long I was trapped in a cycle

167
00:14:18,240 --> 00:14:24,080
of survival, pushing through anxiety, keeping up appearances, trying to hold everything

168
00:14:24,080 --> 00:14:25,080
together.

169
00:14:25,080 --> 00:14:31,760
But when I finally allowed myself to pause and ask these questions, I realized I wasn't

170
00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:36,240
living a life that truly reflected what mattered most to me.

171
00:14:36,240 --> 00:14:43,040
For so many years I had to put everyone else's needs first, afraid to make changes I desperately

172
00:14:43,040 --> 00:14:44,560
needed.

173
00:14:44,560 --> 00:14:50,520
And yet deep down I knew I had to find my own way forward.

174
00:14:50,520 --> 00:14:54,120
And again, this took many years.

175
00:14:54,120 --> 00:15:03,160
This took forced, solitary healing during the isolation of a global pandemic.

176
00:15:03,160 --> 00:15:09,280
And I think definitely meeting someone with a totally different life perspective than

177
00:15:09,280 --> 00:15:16,080
I had ever really seen before.

178
00:15:16,080 --> 00:15:23,360
And being at a different point of my life and looking back on what I had been through

179
00:15:23,360 --> 00:15:30,960
and sort of having that existential crisis of having the first person that I taught English

180
00:15:30,960 --> 00:15:39,080
with pass away, 10 years into retirement and people were saying to me, in 20 years we're

181
00:15:39,080 --> 00:15:42,800
going to be in our 70s and 20 years goes fast.

182
00:15:42,800 --> 00:15:50,840
And I've mentioned these things on past episodes and it's just all such a wake up call to me.

183
00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:58,040
So if you're listening to this and you feel stuck, I invite you to sit with these questions

184
00:15:58,040 --> 00:15:59,920
too.

185
00:15:59,920 --> 00:16:03,120
What will matter most to you in the end?

186
00:16:03,120 --> 00:16:07,400
And are you able to live in a way that honors that?

187
00:16:07,400 --> 00:16:10,760
And if not, what's stopping you?

188
00:16:10,760 --> 00:16:15,880
And that's what I asked myself a year or two ago.

189
00:16:15,880 --> 00:16:23,960
And that's where I've been trying to realign my life as much as possible.

190
00:16:23,960 --> 00:16:30,280
So before we go on, I'm going to take a short break, but when we come back, I'm going to

191
00:16:30,280 --> 00:16:37,440
walk you through one of the exercises that I did in the book that really helped me when

192
00:16:37,440 --> 00:16:40,840
thinking about some of these questions.

193
00:16:40,840 --> 00:16:47,120
So I'll be back.

194
00:16:47,120 --> 00:16:51,920
To those of you who have followed me for a while, you know that I value mental and physical

195
00:16:51,920 --> 00:16:52,920
wellness.

196
00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:58,200
Personally, I've worked with a few different coaches over the years and even been one myself.

197
00:16:58,200 --> 00:17:02,600
If you are looking for education and support in your own wellness journey, I would love

198
00:17:02,600 --> 00:17:07,120
to invite you to the wellness community I am currently in that keeps me accountable daily

199
00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:09,040
with my nutrition and movement.

200
00:17:09,040 --> 00:17:15,760
If you are a Facebook user, you can search for our free group called Team MG.

201
00:17:15,760 --> 00:17:20,440
This group is led by my coach, Megan Grimord, who is a certified trainer and nutrition

202
00:17:20,440 --> 00:17:21,640
coach.

203
00:17:21,640 --> 00:17:25,920
She offers lots of education and support for your wellness journey.

204
00:17:25,920 --> 00:17:30,440
If you want to get to know Coach Megan more, you can follow her on Instagram at all lower

205
00:17:30,440 --> 00:17:40,440
case Megan M E G A N underscore Grimord G R I M O R D or even listen to her on episode

206
00:17:40,440 --> 00:17:42,920
10 of the podcast.

207
00:17:42,920 --> 00:17:46,000
She has also created a discount code for my listeners.

208
00:17:46,000 --> 00:17:56,600
Go to her website www.team-mg.com and enter code lesson plan 10 to get $10 off any of

209
00:17:56,600 --> 00:18:00,400
her premium coaching packages for the first month.

210
00:18:00,400 --> 00:18:05,920
Coach Megan is a busy mom like me who works full time, so I appreciate her practicality

211
00:18:05,920 --> 00:18:10,560
mixed with some tough love to keep me going.

212
00:18:10,560 --> 00:18:16,160
We have arrived at the Ask the Teacher Anything portion of the episode.

213
00:18:16,160 --> 00:18:18,440
So today's first question.

214
00:18:18,440 --> 00:18:19,440
Whoo!

215
00:18:19,440 --> 00:18:21,200
It's a hard one.

216
00:18:21,200 --> 00:18:28,120
If you could change one thing about the education system, what would it be?

217
00:18:28,120 --> 00:18:36,000
It's definitely not just one thing, but I would say the biggest thing is it just needs

218
00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:38,960
a complete overhaul.

219
00:18:38,960 --> 00:18:45,920
You know, think about the reason the school day was built the way that it is around an

220
00:18:45,920 --> 00:18:53,320
agrarian society that needed to be home when there was still daylight.

221
00:18:53,320 --> 00:18:57,600
And you know, all the research points that just even the start time of schools, especially

222
00:18:57,600 --> 00:19:00,880
for teenagers is all wrong.

223
00:19:00,880 --> 00:19:09,480
And you know, we were creating an educational system for people who were going into factories.

224
00:19:09,480 --> 00:19:12,560
It is so outdated.

225
00:19:12,560 --> 00:19:19,360
And you know, long story short, I would say the best moments in education that I saw were

226
00:19:19,360 --> 00:19:24,880
when students could choose to take classes that were aligned with their passions, had

227
00:19:24,880 --> 00:19:29,160
some connection to building real world skills.

228
00:19:29,160 --> 00:19:35,680
And to me, if we could switch the focus to that with a little bit of, you know, what

229
00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:38,640
problems do you want to solve?

230
00:19:38,640 --> 00:19:44,040
I think it could transform education.

231
00:19:44,040 --> 00:19:48,840
So I could obviously do an entire episode on this.

232
00:19:48,840 --> 00:19:54,800
But those are the things that come to the forefront of my mind for that question.

233
00:19:54,800 --> 00:20:01,880
Next question, you mentioned buying a camper for your next phase of life.

234
00:20:01,880 --> 00:20:03,200
Yep.

235
00:20:03,200 --> 00:20:05,600
Our Luna Rover.

236
00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:09,680
What places are at the top of your travel list?

237
00:20:09,680 --> 00:20:13,640
So this is not like a big RV.

238
00:20:13,640 --> 00:20:17,120
This is like I said, it's called a Luna Rover.

239
00:20:17,120 --> 00:20:18,320
And we went back and forth.

240
00:20:18,320 --> 00:20:27,480
We looked for months and kind of changed our wants, you know, for this camper and eventually

241
00:20:27,480 --> 00:20:30,160
decided to go a little bit smaller.

242
00:20:30,160 --> 00:20:35,000
It is unbelievable, first of all, what RVs and campers have today.

243
00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:41,280
Like legit, it has a fireplace and a TV.

244
00:20:41,280 --> 00:20:44,720
And it has a cute outdoor kitchen, but no shower.

245
00:20:44,720 --> 00:20:48,360
It has a toilet for emergencies for the middle of the night.

246
00:20:48,360 --> 00:20:56,560
So we are just in the beginning since we'll both still be working.

247
00:20:56,560 --> 00:21:03,840
Our goal is to take it on some in-state trips first and get used to it, get used to staying

248
00:21:03,840 --> 00:21:08,600
in it, get used to hauling it, parking it, living in it.

249
00:21:08,600 --> 00:21:15,520
So I think we have four trips in the state of Wisconsin scheduled starting Memorial Day

250
00:21:15,520 --> 00:21:16,520
weekend.

251
00:21:16,520 --> 00:21:25,040
Definitely I'll take you behind the scenes on YouTube and social media with those adventures

252
00:21:25,040 --> 00:21:28,640
and getting the camper ready to go.

253
00:21:28,640 --> 00:21:29,960
So that'll be fun.

254
00:21:29,960 --> 00:21:37,320
But yeah, I think some of our favorite places in the state when trying out, you know, some

255
00:21:37,320 --> 00:21:43,160
private and public, it's unbelievable how hard it is to get into state forest or, you

256
00:21:43,160 --> 00:21:46,880
know, public campgrounds if you don't do it years in advance.

257
00:21:46,880 --> 00:21:49,120
So we're learning that.

258
00:21:49,120 --> 00:21:56,560
But stay tuned and you'll be able to follow some of those adventures with the Luna Rover.

259
00:21:56,560 --> 00:22:01,840
You can always submit questions to me on social media or there is a designated spot on our

260
00:22:01,840 --> 00:22:05,840
website at lifesnextlessonplan.com.

261
00:22:05,840 --> 00:22:10,800
This is one of my favorite parts is hearing from you and answering your questions.

262
00:22:10,800 --> 00:22:11,800
So thank you.

263
00:22:11,800 --> 00:22:13,360
Keep those coming.

264
00:22:13,360 --> 00:22:19,000
Now that we are back from break, we're going to do a little bit of work.

265
00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:23,200
One of the exercises in Siri Linley's book.

266
00:22:23,200 --> 00:22:29,200
It's funny because when I started teaching sophomores again a couple years ago, this

267
00:22:29,200 --> 00:22:37,520
is like one of the first assignments that we had them do and it keeps coming up in episodes

268
00:22:37,520 --> 00:22:39,120
and now in this book.

269
00:22:39,120 --> 00:22:44,080
And so it's like the universe saying, sit down, get a pen, do this.

270
00:22:44,080 --> 00:22:45,080
So I did it.

271
00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:50,360
So in the book, it asks you to identify your top 10 values.

272
00:22:50,360 --> 00:22:56,560
And maybe you've done this, but like, you know, we have a sheet that we gave to the sophomores

273
00:22:56,560 --> 00:22:59,280
with like 50 different core values.

274
00:22:59,280 --> 00:23:01,760
I didn't have it with me when I did the activity.

275
00:23:01,760 --> 00:23:07,160
So I just looked up, you know, core values and it gave me a list of like 50 of them.

276
00:23:07,160 --> 00:23:10,280
And these are the guiding principles that shape your decisions.

277
00:23:10,280 --> 00:23:14,920
These are priorities for you and ultimately the way you want to live your life that if

278
00:23:14,920 --> 00:23:20,040
you're living life in alignment with your core values, you will feel fulfilled.

279
00:23:20,040 --> 00:23:26,040
And at the end of your life, you know, hopefully you won't have a lot of regret.

280
00:23:26,040 --> 00:23:35,360
Um, so I sat down and I did this and here are the 10 that I came up with.

281
00:23:35,360 --> 00:23:41,240
Now she does have you go through and like rank them in order.

282
00:23:41,240 --> 00:23:45,880
Um, I tried to do that, but I think on any given day that can change, right?

283
00:23:45,880 --> 00:24:02,120
So my 10 were health, compassion, growth, love, freedom, happiness, contribution, safety,

284
00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:06,200
self-respect and adventure.

285
00:24:06,200 --> 00:24:11,440
So looking at this list, you know, some of these have been with me for as long as I can

286
00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:20,160
remember and some have evolved over time as I've grown and gone through big life transitions.

287
00:24:20,160 --> 00:24:25,520
And I think depending on your age, you know, these change your priorities depending on

288
00:24:25,520 --> 00:24:31,360
what age you are or what situation you are in in your life, those can change.

289
00:24:31,360 --> 00:24:39,520
But seeing them written down helped me realize where I should be putting my energy moving

290
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,020
forward.

291
00:24:41,020 --> 00:24:44,880
So I want you to try this.

292
00:24:44,880 --> 00:24:50,520
Now of course, if you're driving or you're out for a walk, you might have to, you know,

293
00:24:50,520 --> 00:24:56,400
come back to this and look up a list of values and then spend some time thinking about your

294
00:24:56,400 --> 00:24:58,040
top 10.

295
00:24:58,040 --> 00:25:02,680
But this list should reflect what truly matters to you.

296
00:25:02,680 --> 00:25:07,920
And like I've said before, not what society says should matter.

297
00:25:07,920 --> 00:25:14,480
Not what others expect of you, but what you deeply value.

298
00:25:14,480 --> 00:25:21,680
You know, I remember in Blake Gleason's episode, he kept talking about living with no regrets

299
00:25:21,680 --> 00:25:28,680
and at this stage in his life and what he's doing in his career and personal life.

300
00:25:28,680 --> 00:25:34,080
I mean, that wasn't always easy decisions that he was making to do that, but he felt

301
00:25:34,080 --> 00:25:39,520
the tug to keep doing it and that's what he's doing and, you know, looking for those

302
00:25:39,520 --> 00:25:41,760
open doors and walking through them.

303
00:25:41,760 --> 00:25:49,340
And when doors shut to look at it as opportunity, again, you know, the guests have more wisdom

304
00:25:49,340 --> 00:25:52,880
than I could ever share, right?

305
00:25:52,880 --> 00:25:59,120
So I really encourage you, you know, I've thought about this, but I never really sat

306
00:25:59,120 --> 00:26:02,280
down and did it.

307
00:26:02,280 --> 00:26:09,720
So once you've done that and you've identified your top 10 values, the next step is looking

308
00:26:09,720 --> 00:26:12,760
at your life through that lens.

309
00:26:12,760 --> 00:26:17,040
So are you living in alignment with what truly matters to you?

310
00:26:17,040 --> 00:26:22,320
Or have you been caught up in obligations, which I know I did it.

311
00:26:22,320 --> 00:26:28,600
I lived on the hamster wheel and still am in many respects, you know, different expectations

312
00:26:28,600 --> 00:26:34,160
and patterns that no longer serve you and some people may feel like they're stuck.

313
00:26:34,160 --> 00:26:35,320
They can't change it.

314
00:26:35,320 --> 00:26:43,160
But we really need to think about making adjustments where we can to live more aligned with this

315
00:26:43,160 --> 00:26:45,560
list of values.

316
00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:51,040
So Siri offers some incredible reflection questions in her book and I'm not going to

317
00:26:51,040 --> 00:26:57,280
go through all of them, but I chose a few of them to share with you today.

318
00:26:57,280 --> 00:27:05,680
So let's, you know, take a deep breath, maybe even, you know, grab a journal or open a doc.

319
00:27:05,680 --> 00:27:11,080
And I want you to consider some of these questions, maybe even listen to one and then push pause

320
00:27:11,080 --> 00:27:13,320
and think about it.

321
00:27:13,320 --> 00:27:14,800
So there's seven.

322
00:27:14,800 --> 00:27:21,040
Number one, what could you do differently to align yourself more powerfully with your

323
00:27:21,040 --> 00:27:22,880
top values?

324
00:27:22,880 --> 00:27:29,480
Again, maybe you can only choose one value right now.

325
00:27:29,480 --> 00:27:33,360
You know, 10 is a lot to change it all one time, right?

326
00:27:33,360 --> 00:27:41,440
But what could you do more of, even if it's just I need to get outside for 10 more minutes

327
00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,640
a day?

328
00:27:43,640 --> 00:27:48,640
You know, that's question two, what could you do more of?

329
00:27:48,640 --> 00:27:55,920
And number three, what could you stop doing or change?

330
00:27:55,920 --> 00:28:02,840
I had to make some big decisions in the last year of just like stop the madness, nothing

331
00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,760
changes if nothing changes.

332
00:28:04,760 --> 00:28:09,920
And if you're feeling a certain way, it is up to you to draw those boundaries and make

333
00:28:09,920 --> 00:28:17,680
the changes again, not always easy, but sometimes necessary even temporarily.

334
00:28:17,680 --> 00:28:26,840
Question four, what must you have in your life to be happy and fulfilled?

335
00:28:26,840 --> 00:28:30,160
What must you have in your life?

336
00:28:30,160 --> 00:28:34,920
Number five, what must you avoid?

337
00:28:34,920 --> 00:28:41,600
When you look at what things make you sad, what things upset you, how can you avoid those

338
00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,000
things?

339
00:28:45,000 --> 00:28:55,240
Number six, what are the consequences of not living in alignment with your values?

340
00:28:55,240 --> 00:29:01,280
So when a year goes by and I don't do New Year's resolutions, but I definitely do a

341
00:29:01,280 --> 00:29:06,560
lot of reflection, probably too much, what are the consequences?

342
00:29:06,560 --> 00:29:08,000
Is there regret?

343
00:29:08,000 --> 00:29:09,880
Is there anger?

344
00:29:09,880 --> 00:29:11,120
Is there resentment?

345
00:29:11,120 --> 00:29:17,560
Like I let another year go by and I haven't changed anything?

346
00:29:17,560 --> 00:29:18,920
Is that okay?

347
00:29:18,920 --> 00:29:21,160
Will that be okay in five years?

348
00:29:21,160 --> 00:29:23,960
Ten years?

349
00:29:23,960 --> 00:29:28,560
And then lastly, number seven, and again, these are not all the questions, I just chose

350
00:29:28,560 --> 00:29:32,000
the ones I think might make the biggest difference.

351
00:29:32,000 --> 00:29:40,760
If you live in alignment with your top values, what will life look like in the next five years?

352
00:29:40,760 --> 00:29:43,000
And that's really exciting.

353
00:29:43,000 --> 00:29:44,000
Right?

354
00:29:44,000 --> 00:29:55,120
I mean, for so much of my life, I was like a passive participant in my own life.

355
00:29:55,120 --> 00:30:02,280
And you know, survival mode is what it is, or you know, making the peace and trying to

356
00:30:02,280 --> 00:30:08,840
do what society tells you you should be doing or what you think is the right thing happens

357
00:30:08,840 --> 00:30:11,440
to all of us.

358
00:30:11,440 --> 00:30:16,520
But these questions really made me stop and reflect.

359
00:30:16,520 --> 00:30:21,440
And these are things I've been thinking about again for the last year or two, as my life

360
00:30:21,440 --> 00:30:25,560
has changed on the shifts that I need to make.

361
00:30:25,560 --> 00:30:29,080
And I have been making and working toward making.

362
00:30:29,080 --> 00:30:34,600
So I'd love for you to take some time to think about these questions.

363
00:30:34,600 --> 00:30:40,280
And if something resonates deeply, love to hear it, love for you to share, send me a

364
00:30:40,280 --> 00:30:45,800
message, comment on this episode, or just take the first step toward realigning your

365
00:30:45,800 --> 00:30:54,440
life in a way that feels true to you.

366
00:30:54,440 --> 00:31:01,960
If today's episode resonated with you, I would strongly encourage you to get a copy

367
00:31:01,960 --> 00:31:04,280
of Siri's book.

368
00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:05,680
Feel her on Instagram.

369
00:31:05,680 --> 00:31:12,160
I know they just released like a documentary about her life, you know, in a nutshell, some

370
00:31:12,160 --> 00:31:19,080
of the obstacles that she had to overcome are, you know, coming out to her father that

371
00:31:19,080 --> 00:31:27,800
she was gay and he disowning her temporarily, finding out that she had a very advanced and

372
00:31:27,800 --> 00:31:32,400
tricky form of cancer.

373
00:31:32,400 --> 00:31:39,160
And she is a world champion triathlete who, you know, didn't know how to swim and took

374
00:31:39,160 --> 00:31:43,320
last place in the first triathlon she ever did.

375
00:31:43,320 --> 00:31:45,160
She's just incredibly inspirational.

376
00:31:45,160 --> 00:31:50,600
And again, I want to thank her for autographing a copy of her book.

377
00:31:50,600 --> 00:31:56,560
And I want to thank Anna Straylow from episode eight for gifting that to me.

378
00:31:56,560 --> 00:31:59,080
I would highly recommend it.

379
00:31:59,080 --> 00:32:04,480
I doubt that this is my last episode that will be influenced by her words because I'm

380
00:32:04,480 --> 00:32:05,600
not done with the book.

381
00:32:05,600 --> 00:32:12,040
I'm not even halfway done and already I'm just, I cannot wait to continue to read it.

382
00:32:12,040 --> 00:32:16,920
So in closing today, I just want to say you're not alone.

383
00:32:16,920 --> 00:32:21,960
So many of us have spent years chasing what we thought we should do only to wake up one

384
00:32:21,960 --> 00:32:26,280
day realizing we've lost ourselves in the process.

385
00:32:26,280 --> 00:32:34,360
But the good news is we always have the power to realign, to choose again, and to step into

386
00:32:34,360 --> 00:32:38,240
the life that truly reflects our values.

387
00:32:38,240 --> 00:32:42,440
Ciri Lindley's words remind us that life is short.

388
00:32:42,440 --> 00:32:47,840
We don't know how long we have on this planet, but we do get to decide what matters most

389
00:32:47,840 --> 00:32:50,560
and how we show up for it.

390
00:32:50,560 --> 00:32:55,800
My hope is that today's conversation sparks something in you, whether it's the courage

391
00:32:55,800 --> 00:33:02,600
to make a change, the clarity to set boundaries, or simply the awareness that you deserve to

392
00:33:02,600 --> 00:33:06,600
live a life in alignment with your values.

393
00:33:06,600 --> 00:33:13,680
So take a moment, reflect what small step can you take today toward a life that feels

394
00:33:13,680 --> 00:33:16,400
truer to you.

395
00:33:16,400 --> 00:33:21,640
I'd love to hear what you came up with after this episode.

396
00:33:21,640 --> 00:33:27,560
Send me a message, share your thoughts, join the conversation in our community.

397
00:33:27,560 --> 00:33:32,080
And if this episode spoke to you, please consider sharing it with someone who might need to

398
00:33:32,080 --> 00:33:34,960
hear these words too.

399
00:33:34,960 --> 00:33:45,440
Until next time, keep learning, keep growing, and most of all, keep finding your way.

400
00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:50,400
If you're looking for more content, you can subscribe to my Live and Learn Patreon, which

401
00:33:50,400 --> 00:33:56,040
is as simple as heading over to patreon.com slash live and learn.

402
00:33:56,040 --> 00:34:01,740
There you can absorb the free content, purchase single episodes, or become a subscriber for

403
00:34:01,740 --> 00:34:04,680
just $5 a month.

404
00:34:04,680 --> 00:34:10,680
Don't forget to follow Life's Next Lesson Plan on Instagram, Facebook, and YouTube.

405
00:34:10,680 --> 00:34:15,400
This is where I share more behind the scenes content, and like I mentioned today where

406
00:34:15,400 --> 00:34:21,800
I will share with you the lunar rover and how we get her ready for our first adventure.

407
00:34:21,800 --> 00:34:25,680
And I am still counting down my last days in the classroom.

408
00:34:25,680 --> 00:34:28,520
We are in the final stretch.

409
00:34:28,520 --> 00:34:34,920
If you have a topic or a guest idea, head over to life's next lesson plan dot com and

410
00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:36,640
let me know.

411
00:34:36,640 --> 00:34:40,000
Keep those Ask the Teacher Anything questions coming.

412
00:34:40,000 --> 00:34:41,760
I just love them.

413
00:34:41,760 --> 00:34:45,160
Thank you again for being here today with me.

414
00:34:45,160 --> 00:34:46,560
For this vulnerable episode.