I sat in my car crying my eyes out, having just packed up my belongings and cleaned out my desk at the high school where I had taught for 7 years. I was being moved to a sister high school of this school. Although I had been consulted about moving to the sister school in May, it had been decided that I would stay put. But on a June afternoon, the last day of school, I received a call, telling me I was moving. This left me with emotional whiplash. I didn’t have a chance to say goodbye to my students and my colleagues.
The whole process made me angry. I loved my students but was tired of being treated in ways that didn’t feel good for me or for my students. I carried this feeling throughout my teaching career, but it had worsened in recent years. In the weeks prior to being moved, I began thinking about leaving teaching altogether and using my healing skills as a professional organizer. I consumed every piece of information I could find about being a professional organizer, slurping up podcasts, books, and websites. I set a goal to be a professional organizer within a year.
Being moved to another school fired up my motivation. I had a good cry in my car and then drove to my hairdresser’s. As I waited for my appointment, I scrolled through my email on my phone. Lo and behold, there was an email from Marie Kondo announcing an upcoming training for folks who wanted to be professional organizers! What??? I could be trained by Marie Kondo and her team within a few months! I thought about it for two seconds and immediately registered for the September training. It was one of those “when a door closes a window opens” kind of moments.
Here I am two years later, trained and certified by Marie’s company, KonMari International. I’ve worked with a number of clients, friends, and family. I’ve witnessed the healing that happens with each session of decluttering, or joy-checking as Marie calls it. I’ve felt the change in the client’s energy and the energy of the space change for the better. I have fallen in love with this work.
I had a happy landing at my new school with loving, welcoming students and staff. I’ve grown as a teacher, a reader, a writer, a human being. Of course, it’s a constant struggle to balance the various compartments of my life and I’m continuing to learn and grow in that area as well. I’m content with my current work life as a teacher, healer, and professional organizer… for now.