Momentum
Let’s talk about momentum
Not in a dramatic way, but… I think that’s really what this year has been about for me. Just finally moving. Finally pushing forward in areas of my life that I’ve been… stuck in.
Because here’s the thing. I have a tendency to stagnate.
Finishing What I Started
Let’s start with the biggest one.
My teaching credential.
I had been sitting on it for months. Not because I couldn’t do it. Not because it was impossible. Just… procrastination. Avoidance. Life getting in the way because I let it.
And then this year, I finally buckled down.
I finished it.
I now have my multiple subject teaching credential and my master’s in education. And I’m proud of that. Genuinely.
It’s crazy because once I actually committed, it didn’t take that long. All that time I spent putting it off… I could have been done already.
But I think that’s part of the lesson.
Momentum doesn’t come from thinking about doing something. It comes from finally doing it.
I get comfortable. I get focused on one thing. I put my head down. And before I know it, weeks turn into months, and I haven’t moved forward on things that actually matter.
And this year, I didn’t want that to happen again.
Relationships Aren’t Background Noise
The other thing I’ve been working on… is being a better person to the people around me.
Better husband. Better friend. Better son. Better brother.
I feel like I can get really locked in on my own world. My projects. My goals. My ideas. And without realizing it, I start drifting away from people.
Not intentionally. But impact matters more than intent.
And when you don’t put time and energy into your relationships… you’re taking them for granted. Straight up.
That’s something I need to be better about.
Because the reality is, I’m really lucky. I have people in my life who care about me, support me, and want to be around me. And recognizing that, really recognizing it, has changed how I move.
So now it looks like this:
More intentional time with my wife.
More conversations with my parents.
More checking in with my sister.
More presence with friends.
Me and Tom even started a podcast. And honestly, yeah, it’s fun, but it’s also just an excuse to spend time together consistently. To stay connected.
And I’m really enjoying that.
It’s not some huge, overwhelming change. It’s just… more effort than before.
And that’s been enough to make a difference.
Turning Creativity Into Something Real
I’ve always been creative.
That’s kind of been a constant. Drawing, sketching, making things, designing lessons, especially as a teacher. It’s always been there.
But this year, I wanted to take that through line, just making things, and actually build something with it.
So I opened my Teachers Pay Teachers store.
All those resources I’ve been making over the years? They’re not just sitting on my computer anymore. They’re out there. Being used. Being shared. Actually helping people.
And then I took it a step further.
I started creating physical products.
Because here’s what I’ve learned from over 10 years in special education and behavior work: some tools need to exist in the space.
Not just on paper. Not just digital.
They need to be visible. Tangible. Something you can point to across the room. Something students can anchor to in real time.
A printed worksheet is helpful.
A large visual on the wall? That changes behavior.
So moving into platforms like Etsy, where people can actually print and use these tools in classrooms, counseling spaces, whatever environment they’re in, that felt like the right move.
It’s still early. But it feels aligned.
The Creative Side That Stayed
Outside of teaching, creativity still shows up in a different way.
For me, it’s photography.
It’s always been photography.
It feels like the more “adult” version of my creativity. The one that I’ve taken more seriously over time. The one that I want to refine and push and grow.
And this year, I’ve been leaning into that again.
Shooting more. Editing more. Thinking more intentionally about my style.
Just… getting better.
Building a Place for All of It
At a certain point, I realized something.
I had all these things.
Teaching resources. Creative work. Photography. Writing. Ideas.
But no central place for them to live.
So I built a website.
And I’m not gonna lie, it’s been frustrating at times. Learning platforms, figuring out design, messing with layouts, trying things that don’t work…
All of that.
But it’s also been really fun.
It scratched that creative itch in a different way. Not just making content, but designing the space where that content lives.
And now?
It’s almost exactly where I want it.
Not perfect. But close.
And more importantly, it’s mine.
The Through Line
So yeah.
If I had to sum all of this up… it comes back to that idea.
The through line.
Growth. Creativity. Relationships. Purpose.
They’re not separate things. They’re all connected.
And for the first time in a while, I feel like I’m actually moving forward across all of them.
Not perfectly. Not all at once. But consistently.
Momentum.
That’s the word.
And I don’t know if that makes sense, but… I think once you feel it, you know.