Year in Review 2014

This has been the hardest year of my life. I probably have said that before, but I can honestly say 2014 has been a year that has changed me and has impacted the rest of my life forever. Not all of 2014 was good or easy. 2014 brought emotional struggles with family, my career, and friends. 2014 brought pain, struggle, triumph, and laughter. The one word I would use to describe my life in 2014 is tired. I was tired all of 2014 between finishing up college and learning to tackle new challenges with my 2nd grade class. 2014 came and 2014 happened.

Name: Shelby Jean Forsyth
Age: 21
Favorite Color: Pink
Favorite Food: Aunt Kerry's Tacos
Favorite Activity: Sleeping
Favorite Book: Wemberly Worried by Kevin Henkes

Highlights of 2014
Greatest Lesson Learned: Teaching wasn't the dream I thought it would be. It is hard. It takes a lot of effort. I love it (most days).
Hardest Thing This Year: Coming to terms with things I have no control over. Heavenly Father is in charge of my life and I learned quickly this year to trust that with my whole heart.
Favorite Memory: My favorite memory of 2014 happened one night at my apartment. I was home alone and I had a really hard day. I opened my desk drawer and found a pair of headphones I hadn't seen in months. I plugged them into my phone and turned on and danced around my apartment to "Scarecrow" by Alex & Sierra. I listened to that song maybe 5 times. I felt free. I felt alive. I felt okay for the first time in months.
What I Loved About 2014: I loved how overnight I become an adult. I bought a car. I pay for car insurance, rent, car payments, gas, and groceries all on my own. I don't have a lot, but I do have the things I need.

Looking Forward to 2015
Want To Learn: How to make carrot cake from scratch. Doesn't that sound like a good skill to have?
Want To Get Better At: Making friends and keeping them around.
Goals For 2015: Graduate college, get a full salary job teaching, take a trip to somewhere new, be more spontaneous.

Comments

102 Days.

Well Folks, it's been exactly 102 days since my car left home and headed out west. Each day that I'm away from home I discover more about myself, my relationships, and my Heavenly Father. It's hard to place a time or a date to your life changing especially when it happens over a period of time and through many hard lessons. Now more than ever I realize the importance of relying on my Heavenly Father in all times, in all things, and in all places. I have such a testimony of the love my Savior gives me. He is my constant companion and he is my everything. At times things can get dark and things can get lonely. During these moments of trial we too often forget our divine worth. We were all sent here with a unique and special plan. We were destined for greatness and we were destined to allow ourselves to achieve that divine potential. I have learned to never give up on my Savior, because when I don't give up on him I don't give up on myself. These past 102 days have...

Coming to an end.

Considering my last post was in October, this morning I woke up and finally wanted to let the fingers type and do the talking. Since October my life has changed and I have grown so much. I always knew I wanted to be a teacher and I also always knew that I have both of my parents running through my blood. What this means for me is that I have this incredible drive to push myself to limits that haven't been set. My beautiful mother gave me passion for education. She constantly sets the example of the most excellent educator and one day I hope to be as successful as she is and was in the classroom. My mother gave me the realistic expectations that come with teaching, such as not always getting my way or having things work out in the way I would like them to. Bless her soul for being my constant supporter. My father gave me the drive to work hard and to never give up. He works construction and there hasn't been one thing that he hasn't finished once he set his mind to it. He...

Knowing thy IMPACT

One day I'll get around to sharing the story about how I applied for and got my new job. I have to say that it most certainly is 100% credited to my Heavenly Father and his plan for my life. Often we don't see the things we need in life until things are put into our path that lead us in a different direction. For the purpose of this post I wanted to share some thoughts being on the outside of the beginning of a new school year. This is mostly for my teacher friends and those who start teaching this year so if you get bored, please do yourself a favor and stop reading. Being a teacher is a tough gig. Daily we make thousands of split-second decisions and impact people in ways we will never fully know the extent of. John Hattie once said, "know thy impact." Each day you'll strive to be better than the day before. You'll hope and pray that your babies (students) will learn something more than just "things." We'll hope and pray that they learn how t...

Simply Shelby

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