September #PFFL of the Month

September #PFFL of the Month: 

Sophia Ezomoghene, Philadelphia, PA
30 years-old
Lead Prekindergarten Teacher

What was the most difficult thing for you to fit into your life? 
Creating time and space to decompress from the stress of work and allowing for room to dabble in my own creative interest. 

What steps did you take to Fit Your Life Into Your Life? 
In 2012 I moved to Washington, DC from Boston, MA to purse a teaching career in Early Childhood Education. In Washington, DC. I worked at a charter school with an extended day and school year. My work day began at 7:30am and ended at 5:30pm. Due to staff and grade level meetings sometimes my work day ended at 6:00pm. This schedule left insufficient time for me to decompressed after work. 

While I am grateful for the knowledge I gained while working at my school I soon realized that it was not the place for me. I tried pursuing my interest such as studying French and taking ballet lessons. In my evening French class I was teetering on the edge of being comatose due to exhaustion. I had little strength left for a simple plie in my adult ballet classes. Something had to change. 

I sat down and I wrote down what I wanted. I wrote down all of the characteristics of my perfect city and quickly realized that Washington, D.C. only fit a quarter of my requirements. I then wrote down the characteristic I wanted in a school. My current school also met just a handful of my requirements. So then in there I decided that I had to move and find a new school in a new city. Then I made 2-3 day trips to these cities to really get a feel for them. 

I decided on Philadelphia, PA! I researched the requirements needed to obtain a teaching license in Pennsylvania. I took the exams, completed the appropriate paperwork, and crossed my “t”s and dotted my “i”s. Once I received my license I began applying to and interviewing for schools in Philadelphia. 

Even though I had yet to acquired a teaching position in Philadelphia, I told my vice principal and my principal that I would not be returning next year. This made my decision to move official. I buckled down and applied to schools that met my needs. Finally I found the school for me. 

The new school year begins in a week and the anticipation is overwhelming. I miss the smiles of my old students but I am wicked excited to met some new faces. I moved to Philadelphia at the end of June and I have never felt more relaxed. I spent the summer (what I call, The Summer of Sophia) challenging my mind by studying Spanish and pushing my body to the limit in barre and yoga. 

What is one tip that you have for women to achieve their goals? 
Do what makes you happy. It's such a cliche but you only live once. In this moment, in this time,  in this body. What are you doing to make yourself happy?