Time has quickly slipped past the 15th of August and things are looking very exciting over at this end. The studio is 98% complete. I swept the floors for the first time today. We stuck the "opening soon" posters on the windows. Nate was helping to clean the windows. People walking past were commenting and taking pictures. I got my first Instagram message asking for courses! It's feeding all the butterflies in my stomach, but also very grounding at the same time.
It's taking me back to a very young version of myself more than 10 years ago now. I still vividly remember heading up to Nottingham to embark on my university journey, but little did I know that those first two years of studying International Relations would impact me so much. I didn't know what "International Relations" would entail when I chose this course through clearing, and even though I don't remember the specifics of what I learnt, I remember that feeling that hit me when I realised that I was studying all of the horrible, manmade tragedies inflicted on this world. I remember making a promise to myself that even though I didn't know what I was going to do with my life, I was going change the world.
Fast forward through the course of these 10 years, my horizons were widened when I went to Shanghai for a year and I was immediately in awe of how big that country is... Times by the fact that I wanted to "change the world", I fell into an almost state of disbelief at how little and how powerless I was. Years went on, I graduated, found a job, worked for the government, moved to Italy, started teaching, got married, had kids, continued teaching... moments of such importance to my personal life yet it somehow made me feel like a shadow of my former "I'm going to change the world" self.
But what a journey you have to go on in order to find your true self again! Funnily enough, just today, as I put on the Batman cartoon movie for my son, this quote pops up: "If you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and make a change". And yes! I have done just that. My compassion for humanity has subconsciously driven all my decisions for the past decade and through every move I've made, I have been changing the world, and I will continue to change the world, in my own, meaningful way.
To those of you who still remember the "I'm going to change the world" Leanne, I hope you find time to read this today. Together, let's light the candles and burn the bridges down.
