AMBITION: (n) a strong desire to do or achieve something

This week I have written the word "AMBITION" on the chalkboard in the hallway just inside the front door.  I have been writing various quotes and things that I want the family to notice and think about, in that same spot, for years.  Ok, on that same chalkboard, but in a different spot since we have recently moved into a new home, but none the less the chalkboard has always lived just inside the front door of both homes we have lived in.

I wrote this not just for them to see, but to remind myself of the importance of this word as well.  Ambition is the word of the week (or potentially the month, depending on how I decide to do this) for my family and my new year's goal.  We are focusing on Ambition.  I do not know what it will look like, but have decided to write it on my board in my classroom as well and remind my students of it daily in order to help them focus on the importance of Ambition too.

I spent a good amount of time thinking about a time that I showed ambition in my life.  One of the best examples of my wanting so desperately to achieve something is when I went back to college to finish my Bachelor's Degree.  I went to college directly from high school and studied for 5 years to be an Art Teacher.  At the end of my time at the University of Kentucky I was burnt out and overwhelmed and decided not to complete my student teaching.  There were many reasons why I decided it was time for me to step away, some legit ones and others not so much.  Anyway, I withdrew from school and did not complete my degree and due to the circumstances surrounding my decision, I was unable to bring myself to finishing it until nearly 18 years later.  I thought about it and it was suggested to me MANY times, but I was not ready in my own head, until nearly 20 years had passed.

When I eventually made the decision that I was ready to go back to complete my degree however, there was no stopping me.  I was fortunate that my husband and children were super supportive and it was a very rough year for everyone.  I was less present at home and spent more time at the library and by myself than ever before.  I was working full time and trying to be a wife and mother and go to school full time.  I had so much AMBITION and I worked so incredibly hard because I didn't want to let myself (or them) down for a second time.  I was so incredibly dedicated to do this that I got a 4.0 the entire year that I was finishing up and graduated 10 months after I had re-enrolled in college.  I had such a strong desire to get my Bachelor's degree that I was the very definition of AMBITION throughout that entire year.

Not only was it a challenge because I was practically living at the library and when I wasn't my hubby would get the kids up early and get them out of the house, but in our dedication to never going into debt again, we were cash flowing the entire thing.  Yup we had taken on a monthly bill that was more than our mortgage and we had to keep it tight and be smart about our budget all around.  We said no to a lot of things, a lot of trips, a lot of dining out and just plain extras that we didn't really need anyhow.  This part was a bit more difficult for our children to understand than for us to accomplish, but we kept the conversations real and we explained the why behind all of our decisions, hoping to instill in them the desire and evidence that they too do not have to borrow money in order to get the things they want.  We also made sure to share with them the AMBITION that I had to make this dream come true and why all of the other parts were necessary in order to make it happen.

I am not sure how AMBITION will play a role in my 2020, but being reminded of the things I am capable of when I am strong willed and put my mind to something, is definitely something I needed.  It is easy to discredit accomplishments well after the sacrifices have been made.  It is easy to "forget" the troubles that were gone through in order to achieve something and the times that you wanted to quit, but didn't.  I truly needed to be reminded of the AMBITION it took to even research and take the necessary steps to begin the journey to heading back to college at the age of 37 with a husband, two children and a full time job.  There were plenty of things that tried to stand in the way of my accomplishing the goal of finishing my Bachelor's degree, luckily my AMBITION was bigger and stronger than all of them.