Gloria L. Chitty, M.Ed.

I attribute all of my success, first and foremost, to my Heavenly Father, because He is amazing and has given me such incredible gifts. Then, it's about recognizing the gifts and talents within myself and not being afraid to tap into them. My upbringing has been so important too, because I have a strong support system. My life has been filled with people who love me, care about me, and have encouraged me along the way. So how dare I not do the same for others? It all comes back to God first, then recognizing what He's placed in me, and finally my family and support system who have always been there.

The best career advice I've ever received came from people telling me how much they enjoyed the way I interacted with my students. They recognized the patience I had with my students, the kindness, and the natural ability that came from my heart for my kids. They told me there was no judgment in how I worked with them, and they could see the difference I made not only in their academic growth but also in their confidence in themselves. What really stuck with me was hearing how I gave my students the ability to trust that they could do more than what they thought they could do. I learned that having an impact on them meant helping them feel like they could go out and conquer the world, that even though they may be a little different, they could be just as good at things they're good at. The encouragement and confidence I gave them to feel like 'if I set my mind to it, I can do it, even with my limitations' was the biggest thing for me.

As an educator, my advice would be don't give up when things get hard. Education is not always easy, but if you have the talent, the gift, and the patience for it, you can make a world of difference. Always give 100% and put your best foot forward. Know that in spite of challenges, you can make a difference, and each new day is a brand new day. If things don't go well one day, you have the opportunity the next day to redo things. Look for the good in your students and encourage them. Love on them, because some students may only receive love from you. Always give them a smile, greet them, and let them know that you care about them, because you can make a difference when they know you care. Students can tell if a teacher likes them or cares about them, so always be mindful of your reaction, the way you look, and the way you interact with them, because it makes a difference. As an author, my advice is don't be afraid to tell your story. You never know the impact you're going to have on someone. Your very story may be the very thing that sets someone free, gives someone hope, brightens someone's day, encourages them, and helps them to walk in their own story. Be mindful that there's a purpose in your writing, and there's an audience that needs to hear what you have to say.

As an author, I would say the publishing process was probably the biggest challenge. The time frame and communication with the publishing company were frustrating at times. They would contact me asking me to send something, and I would do that right away, but then weeks might go by without hearing back from them. I'd be thinking, where are you all? I know you've received it. So the time constraints and the communication, the following up and getting back to me, those were the biggest challenges in the publishing process. The actual writing part didn't have many challenges once I started writing, it just kind of flowed onto the page. But navigating the publishing side, knowing who to go with and getting all of that done, that was the hardest part.

Ultimately, I would say my spirituality and my relationship with God are most important to me. My integrity is crucial too, meaning that even when people can't see what I'm doing, I'm still operating in a way that God would be pleased with me. Helping others and inspiring others is a core value for me. I want people to be happy, and I do what I can to bless others because I feel like if God blesses me, I should be able to bless others as well. That's part of my job. I value loving life, being encouraging to others, lifting someone up, and just being the best version of me that I can be so that I can help someone else.