This week's going to be a little bit different.
I'm sharing with you me In the guest seat as
I joined Laura flowers on her podcast rediscovering
you a show dedicated to helping women break free
from feeling stuck and Step into the life they
truly want Laura and I dive deep into my decision
to walk away from my long teaching career, the
emotions and uncertainty that come with such
a big change, and how I'm using storytelling
and manifestation to align my next steps with
my core values. If you've ever felt stuck in
your career, relationships, or personal growth,
this episode is for you. I hope my journey inspires
you to trust the process and step boldly into
your own next chapter. Thank you for joining
me for another episode of Life's Next Lesson
Plan. I'm Rachel and I started this podcast during
my 29th and last year as a high school teacher.
The goal of my work with Life's Next Lesson Plan
as well as my Live and Learn Patreon is to create
a connection where we are all teachers. We all
have lessons and stories to share that can help
others. I'm so fortunate to be able to extend
the four walls of my previous classroom to an
unlimited audience. where we can all learn from
each other, and my guests are some of the most
inspirational people with the best stories and
lessons I know, which is why I want to share
them with you. Their words are something everyone
should hear. It is my hope that you are able
to take away something from each episode to apply
to your own life, whether that be a career search,
path to a more fulfilling life, or new ideas
on current topics. Welcome to Rediscovering You,
the podcast where we empower you to rediscover
your life and manifest your dreams. I'm Laura
Flowers, a transformational life post with nearly
20 years of experience in the fields of psychology,
mental health, and education. No matter where
you are, what you're doing, it's never too late
to reimagine your future. Whether you're ready
to pin it, redefine success on your own terms,
or simply take that first step towards a more
fulfilling life, Rediscovering Youth is here,
for it and iTunes. For each episode, we will
share inspiring stories, practical tools to help
insights to help you bring every time a new thing
to life and manifest the life you've always dreamed
of. Are you ready to rewrite your story? Let's
get started. Welcome to Rediscovering You, episode
38. Today I am thrilled to welcome to the show
Rachel Rauch. And I just find it so interesting
that like people attract like people. I just
happened to meet Rachel and the similarities
that we have in our own paths are just so uncanny.
And so I am really excited to have a conversation
with her on the podcast today. Rachel, welcome
to the show. And would you mind just introducing
yourself to the audience and sharing a little
bit about yourself? Sure. Yeah. Thank you so
much for having me. So I have been a high school
English and journalism teacher for 29 years and
have decided that this is going to be my last
year in the classroom even though I am not eligible
for pension or retirement benefits yet, but I've
decided that it's time. This also corresponds
with becoming an empty nester. My daughter is
going to be a freshman in college in the fall.
So we're both making a big leap and going to
be going through big transitions together. Wow.
You know, everything you just said, I... resonate
with so much. Can we talk a bit about your decision
to leave education at this point in your career,
knowing that you are not eligible for your pension
and having put in so many so many years? What
what made you decide to take that leap? Yeah,
absolutely. It's been not an overnight decision.
Definitely have been feeling a pull for at least
three years, I think. 29 years is a long time
to dedicate yourself to one profession, especially,
I think, a profession that has changed so dramatically
in the last three decades. I mean, when I think
about when I started and there were barely cell
phones and barely computers and now that has
kind of overtaken the educational landscape.
So that, I think, coupled with just other changes
in education, both politically, socially. I think
changes in students post pandemic, even though
we say like, oh, we're past the pandemic now,
everything's fine. I'm not so sure about that.
Just kind of the repercussions of what we have
seen and changes in behavior and expectations
on teachers and changes in students where like
we just heard there's this rumor going around
school that. one in every four freshmen coming
into the high school has, quote, paperwork, you
know, meaning that they all have sort of, you
know, diverse needs, which we are used to dealing
with, but not at that level, I think, with no
extra support. So, you know, I've been feeling
that, that sort of pull to... Use the skills
that I have gained over all of these years, just
in a different way. I still do not have a job
signed on the dotted line, although I've been
negotiating toward a certain position and it's
becoming more clear now, but I needed... I knew
that once I made the decision because I had been
applying for positions over the last three years
and at 51 years old I guess I did not realize
or think about I might not be as marketable even
though I have a lot of skills that's kind of
a scary age to employ someone and sometimes people
think you're overqualified sometimes people think
you're going to want to match your current salary
I'm sure there are a lot of different factors
but I needed to make the decision and not have,
oh, I'll just go back to the classroom if it
doesn't work out. So I have worked part -time
jobs, you know, for fun or to fill my time after
my divorce because the 50 % of the time I was
not with my daughter and it was lonely, of course.
And so I, one of the part -time jobs I had basically
said to me, you ever decide to leave teaching
will give you kind of a you know manager position
and you can work full -time and have benefits
here. You just tell us when you're ready and
I knew that you know probably two years ago and
of course it's not ideally what I would like
to be doing, but I knew if push came to shove,
I would have benefits for my daughter and myself.
I would have employment, not anywhere close financially
to what I was making as a teacher, but I could
make it work with planning. And so once I got
that idea in my head, I just really strongly
was like, okay, I need to do this. One day this
past fall, I just kind of said to my significant
other, I think I need to make the decision. I
talked about it, had been talking about it. And
then it was like, even though I obviously knew
I had written and submitted my resignation. I
think it was in early January this year kind
of went off. Around the time in January where
all the people who are retiring are submitting
their letter. The school board has approved your
resignation and I was like who's resignation?
Even though it was totally my decision and I
wanted it to happen it was that moment of finality
where I was like okay you have to go now because
like other people are involved but When you have
that sort of back against the wall feeling it
really motivates you to put on the burners and
go forward because I think I Hear from many of
my colleagues who obviously have been in education
a very long time as well Just kind of saying
like I just have to make it four more years.
I just have to make it five more years and My
pension will be there in four years all Although
it won't be as big as if I stayed and I have
investments that can sit there and wait and I
don't know I've been listening to a lot of the
universe say like money is energy and I know
it wouldn't have been possible for me five years
ago going through a divorce to make this decision
but I have the supports in place now that I'm
able to and it's like Everyone I've been talking
to ever their message just seems to be like don't
live with regret and I went to a funeral about
two weeks ago for someone who I used to eat lunch
with at school every day and she Was in retirement
for ten years had been retired and it was the
first person who I taught English with to pass
away It was just such a reminder of like tomorrow
is not promised and I have been living like my
life is on hold I feel like you know do it when
I'll do it when and you know I'll do it when
I'm retired you know and it's like that's ten
years from now and yeah like and nothing is promised.
So I don't know, I've just been getting a lot
of nudges and it's, you know, my personal decision.
That's how I'm feeling. I know a lot of people
my age who are still very passionate about what
they're doing. I just feel like there's something
else for me out there. Thank you so much for
sharing your story and I... have so many similarities,
both in myself and in my colleagues within the
educational profession. Everything that you're
saying I've heard so many times come out of the
mouths of people that I work so closely with
is that I have been doing this as my career for
so many years. This is what I'm good at, I just
have to stick it out five more years, 10 more
years to get all the things that I'm supposed
to get and what I thought was going to be the
career path. So even though I'm miserable and
please don't misunderstand, not all educators
are in the place that you and I are talking about
right now, but a lot are because there have been
changes and people really are saying almost on
a daily basis, like I just have to make it five
more years before I can do the next thing. And
I agree with you because that tomorrow is absolutely
not promised. I'm thinking of a couple of educators
that I've worked very closely with over the years
who've done everything right as far as saving
for retirement, working the correct amount of
years to get the correct ratio from their pension,
everything to the T. And then when they retired
and finally are able to live the life that they've
been waiting for, get a cancer diagnosis and
pass away in a year. And it's a sad story, and
I don't say it to sound morbid, but it is just
a flashing reminder that we don't have tomorrow
as a guarantee. And if we are not happy, if you
are not happy living the life that you love and
feeling passionate about waking up every day
and doing something that feels important to you,
it lights you up, then what's the point? What's
the point? And I love that you share that you
made the decision to leave without knowing exactly
what your next step is going to be because that's
the other piece that I hear all the time and
I myself felt the same way as I know that this
isn't meant for me long term anymore but I don't
know exactly what it is but I'm going to make
a decision I've got to figure it out and trusting
that the universe will provide to you the signs
and signals and the things that are going to
help you move along in the right direction. You
mentioned that you had lots of nudges along the
way, like lots of nudges. Can you speak a little
bit more about like what some of the nudges were
for you? So the funeral came after I had made
my decision, but I feel like it was kind of like
a final. reminder but when because I think we
started our podcasting journeys at about the
same time and I interview a lot of former colleagues
who are now retired but then also former students
who are kind of in their 20s doing their thing
have amazing stories and it was like Every interview
I had, they were saying things where I was like,
okay, that's what I needed to hear. And it wasn't
just people who were on the other side who were
retired. We were saying like, it's the good life.
Like, so glad I made the decision. It was these
20 year olds who were talking about like, One
student is a professional volleyball player in
Europe and he's played in 17 different countries
and he said like I had to give up a long -term
relationship in the middle of my career because
I knew there was no other time I was going to
get this opportunity to do what I'm doing, to
play the sport that I'm passionate about. And
I was just like, okay, this is a boy in his 20s,
right? And my son, since he was 16, was saying
like, don't wait. Yeah. And sometimes you have
to sacrifice things and do things you're unsure
of. You're not. You know, he, he came home and
kind of did some soul searching and wasn't sure
that he was doing the right thing. And for whatever
reason, decided to follow the path that he was
on. And it was like every single person I was
talking to was saying like, this is the right
thing. You're doing the right thing. And, um,
even with my job search now, what I mentioned
before you know I was you know applying for jobs
that opened that sounded like they fit my skills
and once I made that decision I started talking
to people like hey what do you think I should
do do you have any ideas and the job that I'm
pursuing now that I think I'm going to be doing
wasn't a job posting Someone that I had worked
with for the last 11 years, my yearbook rep,
was like, I think you should contact this company.
They're always looking for people who need this,
this, and this, which is your skill set. And
we've had three meetings now basically where
they're like, we've been waiting for someone
like you to come down. We have all of these goals
that we're not able to do because we needed someone
in the high school space with your skill set.
And our last meeting last week was like, they
asked me, what's your ideal job? How many hours
do you want to work? I gave them my job description
and I said, and it would be nice to get benefits,
but it's not a deal breaker. And they were like,
oh, we can meet all of those things. Like we
can't wait, you know, to put your job description
together. We just need to check with people who
are already on staff. And I was like, this isn't
real. These are like the things that you hear
about, like on podcasts and things where people
are like, I just manifested it. Like I just quit
my job and the exact jobs that I wanted appeared.
And I'm like, okay, well, I'm not going to celebrate.
And so I signed on the data line, but like that's
what's happening. And so it does feel very, But
I think that that's a beautiful example about
how when you decide what you want and you articulate
it in a way, whether it's the amount of hours
you want to work, the skill set that you have
that you want to utilize, whether you want benefits
or not, when you are specific with what you want,
even if that position doesn't exist or even it
just... It will come to you when you are specific
and deliver it and you that is where you focus
your attention. It really works. And you might
not know that that position is going to happen
or what it's going to look like, but it will
come. And it's amazing. And I love hearing stories
exactly like yours where the universe literally
answers your call. That's so I never thought
that that could happen. I heard the same kind
of message when I was ready to start dating again
after my divorce. And people were like, write
down, you know, on a sheet of paper, exactly
what you want, exactly what you want before.
And I was like, Oh, ridiculous. You know, I did,
you know, online dating for a while and I was
like, this is just never going to happen. And
it did like every single thing that I had wanted
in a partner and more note up. And I think, um,
Yeah. If you really sit with the decision and
you are very serious about like, I am not going
to compromise my happiness. I'm not going to
settle. And I think at this age too, I've learned
like what settling looks like. Yeah. Yeah. In
both relationships, unemployment. And if you've
already been there, you're like, I'm not going
back there. And so if you get serious about it
and you start putting those messages out there,
I've heard that from so many other people. And
I kept thinking, oh, I wish that would happen
for me. And now it might. But now you're going
to be the inspiration for other people. And I
truly believe that you are living by example.
You're showing that this stuff isn't just woo
woo, like mystical things that only as handful
of people can make happen. Anybody can do it
anybody can do it and and you know, we're just
regular people you and I you know what? And we
decided that we wanted something different. We
put some parameters on what that was and You
just go for it and it happens. It's just it's
a really cool thing I want to ask you another
question about this when you actually officially
made the decision to resign I want to know about
what that moment was like. Was there anxiety?
Was there worry? Was there relief? What was it
like for you? Definitely very mixed emotions.
There was a wave of relief. I think I actually
slept well that night, but then the next night
I was like, oh my gosh, what did you just do?
in 29 years of doing the same thing you know
that's why we say you know if when we're in our
comfort zone we're you know there's a certain
amount of contentment that comes with that and
a certain amount of safety but then when that
no longer matters to you as much as your happiness
and your fulfillment and like you said how you
feel when you wake up in the morning um it's
definitely like Am I going to regret this? Am
I leaving money on the table? Is that more important
to me than my quality of life? And there was
just that moment where I was like, no, it's not.
And I think because of changes that I went through
in my life, my priorities had shifted. And I
was really looking at all the things that we
were saying about like on a sheet of paper, what
do you want your next chapter to look like? And
I'm sorry, but money was not at the top of the
list. You know, having shelter and providing
for my daughter and all of those things. But
you can do that on less of a salary than I've
been making. And I think I've been surrounding
myself with people who all have the same mindset
or like this like scarcity mindset around money
I think maybe is a thing in teaching because
always feeling like we're not you know like we
didn't go into it for money but then you see
all these things on you know social media saying
like oh teachers are underpaid and they deserve
more and you get into this weird scarcity mindset
but then you realize like what I'm making can
live on yeah I can live very happily on and again
everybody's situation is different and I've gone
through stages where I could have never made
this decision but I got to a place and again
I I put myself through college working three
jobs and as a single mother I picked up part
ten jobs on top of teaching full -time so I know
what it means to work hard but I also know that
there is always a way to make money And so I
just started to look at it differently, but it
didn't. Yeah. It was very, very mixed. Like there
are going to be people who think I'm absolutely
crazy to get this at this point, but then like
you said, I think if I take all the right steps
and I'm living by my values, there are going
to be people who are like, I wish I would have
done that too. Oh, I really feel that. And you
know, you are now living in the vibration that
is more in alignment with your true goals and
passions and values. And so you are naturally
going to attract the people that are going to
celebrate you and be cheering you on and validating
that you are on the right path at doing the right
things. And, you know, maybe some people are
going to drop out that don't agree or understand
with what you're doing and is that necessarily
the worst thing in the world? Probably not, you
know? Yeah. We're going to take a little bit
of a break here and answer some Ask the Teacher
Anything questions and hear a couple ads and
then we will be back to continue the interview.
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keep me going. It is time for Ask the Teacher
Anything. I need like a little bell sound effect
or something here. Wish there were more options
in my editing software. All right. Well, we've
got one juicy one and one fun one. So the first
one is, what are you most excited or nervous
about when it comes to your next chapter in camper
adventures? So yes, we picked out a camper and
we have four trips planned this summer all within
the state all under a week you know to feel out
this new adventure and I'm most excited I think
just for all the places we're going to see and
all the time we're going to spend outside and
trying something that I've never done at least
in this way shape or form before. I'm a little
bit nervous because we're going to be living
in a camper in the summer in Wisconsin and I
am afraid of storms, bad storms, bad weather.
Anybody who knows me knows I would go to the
basement immediately when I was a child if there
was like a rumble of thunder or something. So
that makes me a little bit nervous. I don't like
being away from my pets or my daughter for too
long so I have a hard time fully relaxing but
at least these are short trips so that's good.
So mostly excited but it'll be something new
so you just never know how it's going to go.
And the juicy question we're going there I guess
here is will you ever get married again? Well,
if you would have asked me this question five
years ago, it would be a hard no, never, ever,
ever. And then even two years ago, three years
ago, maybe a little bit, still no. I never thought
that I would feel the way that I do in a relationship
like I do now, truly, honestly. This is the most
authentic, calm, supportive, aligned relationship
I've ever been in. It's very weird, but I have
told a few people that when I first started visiting
my boyfriend's house, it reminded me of where
I grew up, living with my grandparents. And yes,
some people do call him grandpa. He's younger
than me, but... some of his mannerisms and things.
He was raised by, like I was, he was raised by
aunts and uncles and grandparents and his mom
too was there but I was primarily raised by my
grandparents and aunts and we're both Norwegian.
We actually were born in the same exact town
and grew up going to a lot of the same places
but we met on a dating app. so bizarre we were
like right under each other's noses so I think
that's kind of neat when you know you can share
a lot of like oh I went here as a kid yeah so
did I did you remember this like I don't know
just it really feels like my grandma who was
always my biggest nurturer supporter protector
I just really honestly feel like she sent him
to me and you know he He has no children. He's
never been married. He's never lived with anyone
until me at 46 years old. So he has never really
settled in a relationship, which is something
that I've kind of talked about and I talk about
in this episode. And I just really admire that.
I definitely admire his perspective on life.
I will say it is a huge... influence in me making
this decision and feeling comfortable in making
this decision because he just has a lot of different
life perspective from time in the military and
things he saw there and how he was raised. So
it's no longer a hard no. It is a possibility.
So love that juicy question. You can submit more
questions on my website at Life's Next Lesson
Plan dot com. There is a spot there to submit
ask the teacher anything questions or else of
course you can reach out on social media at Life's
Next Lesson Plan on Facebook and Instagram. I
definitely look forward to your questions so
keep them coming. So I know that you have been
inspired to start a podcast too and I was hoping
you could share with the audience what your podcast
is what it's all about and who you who you hope
to serve in Speaking through your podcast sure.
Yeah. Thank you. Um, it's called life's next
lesson plan because I kind of figured I could
go out of teaching two ways. One, I could just
go quietly in the summer, you know, after the
year was over and just like, okay, figure it
out. But I teach so many things in our building
that nobody else knows anything about, including
doing the entire yearbook and news website. I
really invested a lot into that program and was
sort of hoping that I could in some way help
transition the new person, which is now what
it's looking like is going to happen. So I knew
that I was going to be able to make the announcement
sort of early. And I thought, oh, this could
be a neat opportunity to sort of chronicle that
journey and what it looks like. 100 days in the
classroom, which I'm counting down on YouTube,
but it also gives me the opportunity to talk
to people who've made the decision and what that
looks like, and also talk to people who I know
personally are in the boat of like, what do I
do next and how do I do it? And then even just
like, again, with my daughter going through the
tough decisions of like, What do I want to do
with college? And what do I want to be when I
grow up, even though I'm only 17 right now? How
do I make that decision? And so I thought talking
to the students who had made that decision are
now out into the world. What did that path look
like for them? And all of their stories, because
one of the things I teach is journalism and English.
It's all about storytelling. Have found that
all of their stories are inspirational To people
looking, you know, just like how did you get
to that journey? And what obstacles did you overcome?
Because everybody's story has obstacles as bright
and shiny as it looks like in a package on social
media there were definitely tough decisions and
adversity that came no matter if you're in your
20s or you're in your 60s or 70s and so I just
feel like Their wisdom and their stories are
so diverse, but also everybody can take something
away from them. And so that's what I wanted to
do was kind of honor other people's stories.
And what it's been for me is like therapy during
that. good distraction and also kind of therapy
because the thing that I heard and actually one
of my guests talks about her situation with this.
One of my English colleagues had a nervous breakdown
right before school started the first summer
after she retired and it came out of nowhere
but also her her last daughter had just gone
skydiving and her older daughter texted her and
said, Hey, did you see Molly went skydiving?
And she's like, it was fine. She's an adult.
She can do whatever she wants. But she had also
seen a post that day about a conference that
she had gone to for the last 10 years and she
was no longer going to. And she said, I don't
know. Just in that moment, I just collapsed.
Wow. And everybody says this like identity shift
going from What do you do? I'm a teacher, you
know, and saying that for three decades and you
know, what are you? I'm a mother. So you're going
to an empty nest. And I was like, okay, both
of those things are going to happen. And I think
the podcast has been, you know, beneficial for
me selfishly right but also if anybody else is
going through those types of conversations in
their own mind and they're looking for wisdom
all of these stories i think provide that and
then i do do um some solo episodes as well every
other time and you know i've talked about everything
from how to manage your energy and time to how
to start your own side hustle and how to find
what you're passionate about and how to align
your life more to your values. So it is kind
of just like talking to a screen. to help me.
So you know talking to just all these people
who I know have really interesting paths and
stories and if nothing else it's it's kind of
given me a distraction during an emotional time
because I'd had to get in my head for too long
and I could see how I could overthink my decision
and go back and forth and there just hasn't been
a lot of time to do that because I'm focusing
my energy on this. That's beautiful, yes and
I totally can relate to getting stuck in your
head too and then like all of the like... That
voice, like, oh, you're doing the wrong thing.
I agree with you, though, about your podcast,
the power of storytelling and lifting up other
people's voices. And there's so much inspiration
when you take the time to give platform to other
people to share their journey, share their obstacles,
because I truly believe that we are more similar
than we are different and that we can find ourselves
in the stories of other people, no matter who
they are or where they come from. And it is therapeutic,
right? It's just so healing to connect with others
on such a beautiful level and to share space
with them. And it just, from my own experience
to every single time I record a podcast with
a guest, I always leave feeling better than when
I started, always. And so that... is a gift like
that that's beautiful and to know that your podcast
is helping other people and and giving them ideas
and tools and inspiration through storytelling
that you're making a difference and And you're
not afraid to take up space in the world and
to be like, yeah, this is me. This is who I am.
I've made this decision to leave. I'm not going
to go quietly into the night, and I'm going to
speak my truth, and let's do this. Because people
are really going to resonate with your story
and with the guests that you have on your show.
Thank you so much. Yeah, it's sometimes, you
know, just like when you're in the thick of working
a full -time job and then doing this and then
also trying to job search and calm my daughter's
nerves. I'm like, what am I doing? But ultimately,
yes, it has been positive. Yeah, yeah. Um, and
you know, so for your next steps, I'm wondering
if you can just give a little bit of insight
for the listeners about like when you were thinking
about what you want for your next chapter, what
were some of the qualities or parameters? I know
you mentioned that you wanted to have like certain
hours and benefits, but were there any other
other sorts of parameters that you had just to
give a flavor of what it might look like for
somebody? Yeah, for sure. Because that took some
time for me. I kind of went back and forth. Like,
I only want to work outside because I've been
stuck in a building, right? Or like, I don't
want to do anything related to teaching whatsoever,
right? So that kind of went through a lot of
iterations. And I'm like, okay, let's just sit
with this for a few months and really think about
it. And I have always commuted a really long
way to teach. And so I'm I like being in my car
because that's my educational time that I listen
to podcasts, but I do not want to be in my car
two hours a day. So one of the requirements I
wanted was more of a hybrid position, like getting
out and interacting. But also I like having my
dog and my cat at home and not being on the road,
gaining those 10 hours a week back. So yeah,
it was really. requirement when when they asked
me like are you someone who wants to be in the
office every day are you someone who's okay working
with home most of their positions are remote
and then with the opportunity to come into the
office once or twice but maybe not even for a
day and so that was perfect but in my mind I
knew I did not want to be stuck in a building
being told by bells when to eat and go to the
bathroom. Being able to take a walk in the middle
of the day with my dog if I needed a break from
work. So that was a requirement. And then also
I did come back to... Especially, I think, because
podcasting reminded me I wanted to do something
with my journalism skills because I had taught
English, I've taught English for 29 years, but
I've only taught journalism for 11 or 12. And
I did, I was a reporter in high school and I
was a reporter in college and then I didn't do
anything with journalism while I was teaching
English until a journalism position opened and
I took it. And that has been one of the best
parts of my job is working with kids who this
is what they want to do and getting them internships
and getting them scholarships and getting them
amazing opportunities to sort of pave their path
and those are some of the students that I've
had back on my podcast who just I would love
any of their jobs any of them to hire me so I
kind of knew after thinking about it that I still
wanted to kind of use my journalism skills now.
I'm definitely using them in podcasting. I'm
definitely learning a lot in building my YouTube
channel, which has a lot of journalism stuff
on it. I think I will have to help the new person
transition. So like educational consulting just
a little still maybe teaching some lessons based
on journalism. So it kind of seems like that.
is going to be it for the immediate future, you
know, down the road. I looked at what retirement
community in the South where we're thinking of
moving and they need a reporter. They need a
content creator. And I thought, okay, that's
probably a fun path. And, you know, it doesn't
hurt to add podcasting skills to your resume.
Sure doesn't. No. Thank you for giving those
examples because I think you know sometimes people
can get caught up in their heads about like I
don't know how to make parameters but really
it can be as simple as I want a hybrid position
or you know like like that or I want to be able
to create my schedule I want to work these types
of you it can be very tangible things like that
and I love how you're also talking about just
repurposing what you're already good at into
something else because I know a lot of my teacher
friends and educator friends are very worried
about like quote unquote, wasting all of their
education and all of their expertise that they've
gained over the years. And I'm here to tell you
that no, it's not wasted time at all. Like there
is a market for the skills that you've cultivated
over these years and it could be reimagined in
101 different ways. You just need to be able
to put yourself out there, be open to opportunities.
Like what you were saying, like I want to move
down south and oh my goodness, they need a content
creator. There you go. And as you said earlier,
there's always a way to make money. We are not
tied to this one career path and like sentenced
to be there forever more. Money can be made in
so many different ways in so many different areas
and you can use your skills and like you really
can create the life that you desire. Absolutely.
Yeah, it's. And of years of mindset and where
your mindset settles based on, again, your own
personal values and preferences and for everybody
that's different. This may be a very, not that
it's not unsettling at times, but a very unsettling
path for some people. But for me in this stage,
it feels right. And even though, you know, I
can't say that it doesn't come without doubt
at times, getting out of your comfort zone is
uncomfortable. But also no growth can happen
if we're in our comfort zone. Exactly right.
Yeah. And the comfort zone is a beautiful place
for a certain amount of time, but if you're feeling
that nudge that Rachel was talking about earlier,
if you have that persistent voice that's telling
you something, I think you owe it to yourself
to explore that. You don't have to make rash
decisions or anything, but at least sit with
it, explore it, entertain it, journal about it.
You might be shocked at what it's worth with
all of that. Rachel, I'm wondering if you could
share with the listeners how people can find
your podcast, how they can find your YouTube
channel, and start learning more about your journey.
Sure, absolutely. So... I do have a website,
Life's Next Lesson Plan dot com, and that houses
a lot of my resources, all of my podcasts, which
those are also on Apple podcasts and Spotify
and YouTube. My YouTube channel is also Life's
Next Lesson Plan. So on there, I am also counting
down the last 100 days in the classroom. I think
I'm somewhere around 55 or 54, something like
that. So I have a different kind of topic every
day that I do a YouTube short about and then
I've been starting to chronicle we just bought
a camper for next adventures she's very cute
so I'm picking her up at the end of next month
and I'll kind of be chronicling like what does
that look like and where are we going and you
know how am I spending my days now that they're
looking different I'm also on Facebook and Instagram
and LinkedIn you know life's next lesson plan
or Rachel route as well. You are doing everything.
Rachel, you are amazing. I love your story and
I am just so excited to see where your next chapter
leaves you. Thank you so much for being on the
podcast today. Same. It was a pleasure. Thank
you so much. I hope today's conversation resonated
with you and maybe even gave you a little nudge
of your own to embrace your own next chapter.
A huge thank you to Laura Flowers for having
me on her podcast Rediscovering You. It's filled
with powerful conversations designed to help
women break free from feeling stuck. and step
into a life they truly love. I personally loved
the episode that comes right before mine, which
talks about kind of manifesting your financial
dreams and she truly has a remarkable story.
So be sure to check it out on YouTube and Apple
podcasts and give it a follow. And if you want
to continue following my journey as I count down
my final days in the classroom, make sure you're
subscribed to Life's Next Lesson Plan on YouTube
and connect with me for behind the scenes content
on Instagram and Facebook. Please, please, please
share this podcast. That's what helps me grow
and stay motivated. There's so much more ahead
and I'd love for you and more people to be a
part of it. Until next time, keep rediscovering.
learning and keep moving toward that life that
aligns with your values.