Going Full Time!

I wavered back and forth about making a big announcement and settled that I wanted to make an announcement, maybe not a HUGE one, but an acknowledgment because this is at the heart of what I am all about. I have made it a point to celebrate each and every win that has occurred from day 1 at Atwater Designs. Each time I feel the momentum and excitement to keep going, keep pushing forward and keep showing up.

So here I am, following my own advice.

For those of you that are new to Atwater Designs, I started this adventure because I had always dreamed of starting my own business. I didn’t even know what that meant but I knew it was what I wanted. I always envisioned it as something on the side, as I taught full-time as a high school photography teacher. I started AD in February of 2017 with much encouragement from my husband, John while continuing teaching full-time. From there, I put one foot in front of the other — each and every day — and slowly built my website, my brand and dove deeper and deeper into my WHY. Each day has been a discovery in art, nature, self and what it means to be a lifelong learner. It has been a total joy.

I have loved teaching in my classroom — and I am a born teacher — but earlier on in the pandemic I discovered that I didn’t have the capacity to keep both going as I didn’t feel like I was able to put my full self into either. Slowly, over the summer, as this truth came bubbling to the surface, I realized it was time to make a choice. And I am over the moon about what the future holds.

I cannot thank you all enough for standing by my side as I venture into Atwater Designs as my full time job. I couldn’t be doing it with you. More of the story will be unfolding here on the blog throughout the rest of 2020. Stay tuned.