The Jewish calendar can be a funny thing. I chose to label this post with a little extra – the year, 5774 since the creation of the world. (I know, I know). The reason for that is that last year’s #BlogElul 3 was also Bless. I was a little surprised at first, until I realised that they were both Fridays, and therefore Rabbi Sommer wanted us to think about blessing as we prepare for Shabbat.

Last year’s post was indeed about that – about Shabbat, about rainbows, even about the blessing for the Czar (link in that post). But that was last year, and this is this year, and it is a very different year indeed, with many new and additional blessings for me to think about.

I have spent the year since the last third of Elul engaged in a large amount of personal growth and introspection. I came to the conclusion that I was not made to be a high school teacher, a tutor, a physicist or any of the other careers with which I have tried and failed to give meaning to my life. It looks like the only thing that really makes me happy, aside from my family, is running my own business helping other people have better lives.

My life as a blogger and writer is part of that – I do love writing, as you know, and some people think I do it well enough to do it in exchange for money. That is very gratifying, of course, but I find it is not sufficient. I need to have a personal connection with people, and I need to see for myself that I am helping them in some way.

That was the best thing about teaching, but the rigid disciplinary structure and the pressure of keeping up with the blasted curriculum did me in. Hanging out with the students and watching them grow was the part that I loved, but my health fell apart under the rest of it.

Ironically, it was my health issues that led me to where I am now. This autoimmune disease which has defined so much of my life is turning out to be something of a blessing in itself. I find that I can give support to others who are struggling to find ways of coping with similar issues, and even make a living doing so. Surely a blessed combination.

When I signed up for The Life Coaching School, I told Brooke, the owner and master coach, that I was there because my doom had caught up with me. I come from a long line of therapists and good witches. I’m not about to embark on a psychology degree at this stage of my life, but it is not necessary for what I want to do. With the tools I am learning from Brooke and my cohort along this journey, I can support people on their wellness journey, help them lose weight if they need to, and teach them mindset tools to improve their outlook on life.

I hope that by doing so, my life will indeed be a blessing.