When you are thinking of changing your career path, it is always important to spend some time thinking about your own personality. The way that you carry yourself and the way you behave day to day do make a huge difference to what kind of role you are likely to succeed in, and it is something you will want to think about carefully if you really want to end up with the right job for you.

If you consider yourself to be particularly headstrong and creative, the good news is that the world of business has countless roles available for you. Let’s look at some of the kinds of things you might consider doing if you have these particular qualities.

Design

Maybe you want to make more use of the creative side of your skills? In that case, you might well consider going into the world of design in order to be able to be creative in your daily role. In design, you can help to create products which are more likely to be appreciated and enjoyed by the customers, and you will find that this can be surprisingly rewarding as a business role. It might help if you have a qualification in design, but this is not always essential, and in fact, it is rarely as important as simply being able to design something well. If you go into design, you will be able to be creative and also enjoy the world of business as well.

Marketing

One of the most common and popular routes into the world of business for those with a creative bent is to get into marketing. Indeed, this is a great way to make use of your own creativity if you want to be in business, and it can be an easy one to get into as well. As long as you have a good basic understanding of what sells and how, and you are happy to apply your own creative ideas to that process, you should find that marketing affords you a fantastic chance to let those skills flourish in the workplace. If you are keen to bring your own creativity to the world of business, then marketing is a great route to go down.

Photography 

Anyone can claim to be a photographer these days. But it’s more than just being able to take snaps on your smartphone or knowing how to connect camera on Mac. A good photographer is a sought-after resource for businesses and brands, as these images portray them in the best light. Studying photography can help by leaps and bounds if you’re looking to start a career. However, there’s no denying many people who get into this field have a natural ability to capture the best shots. You can also explore the range of tutorials and advice on different photography skills. There is also lots to learn about editing your images too. 

These are just a few of the careers you can delve into if you have a creative streak. There are endless possibilities to showcase your unique personality and talents, so take a look at what’s out there! 

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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As teachers get ready for the school year, so many of us are working to incorporate SEL (social-emotional learning) into our classrooms. Calming images, scents, and practices help our kids feel comfortable and relaxed, making learning easier.

They say a picture tells a thousand words, but more than that a picture can evoke a spectrum of emotions. Over the years we have come to associate certain imagery with certain feelings, we have assigned symbolism to everyday things and events and these, in turn, spark feelings and associations whenever we see them. 

One area in which symbolism has always been particularly powerful is within nature. The moon, the stars, the mountains, the sea, sunrises, and sunsets have all borne symbolism for a long time, and although their exact meanings can vary from culture to culture the emotions they evoke often remain consistent throughout. 

Using symbolic scenery to evoke relaxation is not an uncommon occurrence, spas, doctors surgery’s, counselors offices and schools all use symbolic scenery to arouse certain feelings from their intended audiences, so why not use this same principle yourself?. 

To get you started let’s explore three calming scenes used to provoke a sense of relaxation.

The sea

Image credit: Pexels

During meditations and visualization exercises the action of picturing a beach is often used to evoke a feeling of relaxation. The calm, gentle, lapping of waves against the shore and the ebb and flow of the water as it flows in and out are all sounds that spark a sense of peace and tranquility. Seascape pictures also often incorporate a lot of the colour blue, which is associated with a feeling of being cool, quiet and composed. This powerful calming energy is not isolated to the sea but is often found in all depictions of water such as lakes, rivers and ponds. 

Mountains

Image credit: Pexels

Mountain scenery has long been associated with a sense of higher self, divinity, and power. Their imposing size has made them a challenge that we humans have been driven to conquer and they have earned their place as a symbol of strength. The way their peaks rise and fall reminds us of a higher power and evokes feelings of achievement and success which is why mountains are often used to illustrate overcoming obstacles and the turbulent road to success. When paired with cool tones and water imagery mountain scenery can have a very powerful effect, being both empowering and calming.

Sunrise and sunset

Image credit: Pexels

Perhaps some of the most famous imagery associated with relaxation is that of the sunrise and sunset. The slow, gentle, rise and descent of the sun is a symbol of eternity, the constant circle of life and the beginning of new opportunities. The orange and red tones of the sunrise and sunset evoke feelings of warmth, comfort, and contentment. 

Placing evocative imagery around your home or workplace is a very clever way to spark emotion and channel your mood.  To bring the feelings of warmth and comfort into your home, office or environment you can find a variety of sunrise and sunset photos for sale online.

When paired with other symbolic imagery such as that of flying birds, the sea or mountains a sunset scene can awaken a multitude of emotions and can be tailored to suit the mood you want to reach. 

Are there other tips you can share about creating a calming atmosphere in your classroom? Please leave your ideas in the comments!

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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I spend a great deal of time online – professionally more than personally. As my children grow up and away from home, it’s not my place to post photos of what’s going on in their life. The empty nest does that. It’s ok – just because I’m spending less time on the ‘social’ part of social networking doesn’t mean I’m not finding value in my interactions. I’ve created a spectacular PLN of thinkers, educators, creators, and do-ers online, specifically based on Twitter interactions.

I stay away from toxic Twitter accounts. I ‘THINK before I POST’. I try to share my joy in thinking deeply, loving fiercely and teaching audaciously and enjoy the interactions I have. I’ve tried to convince my non-Twitter educator friends and acquaintances to jump in, but many are afraid to, or reluctant to, or just haven’t seen the value of virtual collaboration – YET.

Ten years of tweets…so I decided to bring a taste of Twitter to YOU! Consider this like a sampler platter, or an appetizer. You’ll see through my lens, and hopefully, we’ll have a dialogue here (or online) and collaborate to share our loves for teaching, learning, writing, and parenting.

So let’s have some fun and share some joy – below I’m adding some of my most favorite, recent tweets to think about – I’d love to hear your voice, too!

On loving fiercely:

On teaching audaciously:

On thinking deeply:

A ‘Taste of Twitter’ Wrap up

I hope you enjoyed this quick “taste of Twitter” – please join me on Twitter @mamawolfeto2, or my second favorite social platform, Instagram @mamawolfeto2. If you’re already on Twitter, leave your handle in the comments so we can grow together. Let’s share some joy about thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously!

~Jennifer

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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What might happen if you knew that every day you were guaranteed to succeed?

What do you think would be different in your life? Would you be more adventurous? Would you check your vulnerability at the door, step out of your comfort zone and SEIZE THE DAY? 

Yep – cliches intended.

We talk a good talk about being successful. We say the right things, read the right books and make sure we have a positive mindset.

Or at least that’s what we say we do…

But we know when that shadow creeps in, that little voice that tells us it’s never going to happen. There’s a part of all of us that believes that our success isn’t limitless. That the boundaries between what that person does and what we can do are tall and unbreakable and topped with barbed wire. We might feel that it’s too late. That we don’t have the energy, time, resources…..fill in the rest of that sentence. 

We don’t believe in our own ability to reach our dreams.

I feel it too, that curse of the monkey mind. I battle the ‘fatigue demon’ all the time, feeling raw and frustrated and dubious and wonder if my limitations are going to get in my way.

And then I tell myself to shut up.

Or sometimes, I let it ride. I just sink under the covers with a lusciously written novel and shut off the world.

And then the next day, I tell myself to show up.

Have you ever heard Maya Angelou talk about being a ‘rainbow in someone’s cloud’?

I listen to her words all. the. time and treasure the moments I was in her presence, in an audience completely engulfed with her wisdom. The recordings of her words sustain me.

Teaching is one of those professions where it’s impossible to hide. We’re on display, performers expected to push down our outside lives and ‘turn on’ in the presence of our students. And some days, that’s really, really hard. It feels darn near impossible to believe that the world is truly designed for us to succeed. I often think about how so many of our children come to school feeling the very same way…and spend day after day wondering if they will ever succeed in life.

I had one of those days recently…when the kids started wiggling my classroom doorknob before I was ready to perform, one of those days when I had to take a deep breath, push open the door and smile.

No one comes in my classroom without a handshake, high five or hug.

I want to be the first contact my kids have before they enter our learning space. I started this routine the first day of school…and I don’t think I’ve missed a day of smiling at every kid as they pass the threshold; high fives are most popular, followed by handshakes…and then hugs.

There are some kids who come in for a hug every single day. Sometimes for more than one. Some do the side hug, or barely get their arms around me. And sometimes, they don’t say a word, just open their arms, tip their head slightly, and wrap themselves up. I love that they love to see me.

There was that day last week, a morning when I was feeling defeated and depleted and like I couldn’t make it til 3:30 without taking my pain out on someone else. It was a morning if I heard something nice I might just burst into tears… and they hugged me. Not every kid, but enough, and I transformed. 

“Prepare yourself so you can be a rainbow in someone else’s cloud,” Maya Angelou taught us. I wonder if we all prepared ourselves every day if we might be able to guarantee success, even for just one someone’s cloud.

You might just be the rainbow that someone needs today. Wouldn’t that be a wonderful way to spend your day?

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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Dive Into Inquiry With Our Flipgrid Book Club!

To be honest, I’ve struggled with the traditional book club model. Reading a book because I ‘have’ to, planning a meetup, bringing snacks, making it to the book club night on time…it’s not because I don’t WANT to talk about books. I love reading! It just always seems that life gets in the way…and most times, the book club turns into a drinking club (not that there’s anything wrong with that), but when you’re an English teacher and you love analyzing writing…well, not many people want to skip their Chardonnay to get into the intricacies of plot development and character dynamics.

I’m trying again, anyways. This time, I’m making my own virtual book club using Flipgrid. Wanna join my Dive Into Inquiry book club?

See, last summer I joined an online book club for Inquiry Mindset, the new book by teachers Trevor Mackenzie and Rebecca Bathurst-Hunt. It was AWESOME! We used Flipgrid to virtually share our thoughts, experiences, and lessons about developing an inquiry mindset in our classrooms – and within our own way of thinking as educators. I loved reading a chapter a week, thinking about Trevor and Rebeca’s chapter provocation, and then sharing QUICK thoughts with the Flipgrid group. Not only did I learn about how to promote an inquiry mindset, but I also met lots of new thinkers from new locations and backgrounds.

It’s also a perfect introvert kind of thing…

So…I decided to create my own Dive Into Inquiry book club to share the love with my middle school teaching staff in California as well as all of you! I’d love to have you join us for the next several weeks as we read and discuss Dive Into Inquiry.

The book is available in Kindle or paperback format…it’s 117 pages of thoughtful reflection on how to ‘amplify learning and empower student voice’ and I am POSITIVE you will love it. I’m not earning anything from this – I just love Trevor’s ideas and his clear, easy way of making me think about pushing my students to engage in their own thinking processes and create meaning in their own way.

Check out the author’s website: TrevorMackenzie.com.

If you want to join our Flipgrid book club, all you need to do is jump on our Flipgrid and share your first welcome post! I’ll be adding the Chapter 1 provocation and it’s all fun from there!

There’s even a Flipgrid app so you don’t have to use your computer…and remember, you can show up in your jammies for this PD – and no one has to know you’ve got your Chardonnay on your bedside table!

And honestly, if you’re scared to record yourself and would rather just watch from afar…well, it’s better than nothing. But PLEASE – step out of your comfort zone and join! If nothing else, you’ll read a great book and learn how to use Flipgrid in your classroom….but I have a feeling you’re going to get much, much more!

Come on over and join us on Flipgrid! Hope to see you on there today!

Jennifer Wolfe

Jennifer Wolfe, a writer-teacher-mom, is dedicated to finding the extraordinary in the ordinary moments of life by thinking deeply, loving fiercely, and teaching audaciously. Jennifer is a Google Certified Educator, Hyperdoc fanatic, and a voracious reader. Read her stories on her blog, mamawolfe, and grab free copies of her teaching and parenting resources.

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