I quit my CSU job today. No kidding, I quit my job. Well, technically I gave nine months’ notice, will finish this academic year (my 19th at CSU!) before I’m gone for good.
It is such a relief to finally get to tell you! I’ve been hinting at it, but wasn’t able to say anything here until I made it official. And today, my first day back after summer vacation, I made it official. I had already told my boss when I left for summer break that I was going to spend my time away considering what I might do next, how I wanted to spend the next 10 or 15 years, so she wasn’t surprised.
It’s been clear to me for a long time that it was time for something else. In fact, I never planned to stay at CSU in the first place. I meant to get my graduate degree and move on, but since we settled here, bought a house, and what else I might do besides the vague “be a writer” wasn’t clear, I stayed.
My plan is to focus more on writing and teaching. I’ll be blogging more, working on finishing at least one of the books I’ve been working on for years, and being more serious about sending things out for publication. I’ll be teaching, both in person and online – yoga, writing, and meditation. I already have a plan for some online classes, “Cultivating Practice” and “Wabi-Sabi for Writers” will be two of the first, as well as teaching some regular group writing practice courses. I’m going to continue to teach in person locally, as well as offering private online and in person meditation instruction.
My other intention is to focus even more on social justice action. I’m not sure exactly what this will look like, but one thing I want to offer is yoga for bigger bodies, which doesn’t even exist where I live. The other ways this might manifest is simply by having more time to do more work with local initiatives and issues.
I want to add one important note: I’m only able to do this because my husband has a job he loves that pays well enough that I don’t have to keep my salary and benefits. This opportunity is all about privilege. I’m aware of mine, grateful for it, and intend to use it to ease suffering, in myself and in the world.
Open Space Practice, (AKA: A Thousand Shades of Gray) 
Wow! Congratulations, Jill. I am very happy for you!
Jill—as a fellow Jill who left academia (after 16 yrs as ‘visiting prof’), I applaud you!!
Yay for Jills! 🙂
Thank you, Melinda. ❤
Congratulations on your transition, Jill. I hope you find happiness and peace. xo
Thanks so much, Brenna. ❤
Congrats! Good luck with the next chapter of you!
Thank you! ❤
Congratulations, Jill! So excited for you. I love that you mentioned privilege. I know that I was able to retire when I did due to my privilege as well. Easing suffering in ourselves and in the world is a wonderful use of our time. You go, Girl!
Thanks, Mary. ❤
I’m so happy for you! I would love to see a yoga class geared for bodies with pain or other conditions that make it difficult to do what normal yoga classes want you to do. I’m not a bigger body, and look healthy, but can’t even do “easy” yoga classes. I’m not 70 where I want to go to yoga for seniors either… so, no place I really feel comfortable in terms of yoga 😦 Just another idea for you, although you have lots of good ones already!
Barb, yes! As someone who also lives with chronic pain, this is another population that is underserved. ❤
If I lived nearby I would totally be in for a yoga class for those that aren’t “older” but unable to do regular yoga. I applaud your courage to leap into the unknown!