Every time I say it out loud, I feel more free. “I am an ex-guitar teacher.” I feel as though I finally own it! I had been saying that since summer this year, but it has taken my six months to finally own it.
After a teaching career that spanned nearly 20-years, it was time to end it and I am finally at peace with it. I feel no more obligation to teach or return to it.
The big word there is “obligation”. The thing that changed is my lack of feeling obligated to do it. The crazy thing is that I have been the one all these years putting that obligation on myself. No one forced me to teach. Yet, giving myself permission to move on was tough. Finding peace in moving on has been a journey in itself. (Perhaps in another blog post later)
I am incredibly lucky to have spent a big part of my life doing something for a living that I wasn’t supposed to be able to do. In the process, I lost the passion to pursue music as an art form and it became a job.
Now, I feel free to pursue the goals I want to chase down. To study the music I want to study, purely for my own enjoyment.
To all those who have inquired about lessons with me, thank you! There are so many great teachers out there. Please find amazing teachers who inspire you! Learn for yourself! Create and be good to yourself.
-Jose