Shining My Light

In 2019, I stopped people-pleasing. I started to stand in my truth. I started my road to becoming who I am today. However, it wasn’t easy. 

People pleasing was ingrained in me because I’m a giver and always put everyone first over my needs. So, dominant people took advantage of my kindness and big heart. 

I started to stand up for myself. I put my foot down on things I believed in, like creating behavior plans to support the children in my classroom who were misunderstood and needed more support. 

As a teacher, my boss wasn’t happy because she tried forcing one of my 2.9-year-old students to sit in a circle and crisscross applesauce.🤮 NOT!! 

I stood up for a misunderstood child who didn’t fit the box. 

I had so many dominant people in my life who didn’t like that because I was kind and sweet but voiced my opinion. 

So, I quit my last teaching job in 2019. I started traveling around Megg Thompson, a pioneer of change in the education system. She is one of the first women I met who stood proud and loud in her truth. Megg empowered me to stand in my truth. 

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It was one of the best things for me when the world shut down.  I could use Megg’s and social media to share my knowledge to build confidence in my voice. 

I felt so creative, and everything flowed. I got to nanny during that time. I watched two amazing little girls, now young ladies, grow, learn, and build their voices. I learned so much from them.  I’m so grateful to be a part of their family forever. 

Then the world opened up, and I couldn’t hide behind the screen anymore, and I had to go into the field and market myself. 

It is challenging for a people pleaser because the tools I would share and teach wouldn’t happen overnight. It took work for my family and educators. Some wanted a quick fix instead of teaching the skills and meeting the needs during this time. We were all still in survival mode. 

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I started to get into my head in the fall of 2022. These thoughts of self-doubt rolled into the winter of 2023. I only had one client. 

I started to get into my head more because continuing my business with very little income was more complex and challenging. The guilt began to creep in; not bringing money into my new marriage was heartbreaking for me. I have had a job since I was nine - this lull was challenging. 

Then, all the limiting beliefs started to filter in. Playing the old stories in my head that someone else put there from childhood into adulthood. 

💠 Getting made fun of because of my stutter and word retrieval processing disorder. 

💠 Being bullied in second grade because I couldn’t read or spell and got pulled out for extra support. 

💠 Going to the teacher to tell them I needed support, but nothing happened.  Not only did they not help me, but I was also called a tattletale and lost friends. 

💠 In middle school, I was told I would never amount to anything because I couldn’t read or write. They never thought I would go to college. 

💠 In college, I was shamed by a Professor for taking pop quizzes in a quieter area. Then, she mocked me because I took too long, causing the class to not start on time. 

💠 During Montessori training, I was excited to learn about this method that aligned with my values. However, my thoughts quickly changed. During my Montessori internship, I was treated very poorly by the lead teacher. I could only bring children to the bathroom for most of the school year and set up snacks. I voiced my opinion to the director then, and my voice wasn’t heard. 

💠 A professor during my Montessori training gaslighted me before my classmates. She told me that I did not find joy in children, and she recommended that I not continue my education to get my masters because of my poor writing and reading skills. 

💠 After that, I got a job at a Montessori preschool. My boss then told me I wasn’t good enough to be a lead teacher because I didn’t have strong writing skills to do the newsletter or the simple evaluations.   We all know that’s the most important thing about teaching in PRESCHOOL. 🙄 

💠 Unfortunately, the list goes on and on. 

✨ To the people who were unkind to me.  I send love and light to you. I hope you can heal the wounds that made you feel that you had to take away power from others to feel seen ✨ 

All these negative beliefs were swirling in my head. I was utterly lost, depressed, and rejected by people that I thought were supposed to be teaching me and be my mentors. 

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So, on Jan 3, 2023, I started therapy, and she saw the broken little child Michele. We began to build a relationship and work together to heal my inner child's wounds. We started a therapy called EMDR and embarked on the road to healing. 

I did the work and started to create my village. I began to think about all the fantastic women in my lifetime.  

💠 My Mom 

💠 My Sister

💠 My Mema 

💠 My Grandma 

💠 Preschool friend 

💠 My sister’s best friend from 8th grade 

💠 My 8th-grade football friend

💠 My freshman-year bus friend 

💠 My roommate in college 

💠 My college dinner-date friend 

💠 My phone friend 

💠 First ever Co-Teacher 

💠 My Montessori training friends 

💠 My first Montessori school co-workers 

💠 My friend from my business coaching group 

💠 My friend whom I would take walks with at Horn Pond with masks during COVID times 

💠 My online spiritual friends 

💠 My Giggles and Wiggles Boss lady 

💠 Abloom Development Women 

💠 Holistic Life Community  

💠 My Maine Village friends 

💠 My reading teacher from 8th grade 

💠 My special ed coordinator from high school 

💠 All the mothers who trusted me to babysit your children when I was in high school 

💠 Dr. Ilda King, who NEVER gave up on me or any child, helped teach me how to read and get the support they needed. 

💠To all the other women in my life, I love you and so grateful for you! 

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To my other WONDERFUL humans 🐾

💠 My fantastic husband, who loved me unconditionally and would always give me a hug when I needed it. 

💠 My Papa, who was always a phone call away and was happy to help through ALL my schooling since 5th grade. 

💠 My dog, Mr. Prosciutto, brought out the playful and nurturing side of me. 

💠 Jacie, the family dog, is calm and the best snuggler. 

💠 All my beautiful families who welcomed STM into their homes and shared the most challenging moments with me. 

💠 All my outstanding educators who listened and added the strategies into your classroom.  

💠 My BIGGEST thank you is to my family. They saw me at my worst and saw me at my best. They loved me unconditionally and believed in me even when I was 2.2 pounds. 

✨ Thank you for surrounding me with all the healing, love, and light that I needed throughout my life ✨ 

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A year later, in 2024, I stand in my truth. The light shining through me to all of you. I’m more vital than ever before - because I have found my true purpose. I’m here to: 

✨ Share the power of positive thinking 

✨ Think outside the box 

✨ Do what is BEST for every child 

✨ Meet the needs of children and adults  

✨ Teach skills to children and adults

✨ Teach children they are worthy and loved and can speak their truth with respect, love, and compassion. 

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I’m here to shine my light and love onto this complex world we are living in.  

I’m here to fight your battles with you and for your children.  

If I ever worked with you, you would ALWAYS be a part of my village. I am just a phone call away. 

Keep Shining ✨

Love, 

Michele