Labor of love

Almost 8 years ago I took my last Excel class. I remember the date exactly because all through the class I was in labor and gave birth to my son that night. The instructor was going on and on about "customizing your ribbon" which gave me ample time to keep track of my inconsistent contractions in my notes. (You might wonder why I did not go to the hospital right away... I have pretty easy and quick labors ... don't hate me!)

I also remember the class because it was torturous, and not just because of the contractions! I had signed up for an all day advanced level Excel course and by the end of it I had learned nothing new. I don't say this to brag - it was a reflection of the course curriculum and teaching method of the instructor. So much time was wasted on differences between new and old versions of the software, and skills that had nothing to do with what I used Excel for. It was long and drawn out and somehow way too generalized. What I needed was a more customized class with focus on skills that actually mattered to me in my job role and individual skill level.

It was only years later when some people on my team needed Excel training that I remembered that training in excruciating detail. My thoughts? I feel like I could do this and do it better. What if the training was customized to the individual and team needs? I did it. And it worked. I loved every second of teaching Excel in a useful way and knew that I had found a passion not to be ignored.

I did end up leaving that original course a few minutes early "because I did not feel so great" and gave birth that night. A memorable day for sure.