Standing on the river bank, I was listening to the calming sound of the water rushing by. The water was crystal clear and just beautiful (nothing like what we have in Winnipeg). I dipped one toe into the cold water and started thinking about how this peaceful moment could also be stress provoking. The current could be dangerous if you’re not careful. Although the water is shallow, it’s hard to tell where there are bigger rocks that could lead to injuries. There are rapids. Although life is about thinking critically about which risks are worth taking, we can’t let our fears paralyze us. At some point, we have to pick a safe spot and jump in the water, despite the risks, in order to see where these adventures will lead us.

While on holidays with my extended family this past week, I witnessed my future sister in law take this leap. Paige Whittemore is a teacher from Bernaby, British Columbia, who is about to start her first year with her own classroom. She’s been in the profession for five years now, but has never had her own class, until now. Amazingly enough, her and I both have 1/2 multiage classrooms next year, we’re just a few provinces away from one another. When we got to the cottage that my parents rented out in Bragg Creek, Alberta, Paige spotted my stack of educational books and I  immediately started talking her ear off about The Innovator’s Mindset by George Couros. This wasn’t the first time that her and I talked about this book, it had come up over Christmas too when she and my brother were in town. But, seeing as we had more time together this trip, I told her I was going to get her on Twitter before the end of our week together. She embraced the opportunity and had created an account before the end of the day (follow her here!). Over the next few days, she read most of Innovator’s Mindset and her interest was definitely peaked. She could relate to the book and told me that everything that this book talks about is one of the reasons why she is so excited to have a classroom of her own next year. Oh, the possibilitie!! Paige also admitted that she felt overwhelmed with Twitter, which I explained was totally normal. I was in her shoes exactly a year ago and I promised her it would get easier as she continues to navigate these waters. 

Don’t fight it. Stop trying to stand still or swim up stream in order to keep doing what you’ve always been doing. Either float down or swim down. Embrace change. Take risks. Let them lead you to amazing things.

Yes, you’re bound to hit rough water, maybe even some rapids. You’ll encounter some setbacks and moments that will make you want to pull out your hair. And at some point, you’ll wonder why you decided to embark on this journey. But if you keep on swimming, you’ll eventually understand why and you’ll never look back.

Where will the water take you?​

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