In episode 163, Elizabeth Suto chats with Kim Brooks, a former elementary school teacher and reading specialist who transitioned to a career in yoga and holistic wellness after 18 years in education.
Kim shares her experiences teaching in the U.S., Morocco, and Taiwan, highlighting the differences in work-life balance and educational environments.
She discusses her struggles with burnout and the steps she took to find a new path, including yoga teacher training and starting her own wellness business.
Listen to the episode in the podcast player below, or find it on Apple Podcast or Spotify.
Mentioned in the episode:
- Use code “TCC” to get 50% off of everything at Aspireship
- Our career path quiz at www.teachercareercoach.com/quiz
- Explore the course that has helped thousands of teachers successfully transition out of the classroom and into new careers: The Teacher Career Coach Course
Episode Transcript:
Elizabeth Suto: welcome back to the teacher career coach podcast. I’m your host, Elizabeth Suto. And we’re super excited to have Kim with us today. Welcome Kim.
Kim Brooks: Thank you. I’m so excited to be here.
Elizabeth Suto: We’d love to start off by hearing a bit about your education experience. Uh, what got you into education in the first place? And then kind of what did you teach and how long were you in education?
Kim Brooks: Okay. um, feel like being a teacher was just something that as a kid, I was always playing school and thought about teaching. And then as I got older My dad, you know, he brought up like, you’re not going to make any money and all of that. So I was questioning it. I started as a business major and then switched to education.
So interestingly, I started with business and here I am. in business again. But yeah, I think I just had a real passion for it. When I was in high school, I was not the best student and I saw a lot of my friends in similar experiences with teachers and just not seeing their true potential. I felt like, and so I think that’s what kind of led me to want to be a different type of teacher. I taught for 18 I started out I was always in elementary. I started out as a third grade teacher and then a fifth grade teacher. Um, and I pretty much stayed in those two grades all throughout my career. I became a reading specialist and I was a reading specialist in Maryland for. Two years and then I left and taught internationally in Morocco and I was like a literacy coach reading specialist there for three years. And then after five years out of the classroom, I felt like I’m in all these people’s classrooms and I’m like, you should try this thing. But technology changes so quickly. So I went back in the classroom. I moved to Taiwan. And I taught fifth grade for two years there. And it was a real techie school that I was at.
So I learned a ton. A great like STEAM or STEM program. and then I came back to the U S and was a reading specialist. My last year of teaching.
Elizabeth Suto: Oh, there’s so much there. I have so many questions and it’s, it’s great to see the full circle, you know, business teaching. Back to business. But before we kind of talk about your exit and why you just decided to leave that environment, a lot of teachers right now are on the fence. You know, they’re kind of tired of teaching in this traditional environment in the U S so can you talk a little bit about your experience, how you got involved to be able to teach internationally?
Kim Brooks: Yeah. Um, I feel like with all things in my life, it just sort of happens and I just follow where the breadcrumbs me. But I. Once I became a reading specialist, I finally had, I was a little bit more flexibility. So, the district that I taught in for Thanksgiving break, um, you have parent teacher conferences like two days and then the rest of the week would be off. So I took that time. I went and visited a friend that I used to teach with in Malaysia. And it just happened to be at a time when Obama was there for this, like, ASIAN summit. And everyone there was just, you know, on high alert, basically. So when he left, they have like a big, her husband worked for a state department.
They have like a big party. And I met all these people while I was there who had all these jobs that I had never heard of And I’m just like soaking it all in. Like, how do I get this life? And then I met this couple who were international teachers turned foreign service, and they were telling me about it.
And I was like, tell me more. So I went home, I started researching and thinking like, this is a thing that other people do. But I just started looking into it. And then next thing you know, I was interviewing and. Selling all my things and moving to Morocco. So it was not really planned. I, like I was there in Thanksgiving of 2015 and I moved to Morocco in, you know, July of 2016. So it all happened very quickly.
Elizabeth Suto: That’s so exciting. And like, what a great opportunity. What, what was it like? I mean, you had taught. In US schools. So what were some of the differences similarities?
Kim Brooks: Yeah. So coming in. I was a reading specialist and I had been a reading specialist, where there were two of us in a school and here I was the reading specialist just for one grade. So I worked with only three teachers quickly, like we restructured it because some of our, skills were needed in different places, and it didn’t really make sense for me to only work with 3 teachers because then the 4th grade teachers and the 5th grade teachers were all coming to me because that’s my expertise is 3rd through 5th grade. But yeah, so it. It was definitely a more relaxed setting. There’s not as much high stakes testing as there is in the U S. So I was working than most people there because I didn’t know how to not work so hard. And trying to analyze everything. That’s just part of my personality, like trying to figure out. What we needed to be working on and goals and things like that. But it just, there wasn’t that pressure that there was in the U S. So, I’m trying to think some of the biggest things a lot, because you’re working with people from all over the world, everyone’s coming with different. opinions and ways of doing things.
And so my principal, uh, she was really great at saying like, okay, everybody comes in and they want to change everything. And you know, we’re not going to do that, really having those open discussions and we’re working with kids from all over as well. So they, you have a lot more planning time. So every classroom had a teacher assistant and your teacher assistant will take the students to their specials, lunch, do all that kind of stuff.
And they have things like, you know, PE, art, music, but you also have a language. So your planning time can be anywhere from two hours to three hours. And, you know, within there, there are meetings and things like that. But you have a lot more time. To get your work done. So we had a three 30 bus, I think, and like a five bus, five o’clock bus that took us all home. most people were on the three 30 bus. Like there was just, you had a really nice work life balance. In Taiwan, I had a little bit more pressure. It was a little bit more. Similar teaching in the U. S. But it was still. I mean, you have a lot of like vacation days and things like that. Plus, you’re with a lot of people who have similar personalities and want to go, like, travel together and do different things.
So I think it just really opened my mind to different possibilities and seeing teaching in a different light.
Elizabeth Suto: What a unique experience. I mean, that sounds great, especially hearing that over there are in the Morocco school. You had a teacher assistant. You had planning time specials, which are quite different. I mean, from my experience, I know the last district I was at, we didn’t have any planning, no specials. I would be teaching PE and like, oh, okay, now I got to teach math.
And so I, that is, I love hearing that because that does give people an opportunity to just have awareness of, it’s just some other options that are out there if they’re looking.
Kim Brooks: Yeah. And it’s less stress too, when you have a teacher assistant, because if you’re sick, then they can cover your class for you. Um, so there’s not that pressure if I just feel like wellbeing is prioritized and a lot of. different international schools that I’ve worked at, but also that other friends of mine have worked at.
Elizabeth Suto: Oh, that’s great to hear. And then after teaching there, did you come back and teach in the U. S. or is this where you transitioned out of the classroom?
Kim Brooks: No, I came back to the U. S. And was a reading specialist for one year in my previous district. So I was over there and during COVID my dad passed away and it was just like of this where I felt like I had to make a decision about was to continue? Like there or go to a different country or move back.
And I just felt like it was the time that I needed to come back and like, reconnect with my family. I didn’t really intend to stay here. It just sort of happened. And last year was just, it, when you have an experience where you’re traveling all the time, things are a lot less stressful. It’s like stressful.
It’s just like you can really focus on teaching and the important aspects of it. So to come back, I just looked up what I was doing and I thought, how did I do this for 12 years before I left? How I used to stay at work until 8 pm Like, And it was fine. I didn’t know any other way, but now I came back and I was like, what on earth?
No, I will not do this. I can’t, I can’t, I actually can’t because I’m not 25 anymore, you know? And yeah, so it was kind of that, that time period. And, and really, I didn’t know what I was going to get into. I finished that last year, but I was done by a couple of weeks after I started.
Elizabeth Suto: It’s so great that you had that perspective though, you know, you were overseas and you kind of had this whole different experience and then you were able to come back and say, what was I, what am I doing and what can I do next? So at that point What, what did you started looking into other careers?
Did you find the teacher career coach course? How did that all kind of play into your transition?
Kim Brooks: Yeah, I don’t even remember how I came across it, but I, it was definite. It might’ve been that last year or it could have been prior to that. But I really, I listened to the podcast almost daily to and from work. That was my inspiration. You know, there are other things out there and this is, you know, I, I taught for 18 years.
I knew if I kept going. Going, I was not going to be a good teacher. My last year, I was not a good educator. I felt it. I was not, I didn’t want to be there and I knew everyone around me felt that. and that’s not how I wanted to show up. I joined the course and that was really helpful. Just like the structure of it, the way it’s set up, like the clarity and the beginning.
I actually worked with one of the coaches like later on. And I started applying for jobs. So that was probably the, the second half of the year is when I actually. Took the course, started doing that. I wasn’t really sure what I wanted to do after I finished. I took some time off just to travel. And so I traveled for two months, kind of like went to a bunch of places in Europe that I hadn’t gotten to go to when I lived in Morocco. And during that time, I was just like watching webinars, connecting with people, learning about jobs, just like really soaking it all in. And just returning back to the course and then doing some things like LinkedIn, um, learning and, and things like that. And I was applying for jobs and just really hitting my head against the wall because. None of them are really speaking to me. There were things I was interested in, but I needed to go all in on learning something.
Kim Brooks: I just wasn’t sure which thing to focus on. I was really interested in customer success and instructional design. But when I got into it, I was like, I don’t actually think this is it, but I didn’t know what it was. So I’ll kind of pause there.
Elizabeth Suto: And that’s hard to finding that career clarity, especially after being a teacher your whole life and in doing this one job that you’re an expert at before we move on though, I kind of wanted to touch on, um, so a lot of teachers who’ve been in the classroom, you know, over 15, 20 years. Do you have any thoughts or advice for them because a lot of them are nervous, you know, they’ve been doing that their whole life, um, if they’re working for a state district, they have their pension connected to it.
So, any kind of words or advice for those that they know they want to leave and make the jump, but they’re so comfortable in the space and it’s, it’s a big risk to, to jump. Mm hmm.
Kim Brooks: I mean, I get that. I have never been very like traditional or conventional, even though that’s what I’m like surrounded by. And that has been ingrained in my head that, you know, you have to have a job and it has to have benefits and, you know, a good retirement. And people would constantly ask me about my pension, like other family members who are teachers in different places.
And I’m like, I don’t know. Yes, I’ve done. I checked all the boxes. I did all the things I’m investing my money, like. All of it is taken care of, but I’m not going to worry about it all the time. I’m just still living my life. I put in, you know, whatever, whatever I needed to. I don’t, I have tried to really not worry. About things that I can’t really control or predict because I don’t know how much I need in retirement, but I know that I’ve saved as much as I possibly could up to that point. And I used to wait tables like all through teaching and my younger years. And so it was just, I don’t know. I think that mentality of if I needed more money, I just like picked up chips and worked more. at one point I don’t know, not to get like into too much personal, but, uh, my ex partner, like things ended, I ended up in a significant amount of debt that was not mine. And worked and like, moved to Morocco, sold all my stuff, and I actually made a lot more money living overseas. So it’s like, for me, it’s just like money can come and go.
I don’t want it to like, me to feeling like I’m stuck or, or miserable with what I’m doing, because there’s so many other ways. And I really think Traveling and working internationally, just like open my mind to being just like noticing that there are other ways. There’s not just this one way and, and I put in my all for 18 years and I feel good about that and I don’t have to do it forever. And I can support people and kids in other ways.
Elizabeth Suto: I love to hear that. And I think too, you know, as teachers, we, we think, oh, well, we’re out of the profession now, but then I think about experience and we impacted those kids for the time that we did. And we did that work and those kids will remember, you know, and their families. So, and, and so now you own your own business in wellness and, and the yoga space.
So tell us a little bit about How you planned for that, was that something you knew you wanted to start when you left the classroom or were there stepping stones along the way?
Kim Brooks: No. Um, yeah. So, I mean, I, I did the teacher career coach and I was looking into all those jobs, having interviews and. Just, just really not, nothing was really connecting and I, and I’m sure anyone listening who has been in the job hunting, I mean, it is a job in itself and it really makes you confront like Every single thing about yourself. It’s just so much comes up in, in that process. And I felt like I spent a good two months just questioning. Why did I do this? Was this the right move? Just second guessing, you know, which is not a good place to be in. And I came back from my two months of traveling and I don’t know, something happened.
I enrolled in this yoga teacher training. It was all very. Just it just happened. It was not planned. And it was the best decision I’ve ever made. And through that process, you know, my very first weekend, I’m meeting all of these people and we’re just really kind of getting deep into your internal, And you realize you’re in this room with all these people who have, we were all different ages, different backgrounds, different things going on.
And we all were so connected and going through the same things, even though we were at different stages in our life, but the same kind of feelings. and so having a supportive group while I was. Applying for jobs was amazing. Community is so important and the right community is so important. People that are going to support you. through that process, all of a sudden on Instagram, a standup paddleboard place here posted that they were hiring for, rentals and standup paddleboard instructors and things like that. And so I sent them my resume because I’ve worked really hard on it and I wanted someone to read the resume, even though there was no resume requested. And she called me right away and she was actually going on maternity leave. Well, she was the owner and had always run the business by herself, even when she had her first child, but she was having baby number two and was thinking like, I could probably use some help and you would probably be a good fit.
Yeah. So I ended up working there. I was a standup paddleboard instructor and I did rentals and I managed everything while she was on maternity leave. I worked with different, um, people like, um, private groups that wanted to come or people like a lot of studios and different people want to come out on the water, like take.
Everyone outside in the summer and do yoga on the paddle boards or on land and then go out. So I did a lot of coordinating. I ran the kids camps. And so as soon as that all happened, I stopped applying to jobs on LinkedIn. I stopped all of that. And then I just, I don’t know, one, one step led to another next thing, you know, in Like a couple months, I opened my LLC, started a business.
I, I put the cart before the horse just a little bit. and then from there connected with someone else and started working for her studio doing all the backend, um, assistant stuff. I started there last July and I actually just finished working there like a week ago. I’ve, I’ve been in that kind of admin role since I left while also teaching yoga and I’ve just been the queen of part time jobs right now.
I I just recently got a job where I like go and set up for like experiences ahead of time. Like. Put out the champagne and the chocolate and things like that. So I’ve just been extremely open right now to whatever is coming my way and accepting and realizing like, this is just the now phase and I’m, I’m building, I’m working on what’s next.
Elizabeth Suto: It’s, I love your mindset, the present moment, being, being in the present. And so was it that yoga teacher training, then you got into the stand up paddle boarding. So that physical aspect with the yoga, was that kind of what inspired you? Your LLC.
Kim Brooks: even, so, so yoga, like the physical piece is very small. That is like the part of yoga that gets you to that higher place of enlightenment or bliss. But it’s is meditation. It’s breath work. It’s really preparing your body to be still and quiet and like, get that guidance from your inner. So it’s a whole process of really getting deep with yourself. And so, yes, the physical aspect of it led me to work at yoga studios where I teach the physical practice. But it was really the whole unraveling of all the limiting beliefs. Like just the, what society tells you is right. Um, just like really digging into that.
And that’s been the last two years of spending a lot of time working on that. And a lot of time just slowing down. And realizing I say this a lot, busy does not equal productive and rest is just really important. And after 18 years of running around so much and like taking care of everyone else’s needs as a reading specialist, I’m in and out of so many classrooms. I was pulling groups, you know, needed a lot of rest and a lot of time. Like I feel like the creativity aspect of teaching has been, slowly. being pushed to the wayside. And it was like my creative brain just was not working anymore. So I needed a lot of time for myself to decide at this point in my life, like, what do I truly want?
What is truly important to me? So,
Elizabeth Suto: Thank you for sharing that. And those are great questions to ask yourself, you know, what, what’s important to me versus society. And, you know, thinking about like your, your actual needs and then. So you started an LLC. Tell us a little bit about for people who are interested in possibly going down this avenue, starting their own business, what, what does it look like?
Where do you start? How do you know where to begin?
Kim Brooks: yeah, so I had a mentor, my yoga teacher, she helped me with setting up my website and doing all those very beginning stages. Every State is different with getting your LLC, um, having an LLC or anything like a sole proprietorship. it’s not really necessary in the beginning. But again, I, I just wanted to do all the things I wanted to check off my list and. you know, so I, I didn’t need to do that at that point but I did. And so every state, I think if you just go on the state, like business website, it will give you like in Maryland, it gives you all the steps that you need to start your LLC. And then with the website, just getting your domain. So, I went with Wix, which is just one way.
But again, these days, you really don’t even need a full on website. You can use like Canva or there’s so many different options. And I think I think the most important thing is really getting someone to support you along the way, because I really didn’t know. I didn’t know what I was doing.
I mean, I had been a teacher forever, but I am. So now I’m a year into it’s been a year of really. Learning. I’ve been getting certifications like in breath work and Reiki energy healing and in meditation. So it’s been refining my practice and like my personal practice, but also working with people in different ways on top of that, learning all the background business things.
So in most States and in Maryland, we have, um, it’s called the small business development. Corporation, SBDCA, and they have a lot of free courses at a free consultant. So I started with that and then I’ve worked in different coaching programs. I’ve done actually like three different coaching programs in the last year.
One was a one on one coach. And then other ones are like. Group coaching, lots of reading, lots of podcasts, of building my own community because as a solopreneur, you’re by yourself and everyone’s in the same boat when you go on this path, you know, of trying to figure it out. And. And you have to just go through that process in your own way.
There’s definitely weeks where you spend time like head spinning again. What am I doing? Why did I do this? This is so hard and wanting someone to tell me what to do and realizing, Oh, you went and did this because you didn’t necessarily want someone telling you what to do. So just. Looking at it now as my classroom, like how did I run my classroom?
And now I need to like run my business. So putting different systems in place for myself, and you kind of just have to get to that point where you start figuring things out on your own. But it is so important to have support along the way. the one thing I say to anyone who’s looking to leave the classroom or do something different is just. Taking a little friendship audit, you know, or who colleague audit, like who you’re spending time with and really thinking, how do I feel after I’m around this person? And there are certain people you can’t just completely cut out of your life. You don’t necessarily have a conversation with every single one of these people, but when you’re trying to do something different, it makes people who aren’t. feel a little uncomfortable, maybe a little jealous, and it makes, maybe you have a little guilty feeling. Um, so there’s just like, there’s a shifting that’s happening and it can be uncomfortable. So just surrounding yourself with people who are supportive of where you want to go and this vision, and just recognizing how you feel around those people.
Elizabeth Suto: I’m glad you brought up the mentorship. Just, you know, having that person support system when you’re going through something totally new, you know, a risk. And, and that brings me to my next question. I don’t know if you would be able to share a bit about, you know, teachers have A salary structure, you know, so when you’re starting your own business, how do you budget?
I know you mentioned you had lots of part time jobs, so is there a way that you think about it to where you’re, you know, sustaining your finances to be able to, you know, invest for your company?
Kim Brooks: Yeah. So I mean, at this point, I’m really in the stages of, I’m really like mostly breaking even ish, you know, so I’m not budgeting as much as I would like to be at this point, but I internationally, you have most of your basic needs are met. So almost most of what you make, you are actually making.
So I had a lot of savings and like. You know, the one school actually matches you 10 percent of your retirement. So I came back very with my financial situation. So I went from being very, very, very in debt. That was not mine, which I mentioned before to now, um, actually having money in my bank account, which actually had never really happened much in the U S.
I mean, I worked every summer, either waiting tables or teaching. But I did have a good savings set up. And then when I moved back to the U S my tenants moved out of my house, uh, unexpectedly, I decided to sell it and I moved in with my mom. Like I said, my dad had just passed away. And so it just like the timing was kind of all right again.
I wasn’t sure that I was even staying in the U S. it didn’t make sense for me to buy a house. It didn’t make sense for me to commit to renting somewhere. And so I was very supported. In that aspect, so I would definitely make sure that you have a a plan and savings. I mean, you can apply to get loans and and things like that.
I didn’t want to go that route. And I don’t feel that I need to, but that’s definitely something to consider. You really have to be in a place where you feel like safe, secure, comfortable taking a risk because it is a risk. I have no idea, you know, in five years where this is all going to end up. I that as most teachers, we work really hard and if we want to figure something out, we’re going to figure it out.
Elizabeth Suto: Exactly. And since you’re in the wellness space, do you have any tips for those teachers right now who are stressed out, their job searching on top of their full time job teaching, are there things they can do to kind of help alleviate that? Or in your space, what kind of expertise do you have with supporting teachers?
Kim Brooks: Yeah. I think that one of the biggest things is again, going back to what I was saying before with taking that quiet time to figure out like, what do you want for your life? And, and looking at a list of values and, you know, there’s like a value exercise that you can do. And I’m happy to share like specific things with people.
They can just send me a message. But really getting clear, like. do you want your daily life to look? How do you want your next three months, six months, year to look like and feel like, then when things are coming across your plate, which you know, they will deciding like, how is this going to me personally?
You have to be a little bit. Selfish and you know, just as much as you want to say yes and you love whatever it is that you’re doing. Just really being clear about what the impact of saying yes is going to do for your mental health. And teachers just want to give and give and give. And I was definitely there running this club and that club and, you know, chairing this committee and, and, just end up not realizing until you’re in it and then you can’t get out of it. That you’ve taken on too much. And so I think normalizing and speaking up when your plate is full, asking for help, you know, if you’re not being supported, then that’s some red flags that you have to consider. But I, every morning would just my last couple of years. Um, take that quiet time in the morning, you know, whether it’s minutes, 10 minutes sitting in my car before I go into school, whatever it is to just be really quiet and focus on my breath and just like, Always your breath is with you all the time.
And there’s just a lot of symptoms and dysfunction that come from us not breathing optimally. I’m a breath holder, so I will find myself. I’m like, Oh, I’m holding my breath again. And in yoga class, the teachers will say you know, to focus on your breath and I will realize that I was not breathing. And that causes a lot of damage. So whatever you can do to minimize. in your life is going to be really important too. So, and I know it’s really hard when people have, you know, family, kids and, and things that feel out of their control, but really asking for help is just so, so important. And taking care of yourself because, you know, as they say, you got to put on your oxygen mask first and you’re going to be no good to your students.
You’re going to be no good to your family. If you are not taking care of yourself. So something I heard in a title 1 meeting years ago was preparation prevents perspiration. And I was such a procrastinator at the time, but it has since changed. stuck with me for all these years and even little things that I can do to prepare the night before.
I was never a person that could pick out my clothes the night before, but I just started doing it. And I started, you know, packing my lunch the night before and prepping ahead of time and making it simple. It didn’t have to be any fancy meal, like making a bunch of hard boiled eggs or making a big like You know, I do the egg bites in the muffin tins and just, just doing whatever I can to prepare for the busy week ahead, putting stuff in the freezer in advance, you know?
But just, I think right now teachers are heading back to school and they’re at that point of, they had these long to do lists they created for their summer. Maybe didn’t accomplish it all because it’s impossible tasks. You only have a short amount of time and then now you’re heading back. And feeling that pressure of like having everything perfect.
And just, I said this to my friend the other day, you really just need to go to school and make kids feel welcome, safe, loved. You can do that. You don’t have to have anything on your bulletin board. Put up some paper and you’ll decorate it as the year goes on. Like keep it as simple as you can. And it’s hard when you go to the teacher next door who has that Pinterest perfect classroom and then for people to walk in and be like, Oh, what are you going to put on your bulletin board?
And it’s like, nothing, not right now. Something will come later.
Elizabeth Suto: Thank you for sharing all of that. And in that last point too, I always liked You know, with the bulletin boards, have the kids design it. It’s their classroom. So once they come in and meet you, they’ll come up with what, what goes on there.
Kim Brooks: Yeah. And they love to help. So I, I mean, I always had classroom jobs and my classroom jobs were like for a full quarter. It wasn’t like change this every single week. Um, and they had to apply for their jobs and it was like a big deal. But we talked about like real life things. So, you know, if you want to quit your job and like we got to have a conversation about it, you know, can you find someone to take over it and just giving kids more responsibility. It’s great for them. It’s great for you. Um, it just makes them feel more a part of your community. I mean, really it’s, you want kids to love coming to school. The, your classroom management will be easier. So I just think when you’re really taking care of yourself, your wellbeing, it just is a ripple effect.
Elizabeth Suto: Absolutely. And, and how has your work life balance changed, um, from leaving your 18 years in the classroom to starting your own business?
Kim Brooks: It’s definitely better. But I will say like old habits are hard to break. So that busy isn’t productive thing. I mean, that’s like my mantra for myself is I can push myself right back into burnout. I mean, when you own your own business, you, you, you. It’s never ending. There’s so much to be doing and to be thinking about.
So the great thing is that I get to create what I want my life to look like, my schedule to look like. I don’t have to work eight to five or nine to five. I can start my day at 10. I actually work better at night. And so, but I have to constantly remind myself, you know, The boundaries that I need to set and I’m learning them as I go.
So I find myself in these busy periods where I realized I’ve taken on too much. And, and like I said, I just ended working at the job that I was at. I just knew it was the time there was nothing wrong. And I had a boss where I could have a conversation like that and say, I literally am just quitting because I just know that this is the time that I need to focus on myself and what’s next for me. And I can’t do both. And she completely. I feel like that’s a conversation I could have had in education that would go that well. Yeah, so I don’t know. I, I just find that it’s really, really important for me to spend time being like grounding myself every single day, getting quiet with myself single day. Because I can lead myself straight back into that place of burnout if I’m not. attention.
Elizabeth Suto: That’s helpful to hear too, you know, making sure you set that intentional time aside to check in with yourself. And we love to kind of wrap up these with a question. What did you learn about yourself during this process, during this big career transition?
Kim Brooks: Yeah. Um, I definitely, I have learned. I have learned so much. I threw all my trainings and I’m just like going down this path of focusing on my well being. I’ve just learned again, the importance of slowing down. We are all moving. incredibly fast that we don’t even sometimes notice that we are hungry, that we forgot to eat lunch because we are just so busy.
We’re not taking care of our basic needs and our body is giving us alerts and symbol like signals and, and telling us, and it’s often late. When, when it’s like screaming at us and we’re in the ER or there’s just far too many people. I know that are not that much like around my age that have passed away or had heart attacks.
And it’s like, there’s so much. That could be different if we slow down and just pay attention. And I have to remind myself that every day. That’s why I’m doing this work is because I need it for myself. And I know it’s important for. So many other people, because you don’t know how to slow down because everyone around you is, I mean, you see it on the highway.
I mean, it’s just, everyone is in a hurry in the grocery store in line. It’s just like, everyone is in a rush. Um, and just missing out on. Opportunities for creativity and curiosity and, and all of that.
Elizabeth Suto: That’s for me. Just when you said to, you know, we’re hurrying, we’re going so fast. So that mindset, that mantra to slow down, I’m going to take that with me today after we finish up. But thank you so much for joining us. I learned so much about you and I’m really excited for the community to listen.
So we really appreciate your time today and. Thank you again, Kim.
Kim Brooks: Thank you so much for having me. And yeah, if anyone has specific questions about things for sure, reach out. I’m happy to answer whatever questions I can.
