Skip to main content

Work hard and take a chance


All our dreams can come true, if we have the courage to pursue them. 

When you’re a young kid, adults regularly tell you to work hard and that you can do anything you want to do when you grow older. Often though, it can be hard to believe these words without proof.
I’ve learnt in recent years that I can pretty much do anything I want to do, as long as I am willing to put in some hard work and to take some chances; it doesn't matter whether it be at the gym, at work, or in my everyday life!
Just over a year ago, I took a chance when I left the stable job and life I had in Canada to move to Dubai, UAE. Some people may have thought I was crazy to leave everything I had going for me there, but others understood that I was taking a step in the right direction to pursue my dreams.
Some of the most encouraging people were (and still are) my Canadian students. It was very difficult to tell them about my decision, but they showed great maturity, positivity and support. I am so thankful to have come across these kids, because they are truly part of the reason I am where I am today. I didn’t want to be that teacher (adult) “telling” the students to work hard and to always pursue their dreams. I wanted to be that teacher “showing” the students that I work hard and I pursue my dreams. I wanted to be the proof.
I am not rich with money…far from it… but I am now so rich in experiences because I’ve worked hard and I have taken chances in my life. I really could not ask for anything more.
In the past 12 months I have travelled to places I’ve dreamt about (Italy, Spain, Portugal) and to places I had never dreamt about (UAE, Jordan, Sri Lanka, Switzerland).



Finally, my dreams of teaching abroad and travelling to new places have come true.
So, please, believe me when I say: “Work hard and take a chance”. You are the only real person in charge of making your dreams come true!
To all the students: Good luck in this next school year! 

Comments

Popular posts from this blog

In a World Full of Noise, Let’s Show Understanding

“Not everyone processes uncertainty the same way, and that’s okay.” The past few days have been unexpected. What started as a normal Saturday - coaching at the gym, breakfast with a friend, catching up on work with the TV on in the background - quickly changed when I heard a loud “boom” coming from outside my apartment. At first, many of us in the community assumed it came from one of the many nearby construction sites. But, within the next few hours, the loud sounds came again and again, and word spread that these were missiles and drones being intercepted in the sky. I’ve always felt safe here in the UAE, and believe it or not, to a certain extent, I still do. Like many other residents here, I have a lot of trust in the country I’ve chosen to call home for over 11 years. I’ve seen it overcome challenges in the past, such as COVID and floods, and I’ve witnessed how much the leadership cares for the residents, particularly over the last few days.  That said, it’s no secret that I a...

Momentum Reset

"Momentum doesn’t just return; you rebuild it, one choice at a time." Before summer began, I was feeling a little low. The tipping point came when I found out my HYROX competition partner’s visa had been denied, meaning we wouldn’t be able to compete at the HYROX World Championships in Chicago. Deep down, I knew it wasn’t the end of the world, but I was still pretty bummed. I thrive when I have a goal, something to work toward, and for nearly two months, I’d been all-in. That training gave me momentum, purpose and energy. When that goal disappeared, so did my drive. Suddenly, my energy shifted in the wrong direction. I slipped into autopilot, stuck in the routine of daily life, work, and thought patterns that were becoming more and more negative. Social media didn’t help. It felt like everyone else was out there doing so much, and I had nothing exciting happening. I would catch myself comparing and as my thoughts spiraled, my body started responding, and not in a good way. Th...

Living Out a Dream

 “Have you ever stopped and thought: “Wow. I prayed for this. It’s here. It’s happening.”? I recently received a message from an  old student from my very first school in Canada. It was a simple note, but it sparked reflection in me about where I’ve come from and everything that’s happened over the last 15–20 years. At my age, I often look around and see many of the people ( my age ) settling down; getting married, having kids, buying homes ( A dream for many, especially women. ). And sometimes, I can’t help but  ask myself: what am I doing with my life? However, that message from my former student reminded me of something I often forget: I’ve already been living a dream. When I left my first teaching job in Canada, it was one of the hardest decisions I’ve ever made. I absolutely loved my students, and together we had built a really special bond. But at that time, I had a dream to travel the world; to immerse myself in different cultures and to learn from people whose li...