From Teacher to VA: finding myself beyond the classroom

I had always wanted to be a teacher. From being a little girl I never thought I would ever be anything else. I worked hard, I got my degree, headed into the classroom and assumed I’d be there until I retired.

And when I began my career, I still would’ve thought this was the case.

But as time passed, I came to learn that the job I loved no longer supported me in the way that I needed. I wanted a job that supported my wellbeing, allowed my creativity to flow and one where I could use my emotional intelligence for good. Completing training around mental health in the workplace and becoming the Mental Health and Wellbeing Lead in my school was a turning point for me. For two reasons.

Firstly, it highlighted the negative impact that the job was now having on my own mental health. I was giving more than I could sustain and had been for many years and this was taking its toll. On me and on my ability to be present for my family.

Secondly, it opened my eyes to how important it felt for me to be able to build strong working relationships with others and support their mental health. I wanted to provide support in a way that felt sustainable, purposeful and impactful.

And then I heard about the work of VAs and began to follow a breadcrumb trail.

I had always been organised, calm under pressure and able to take a chaotic situation and bring structure to it. I’d always loved supporting others: helping them to feel seen and heard, helping them to breathe a little easier and to feel a sense of calm and clarity in a storm.

But I also loved being creative and craved this in my work. Colour, design, storytelling: building things that were beautiful and purposeful. I wanted to blend structure with imagination, and I didn’t want to have to choose between the two.

So when I heard about virtual assistance, something clicked. Instantly.

I saw a role where I could bring all of myself to the table: the teacher, the organiser, the creative, the nurturer, the problem solver. If someone could ever have written a job description for me, this was it.

And then came the clients. Amazing people building businesses around their passions. People creating safe spaces in their communities, creatives pouring their hearts into their work, others providing children with spaces to thrive. Supporting these people doesn’t feel like “admin”. It feels like a partnership based around care and community. A partnership that I’m proud to be part of.

When I sit down at my desk each day, the work I’m doing feels good. It feels aligned with my values. More importantly for me though, it feels like I’m helping people in a way that matters. In the little things that I do, I can bring calm, clarity and confidence for the people who are doing incredible things in their field and that is a privilege that I don’t take lightly.

I used to think that being a teacher was the only version of me that mattered. I struggled to see myself as anything else but in the last year, I’ve learned that I’m allowed to evolve. It took courage to leave the classroom and to trust that there was something else out there for me but that courage has led me to a career that feels creative, calmer and deeply aligned with who I am.

Teaching will always be an important part of my story; it shapes the way that I care and show up for others and I carry my teaching experience in everything that I do. Yet every task, every project, every moment of calm that I create remind me that I’m exactly where I’m meant to be.

Being a VA isn’t just my job. It’s a reflection of me: a blend of creativity, care and a little courage poured into everything that I do… usually with a brew by my side.