When trying to achieve working full time outside of the classroom, there’s always a transition period where your teaching job and side hustles overlap. Knowing how to manage the stress, while keeping the end goal in mind, can be difficult. My guest on today’s episode, Blair Petersen, knows that all too well. She’s talking today about her journey from being an educator to working in writing and marketing.

Educator Forever’s Beyond the Classroom course is designed to assist educators to seek careers outside of the educational setting. Blair took the course, changed her career path, and is now Educator Forever’s Marketing Manager. She discusses how the course helped her and what led to her identifying interests and skills based on her passions to help define a new career beyond the classroom.

Blair’s mission is to let others know there’s other jobs and careers that fit your lifestyle, needs, passions, and dreams if you’re willing to take the leap. She gives advice and shares that moving beyond the classroom was the best decision she’s ever made, and wants the same thing for you too!

Check out my Beyond the Classroom Course here!

For all links and resources mentioned in this episode, head to the show notes: https://www.educatorforever.com/episode25

Watch our free on-demand workshop to learn more about flexible work opportunities beyond the classroom: https://www.educatorforever.com/workshop

Take our free quiz to discover your next career step: https://www.educatorforever.com/quiz

Follow us on Instagram @educatorforever.

Lily

Blair Peterson is Educator Forever's marketing manager and has a Master's of Arts in Education and a Bachelor of Journalism. While teaching elementary for nine years, Blair took on various side hustles and writing and marketing for businesses, nonprofits and individuals. When Blair found Educator Forever's Beyond the Classroom course, she realized she could combine her passions and stay where her heart was in education.

Lily

Through Educator Forever, she was connected to education companies and took on several contract positions and projects. Now at Educator Forever, she enjoys helping with curriculum projects and empowering educators to create the lives and careers of their dreams.

Lily

Welcome Blair, so glad to have you here with us.

Blair

Thanks so much for having me. I'm excited to be here.

Lily

Yay. Well, Blair is an integral Educator Forever team member and also a former classroom teacher, as are all of us and so I invited her here today to talk to us all about her journey beyond the classroom and kind of how that started and how that is now.

Lily

So Blair, if you can start with my very large intro question I always ask tell us about your journey as an educator.

Blair

Yes. So I taught for nine years, second, third and fourth grade at a few different schools ranging from a title one school to a private school. And so this is actually my first year not teaching full time. And overall, there were so many things I loved about being a teacher, I loved the students, and really, some of the best people I met along the way were, of course, teachers.

Blair

So the most rewarding part was definitely the relationships, it was really fun to create learning experiences for the kids, I really enjoyed that. But as much as I loved it, I also felt really torn with it. As we talk a lot at Educator Forever a lot does need to change within the system. And also a lot needed to change just for me personally.

Blair

And I got to a place where I was really burned out. Somehow, I still felt like I was just never doing enough. No matter how hard I worked, or how much I tried. I've had a great journey as an educator, but I'm even more excited for this next chapter too.

Lily

Yes, totally. I absolutely relate. I mean, it's like there are so many things that we love about teaching. And for me, too, it's like the kids and the fellow teachers, like my best friends, still, many of them are people I met when I was teaching.

Lily

And also it's completely unsustainable. And I think for many of us, there becomes a point where it's just like a tipping point of like, can I do this forever? Or what needs to happen to make a change?

Blair

Exactly. Yeah. And the great thing about working even beyond the classroom is you can still find positions working with awesome people, or even educators too. So I've been really fortunate for that. And kind of surprised too that like there's so many opportunities out there.

Lily

Yes, totally. And I think sometimes we only see it the way that we know things, right? Like, oh, well, if I leave the classroom, I won't be around other teachers or I won't be able to make a difference with kids. And I think the biggest thing that I've learned is like just challenging your own thoughts to think about like, is there another way? Like, is there another way?

Lily

Like, I totally had that thought, like, is there another way that I can work with teachers and then Educator Forever. Like, I get to spend my days with teachers. And it's awesome, right? And that's something I never would have imagined as a teacher leaving the classroom. Like, there's always many ways of getting to what we want or what we desire. And sometimes we just have to challenge ourselves.

Lily

Yes. So tell us a little bit I know you started working beyond the classroom while a classroom teacher and how did you get started?

Blair

So I really enjoy challenging myself and learning new things and creating things. So after I had a few years of teaching under my belt, I started taking on side hustle projects. And I was doing like anything from writing to marketing for different businesses or nonprofits or even for individuals and it was all kind of random gigs.

Blair

One of them was for like a local interior design shop. And another one was like editing a cookbook for like a health and wellness coach in Ireland like super random. And I think I just was doing it because I was doing these things because I really like change and growth and I if I was really honest with myself, I couldn't see myself being a classroom teacher forever.

Blair

Like the thought of choosing one career for life kind of made me feel like I would be like limiting myself where I wouldn't keep growing and evolving. And it really took a while for me to accept that about myself. I didn't necessarily want to operate that way. But like, in some ways, it seems like, oh, things would be so much simpler if I was just happy to do the same grade at the same school forever.

Blair

But that wasn't me. And I needed to accept that about myself. And embrace who I really am. I didn't want to always wonder or like, have regrets at the end of my life. So yeah, I had these two different worlds going, working as a teacher and then doing side projects.

Blair

And somehow I stumbled upon Educator Forever. I'm sure I was like Googling things and came upon it. And I just loved the job leads that I was getting through the weekly emails. And I actually got several jobs through those emails. And I was so excited that I was getting to create content and do side work in the education world, it was like the best of both worlds.

Blair

So Educator Forever, really opened my eyes to everything. And so I took the Beyond the cCassroom course, got into the network, and one of the job leads that came my way was working on a curriculum development project for Educator Forever, actually doing some graphic design for it. And I thought, oh, I can do this, I just picked up some of these skills needed from some other side jobs I got.

Blair

So I initially started working on those curriculum development projects with Educator Forever, and that evolved into my marketing position now. And I just feel so fortunate and grateful to be helping educators and to be a part of our teams, and doing something in education using my skills, and still helping teachers. And I really enjoy creating curriculum too. And I just love that I can work from anywhere.

Blair

So it's really been a dream. And I have so much to be grateful for. I know, some people that have been on the podcast have said like Educator Forever changed my life. And it sounds cliche or cheesy or something, but it really is so true. And I'm super thankful.

Lily

That's so nice. Thank you, I'm so glad I mean really, truly it's been a joy to work with you and see your journey and also like providing that for other people, you know that I just want teachers to see that we have options, right? And that there are so many things that we can do.

Lily

And as you kind of dabbled in different things outside of the classroom and trying out, you know, like, you just got to run these random projects. But it's so cool to see people take those risks and try new things. And I'm curious about through that process, how you kind of got clear on what you're interested in doing and your individual skills.

Blair

Yeah. So like you said, I was definitely a dabbler, I really think trying things out and taking action is what helped me get clear. I saw what I was good at and what I liked doing. I did do some like interior design decorating work and learned that like, Oh, that was fun. But that wasn't something I wanted to like, pursue as part of a career.

Blair

So I guess at the heart of any of the things I've done, I've been able to help people and I've been able to be creative. And those are like the two things I love doing. Even if I think about teaching, like the reason I got into it was to really help people. And I know everyone can probably point to an educator in their life who made a difference.

Blair

And for me, it was like my second grade teacher like she was such a difference maker in my life when I was going through a hard time in my childhood. And I think while that was initially when I got into teaching, I worried leaving teaching because I was like, will I find something as rewarding? Or will I feel some sort of emptiness like something's missing?

Blair

But I found that helping others in different ways has been just as meaningful and just as rewarding. And so going back to the question about getting clear my skills and interests, my undergrad is in journalism, so I've always liked writing.

Blair

But I do have to say like the skills I do now on a day to day basis, are things I've learned over the past, like several years when I was a teacher doing side jobs, so much has changed since my college days. And I've had to pick up skills on the way for various items I took on whether it was like social media, email marketing, graphic design, that type of stuff.

Blair

And so anyone who's out there, if you're an educator and you like writing, or you do want to get involved, know that you can work for ed tech companies or stay in education in some way as a writer. And as a teacher, you really have leverage going from education to these kinds of opportunities because you can really relate authentically to classroom teachers and administrators, or chances are you've been the target audience for their products and services.

Blair

So I just really encourage teachers to look in do that more if you're interested in this type of work.

Lily

Yes, totally. I love the learning through action. I mean, I think that's so true. And I think as teachers, we're like, really good at that, if we let ourselves do that, because we're always I mean, I remember teaching things being like, I don't really know anything about this, let me go research, right before I teach. So I think we have those skills.

Lily

But sometimes again, it's like, this narrow way of thinking of like, oh, well, I'm a teacher, you know, that's what I'm both like meant to do. And I think someone has, that's like a double edged sword of having this purpose or like passion behind why we do what we do that it seems like, again, we can't see those other options.

Lily

Like you're saying, like, you're still able to help people, you're still able to make a big impact, and still work in education, just in different ways. But I think it's so hard often to see those skills and those interests too. And also just like, have the mental capacity to do it while being a full time classroom teacher, dealing with all the things we talked about.

Lily

You know, having the time to just even think about your skills, and then take on some work that you're like figuring things out through. So I'd love to hear about kind of how that was for you, as a classroom teacher balancing some part time side hustles.

Blair

Yeah. So I think keeping the big picture in mind was really motivating for me. I knew that like putting in the time with some contract, or freelance gigs would pay off. And I knew that like, I'd pick up skills and keep learning growing along the way.

Blair

So I definitely took on more things like in the summers than during the school year, and I carved out space, like in my daily schedule, like in the mornings, or at night, or on the weekends during the school year. And yeah, that was challenging at times. And I wish I could say like a managed it all really well. But I also recognize that like, I was probably pushing myself too hard at times when I didn't need to.

Blair

So I would say like, slow down, take care of yourself, be patient. And having a strong support system really makes a difference too. And our Educator Forever community is super supportive and inspiring. And I did find that being part of the network really kept me going. And it was just helpful to know too that like, you're not alone.

Blair

There's also so many great tips and advice within the network too. So I think like, ultimately taking care of yourself, and having a strong support system will be really helpful as you take on side work.

Lily

Yes, absolutely. I know, I found that sometimes when it was the right side work too it actually was energizing for me when I was a classroom teacher, because I kind of got some of those things that you were describing of like, Hey, I'm developing new skills, like I don't know how to do this before.

Lily

But this kind of my own professional development that I was creating actually gave me energy. And so instead of thinking about it sometimes as like black and white, I'm just like, oh my gosh, I can't do anything extra. Like I'm so tired. Like sometimes doing something extra actually isn't 100% draining.

Blair

That's so true. I totally agree.

Lily

But I also agree about like the balance too, because I think I went in that direction, especially in like the messy middle when I was like, Alright, I think I want to leave the classroom, I had done some side projects that and like wanted to go full time. But so in that like ramp up. And that's what I see with a lot of people who like are starting to do side work in the classroom.

Lily

There can sometimes just be a time where it's really hard for a little bit because you're doing both at once. And when you're clear on like, Hey, I actually want to transition and do this other work full time or something like that, it can be easier to just get through those times where it's like not always gonna be super balanced. Right?

Lily

So you talked about a little bit about the decision to leave the classroom. And I'm wondering if that was kind of a gradual process, or if there was a moment where you were like, I have to leave.

Blair

Blair

And so like getting a taste of that during the pandemic, this kind of like reaffirmed, like, someday I'm going to work full time from anywhere. So that was one main goal for me. And then another thing that helped me decide I needed to leave was just how so much needs to change in education overall.

Blair

The testing culture did not sit well with me and just like the increasing demands on teachers and, and more, of course, so I was just burned out in a lot of ways. And I was just like, this probably isn't the healthiest for me probably isn't right for me. And it's not really fair to students either having a burned up teacher.

Blair

And when that decision time came, I of course wanted this full time job lined up at that perfect time. And I almost like It felt uncertain or like defeated when like it wasn't lining up just right. And so I was really tempted to stay another year.

Blair

But I knew that I was like at this crossroads, and I was like, I can either stay and teach forever, or I can just take a leap. So I think I just kind of had to trust my intuition and just took the leap. And it's been one of the best decisions I've ever made for sure.

Lily

Yeah, that's awesome. And you talked about how you can work from anywhere, which is totally awesome. And I love seeing your work from places like where's Blair? And thinking about how your life has changed since leaving the classroom, are there other ways that you've noticed both either, you know, personally or outside?

Blair

Yeah, for sure. So much from like, the little things to the big things, time is a big thing. Like I have time to eat lunch to take walks. I just have more energy overall. And I'm not completely fried at the end of the day. And it sounds kind of silly, but I just still have this sense of excitement when I wake up each day, I'm like, I can work from home. Amazing, right?

Blair

Just the idea that feels freeing. I just don't have this like instant overwhelm or like, stress when I wake up anymore. So that's good. And I take way better care of myself now. Whether it's like reading for fun, or like going to yoga. And like you mentioned, I just the freedom to work from anywhere, I've been fortunate to get to travel and work from wherever.

Blair

And I felt so limited before by like the traditional school year. And I would have to like leave trips early to get back to teach and like breaks and stuff. So that's been great. And then like a bigger thing too that's changed for me is just like carving out a new identity for myself. It's really like hard for teachers to leave their teacher identity behind.

Blair

And that's kind of what makes it so hard to leave the classroom in some ways, like you feel like you're losing this big part of yourself. And I think that's all about a mindset shift too. So just knowing that, like, I'm still in education, I'm still helping people, even though I'm not working in the classroom. That's been a game changer for me.

Lily

Yes, that's awesome. And then thinking about how you've changed or I don't know if that's the right word, necessarily, but like how you grown professionally or personally, since leaving the classroom, like, have you learned anything about yourself through that process?

Blair

Yeah, so much. I really feel like I've been in this like journey of self discovery and growth and remembering who I am. It's like crazy, like, I can actually like, focus on myself now that I've left. And I've just learned the importance of taking action to create the life that you want.

Blair

And even sometimes you actually like ask for what you want go after it. So I really learned to like step into my own to like, honor my skills and my self worth. And I'm continuing to learn not to like fall back into unhealthy patterns that I had when I was like teaching and overworking and things like that.

Blair

But yeah, another big lesson has just been like learning to let go of what's kind of out of alignment with you like what's keeping you small, or holding your back or not truly serving you. And it's been a great lesson, just learning to honor yourself and take care of yourself. Because if you're not doing that you're not really able to shine your light or help anyone.

Lily

Absolutely, yes, I completely agree with the being out of alignment part or in alignment part for sure. And I think as teachers, like everything is often out of alignment. So sometimes it's like such a foreign practice, but I think working beyond the classroom, like you can choose, and it's an continual process of like, what's working for you, what's not working for you.

Lily

And that's something that we're all working on. I think part of it for me, it was just like learning what to let go of, rather than like being in this mindset of being a teacher doing part time work, you know, like, it'd be like, I'll do that, I'll do that, I'll do that. And then coming at a time where it was like too much.

Lily

So some things had to be let go of, and I think that's like, definitely been something that I've learned over time, just like it's okay to let things go too, right. It's okay, then move on and develop. And sometimes you need to, in order to move on to that next step,

Blair

right. And I've always found that like, letting go of something actually creates space for something better or something else to come along the way. And so like, even though it's really scary to like, make that decision, it's like, going to be worth it.

Lily

Absolutely. I found that too. And sometimes it's still I have to tell myself that. I'm like, oh, yeah, and that it always is true. Like you can't do it all and so you really do need to choose what feels aligned to what you want to do and what works for your life right now.

Lily

So last question, thinking about other teachers who are looking to move beyond the classroom, do you have any advice that you would give them?

Blair

Yes, gosh, I've learned so much along the way, if anyone can learn from my pain points are awesome. I could probably write a book about it. Just like overarching advice, I would just say you're not alone. And we hear that all the time. But you're never stuck. No matter how much you think you are, like, there is another way.

Blair

So like, make sure like we were talking about to give yourself support from yourself and from people around you, from a supportive community, even like Educator Forever.

Blair

And then a couple other things come to mind too. I heard this recently. And I just think it's so true. New beginnings require a new mindset. So getting your mind right, so you don't fall back into old patterns is super important. And that doesn't mean to like deny the struggles or like the realities of situations, but try to control your mind as much as you can and redirect your thoughts.

Blair

So like, if you're feeling stuck, or like in a negative pattern, just telling yourself what you're grateful for, or writing down positive qualities or skills you have, or saying affirmations like, whatever you need to do to get into a better mindset, a better space would pay off so much like, I think when we like make those shifts internally, that's when everything really changes.

Blair

So try to get out of your own way, and go with the flow so you're open and like lean into trust and faith and hope, as much as possible. And then like we were talking about, letting go of something that make room for more, I think releasing the old kind of clears the path for what's ahead. And just remembering to be patient and trust that.

Blair

And so like, if you're not sure, I think like a few things to keep in mind are like, get clear about what you really want. Get clear about what you need to release and like what steps you need to take to get to where you want. So even like thinking about like what you want in your next position. Can you get clear about what that looks like?

Blair

What's the environment like? What are the people you work with like? Or what do you want them to be like? What kind of flexibility do you want? How do you want to feel? And then when opportunities come your way, you'll know if you're like a yes for it.

Blair

Because it can be really tempting to take what comes your way when you're feeling like limited or fear or lack. So if you like stay the course and trust, you'll know if it's like meant for you. When I left the classroom, a lot of fears or like the lacking mindset came up right away. And I got these couple opportunities right off the bat. And I said yes to them.

Blair

And ultimately, I knew like they were supposed to be for me. And so that was kind of painful to learn that. But it was definitely a great learning lesson about like, following your intuition and honoring your intuition. So I think your career is really a journey. And there's lots of winding paths. So just taking one step at a time.

Blair

And often you can only see how they all connected when you're looking back. And there will be like rejection along the way. But try to like reframe that as redirection as much as you can. So yeah, just trusting your path and believing that each step leads you to where you're meant to be.

Lily

That's great advice. Absolutely. And I think that that windy path is necessary, right? You know, so we have, it's not going to be like, we get our dream situation tomorrow. Because I think like you're saying, like we have to allow ourselves to dream of what that situation would be and get clear on what we really want.

Lily

And then it's kind of like a trial and error some time, like, is it this thing. And then through that experience, you're like, oh, it's not this thing. And now I'm adding to my like dream list these three things, or whatever it is. And sometimes we can't even build that complete vision unless we go for things that aren't aligned. A

Lily

nd so I think too like it is often a windy path. But I totally agree that we have to do it, you know, to get to where we want to be and also that's like that personal development along the way of you reframing rejection or trying new things or getting okay with saying you don't want to do something, you know, all these growing edges that we might have.

Blair

Yeah, I love how you phrase that trial and error. I think that's how I would describe my career so far.

Lily

I mean, I would describe my life that way. Maybe this thing like maybe not, but I think it's like that when you feel like that that is like true agency over your life right of being not afraid to make a mistake or try something else because you know, you can always change directions and find something that feels better.

Lily

Well thank you so much, Blair. It's always great talking with you and we appreciate you sharing about your wonderful journey beyond the classroom.

Blair

Thank you.