Meet Adriana Smith, Founder of Travepreneur

Adriana Smith.jpg

Meet Adriana Smith, the founder of Travepreneur.

What was the most difficult part of the path that you had to overcome? 

“Doubt. The easy part is waking up every day and getting out of bed. The hard part, however,  is knowing exactly what my purpose is those days. While I’m not fully cured from doubting myself, it took some time to overcome insecurity built up from being fired in 2014. The doubt stemmed from whether I was capable of doing my job and doing it well. At that moment, I was overworked, underpaid, and mentally and emotionally tired. I couldn’t help but be doubtful. I never felt like I was good enough to be an educator. There were whispers about my teaching style or the “lack of.”. But, I knew that education is where I needed to be. The gag is that educating middle schoolers wasn’t for me. So, when April 8, 2014 arrived, it was a blessing in disguise. My termination was an indication that I needed a change. A physical one, but additionally a mental and emotional change. I promised myself after I was fired that I would NEVER sacrifice my mental health or my passions for anything. As time moved on, doubt in myself and from others began to fade away. About a month after my termination, a former colleague revealed to me that my former principal finally acknowledged that I was a great teacher. This only confirmed what I was starting to believe about myself. Roses and Daisies may both be flowers, but they need to be cared for in different ways. I, as a rose, sought love and care in the wrong place. I had to find my calling elsewhere.”

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A CYP Interview