From Teacher to Calligrapher: My Leap into Art & Entrepreneurship

When people meet me today, they usually see the calligrapher, the artist, the podcaster, the entrepreneur. But before all of this, I was a teacher. I poured my energy into my students even when I didn’t have any left. This is the story all about how my life got flipped turned upside down. JK! 😂 Sorry but I couldn't resist.

Let me try again. This a story all about how I went from teaching to calligraphy and why leaving my full-time teaching position wasn’t just a career change, but a decision that saved my health and even my creativity.

The Promise

I promised myself that I would leave teaching once I stopped caring about the job.

I once made myself a promise: the moment I stopped caring, it would be time to go.

Teaching was never “just a job” for me. I poured everything into it — my energy, my creativity, even my well-being. I believed that I could make a difference. I believed that I could help children become productive members of society. I was so passionate about my subjects which were ELA (English Language Arts) & Social Studies, But over time, something shifted. The passion just wasn’t there anymore. I found myself miserable and just going through the motions, and when that happened, I knew it was time to honor the promise I had made to myself.

How “Motivation Monday” Changed Everything

During the pandemic, I started something called “Motivation Monday” while we were online. Motivation Monday was already popular in the social media world but I got the idea to bring it to my virtual classroom. Honestly, at first, it was just a way for me to kill time while I got my lessons together. I’d find inspirational videos about people (most of the time kids their age) chasing dreams, starting businesses, or accomplishing big things. Afterwards, we would have a discussion about the video and what we learned. It became such a hit with the kids that I kept it as part of the Monday routine even after we returned to in-person teaching.

What surprised me was that the videos started inspiring me too. I found myself thinking: What if I could do the same? What else is there for me outside of teaching?

Motivation Monday

On Mondays, I started the day with “Happy Monday. Hope you had a good weekend. If you didn’t, it’s a new day.” Then, we would watch our vide for Motivation Monday.

When My Health Forced Me to Pay Attention

At the same time, my spiritual, mental, and physical health were suffering. Teaching drained me, and no matter how much I gave, it never felt like enough. I was tired and I was tired of being tired. I started to wonder: if I can give this much to a career that’s breaking me down…what would happen if I redirected that energy toward something I truly loved? Something that was mine? What do I already do that I can turn into something more?

With each Motivation Monday, those thoughts became louder and louder.

The Day Everything Shifted

I knew I needed to get out of my draining career and do something different but my mind was all over the place. I felt inspired and stuck at the same time. One day, I posted on Facebook that I needed a life coach. About two days later, an old classmate reached out. She let me know that she was working on her life coach certification and that she would love to work with me. As someone who loves to support others in their entrepreneurial journeys, I was definitely up for it and my exact words were, “Sure. I don’t mind being a guinea pig.” Haha!

Each time we spoke, she opened my eyes to new possibilities and we planned my next moves.

That’s when I began to see a way out, a way forward.

Discovering Calligraphy as More Than a Hobby

The truth is, calligraphy was already part of my life but only as a hobby. I loved it but I never saw it as something that could become a business. Then one day, I came across a woman on Instagram who was selling calligraphy courses.

At first, the price felt like too much, and I hesitated. But when I finally felt ready to invest with the intent of just leveling up my hobby, her original course was no longer available. Instead, she launched something even bigger — not just a calligraphy course, but a calligraphy course that included a business starter course for calligraphers. It opened my eyes. This wasn’t just about addressing envelopes. There were so many other ways to build a business around beautiful handwriting that I had never even heard of.

Could this be the answer I’d been looking for? I knew one thing for sure — I didn’t want to go back to school, take on more debt, or chase another degree. I wanted to build something of my own with the gifts and skills I already had.

So, I purchased the Pro Calligrapher Bundle and here I am writing this blog.

A pangram I calligraphed during the course.

What I Miss and What I Don’t

I miss the kids — their energy, their curiosity, the fun moments we shared in the classroom. But I don’t miss the parts of teaching that were literally chipping away at me — my mental health, my spiritual health, my physical health. That part of the job was slowly killing me, and leaving it behind was the best decision I could have made.

February 2, 2022 (2-22-22) when we wore tube socks, tennis shoes, and tutus.

Building A Brand

Never in a million years did I think I would have a calligraphy business but I’m very happy to be here. I had business ideas in the past but abandoned them before I ever got started. This time around, I want to see what happens when I finally stick to something. The same dedication I once gave to teaching is now building my brand and I am so excited to see where things will go from here.

This was right after getting my makeup done for my branding shoot.

That’s part of the reason why I launched the Big Dreams & Self-Esteem podcast. It’s where I share more about this journey, mindset shifts, and the courage it takes to walk away from comfortable chaos. It is available anywhere you can find podcasts.

To wrap up…

Walking away wasn’t easy but keeping that promise to myself (to leave when I stopped caring) gave me the courage to step into something I genuinely love and lights me up!