2019

 

In this new year, I have so much to look back on and be thankful for. First thing, our family escaped the first year in three years without any major injuries and surgeries!

We bought a new house that suits us perfectly. Had no idea THAT was going to happen at the beginning of 2018. Life is crazy. (I need this put on a shirt)

The biggest news of the year has been working on starting a business in between being a teacher, mom, and wife.

Klassen Cookies is a social emotional program born over my 10 years of teaching, realizing that what was missing in today’s classrooms was a strong social emotional program that puts STUDENTS in charge of social issues relevant in their own lives. It’s also a big part of who I am as a mom to a special little boy, who benefits from a lot of social support. It’s the kind of program I’d want his teachers to use.

What makes Klassen Cookies different from other social emotional programs is that it’s student centered and has student-lead components AND gets parents involved in the social emotional conversation. Teachers don’t dictate subjects, students do! 

This post isn’t mean to plug my business (but, it can’t hurt, right?).

I just want to put 2018 and 2019 into perspective.

Seriously. What an awesomely hectic, adventurous, and crazy blessing 2018 has been with starting a business from the ground up. I have a new appreciation for entrepreneurs and working through all of the official paperwork and documentation. Not even going to lie, there are times when I wanted to give up because I didn’t think I was cut out for it; lawyers, legal mumbo-jumbo, trademarks, yada-yada-yada.
Faith carried me through, and God sent people along the way to build me up at just the right moment. People who encouraged me, when they didn’t even know they were encouraging me.

For anyone doing ANYTHING new, props to you. I’ve always felt a call to do something BIG, but I kind of live with my head in the clouds (continually) so knowing myself, I figured KC was just a dream and I’d be good to keep it that way.

But, dreams are meant to become reality. They are meant to be known to the world and touch the lives just beyond the little thought bubbles and clouds living in our heads.

If you have an idea or DREAM, MAKE IT HAPPEN! Why? Because the world needs world changers.

My mantra for this year is “faith”. As Klassen Cookies is getting officially launched, and as someone who perpetually worries about what others think and how every word and action I do is going to be perceived, I know I am going to need faith. Faith that God is handling it all. Faith that I can handle any criticism, set back, or let down. Faith that, even if I just change the life of ONE child in the world, then it has all been for a purpose.

This cheap blue composition notebook to the left is one I had laying around in my classroom a few years ago and I remember grabbing it one day and just thinking “What the heck? I’ll write this stuff down”, never really giving it much thought beyond that. I never knew what would become of what was initially in it, if anything. I knew I just needed a way to write the madness down in my head. Ha! Flipping through the pages now I can see the evolution of my DREAM. It’s pretty amazing.

The planner to the right is one I purchased today. I love what it says “Let your dreams blossom.”

The pile of papers in the back is many edits of the final book.

The wine in the back is, well, sanity?

I have GRAND plans for KC, ones that are far beyond what is soon to be released. They’re in the notebook, written in my sloppy half print-half cursive handwriting.
I’m always thinking and dreaming, and maybe something will come of it. And maybe nothing will.
But I won’t know until I try.

I just have to have faith.

I encourage all of you to be adventurous with your ideas this new year, and always. Don’t keep your dreams to yourself. Be a world changer.

Have FAITH.

Happy 2019!

If you’re interested to find out what Klassen Cookies is about click here.

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