“How’s Tutoring Going?”
This is the question I hear most often these days. Friends, family, parents at school pick-up; everyone asks me the same thing: “How’s tutoring going?”
And my answer is always the same: “It’s going good!”
Because it is.
But, it’s also so much more.
Tutoring has been an incredible mix of joy, challenge, and growth. I have been so blessed with students and families that I absolutely love working with. Sessions are productive, rewarding, and filled with those little “aha” moments that I love so very much. I’m (hopefully!) making a difference in their lives and in their education, and that in itself feels like success.
At the same time, running a business is a whole new adventure. I’m learning how to be my own boss. I’m learning that it’s okay if every hour of my day isn’t booked solid. And I’m learning that the perks that come with this work are deserved and more than okay.
Simple things like driving both girls to school in the morning without dropping them off an hour early just so I can be on time… that’s a blessing. Picking them up right at the bell instead of having them in after-school care until closing… that’s a blessing, too. And I say that with deep gratitude, because I know so many families depend on those programs (I was one of them for years), and I’m forever thankful I had that option when I needed it.
People ask me how it’s going because they genuinely care. They’re rooting for me. And I’m doing my best to root for myself. Some days I wish I was “contributing more” in the way I used to when I worked a full-time schedule, but I’ve realized that “contributing” looks different for everyone. For me, it looks like being present for my family, building something of my own, and serving students in a meaningful way.
So yes, tutoring is going good. Some days are better than others, but isn’t that true for life in general? At the end of the day, when I go to bed, I feel at peace. I feel happy, present, and fulfilled.
And if that’s not success, I don’t know what is.
With gratitude,
Ashley
