Shannon Mattern ‘s marketing course, Angela Watson’s website, Money Nerds, Eleanor Oliphant and the Millionaire Next Door. What do they all have in common? They are some of my favorite things.
This is a different kind of post for me. I’ve been thinking about doing it for a while, but just kept putting it off. However, there are some sources that have impacted (and continue to impact) my attitudes and mindsets that I wanted to share with you. Even more important, during rough times – and let’s face it, these are some rough times, especially for teachers! – a book, podcast, blog or course can get you out of a rut or keep your mind on more positive things.
These recommendations touch on a lot of different areas because I have a ton of things that interest me. But each one is a high-quality source of info and/or inspiration. Even though they won’t all be for you, if you find even one that radically changes your mind set or makes your day brighter, this may be one of the most important blog series I’ve given you yet. Buckle up, and let’s go.
Note: Some of the links below are affiliate links. If you make a purchase via an affiliate link, I will get a small commission at no cost to you. But most of them are not affiliate links; they are just things that I love and think could benefit you, my reader. Rest assured, whether it is an affiliate link or not, these are items that I 100% endorse and that have really made my own life better in some way.
Course: How to Market Yourself Online by Shannon Mattern
It’s for you if: you want to build a business online
Cost: $000000 (Yes! It’s free!)
You’ll see a lot about Shannon Mattern in my “Favorite things” posts. Shannon Mattern’s 5 Day Website Challenge is how I build my first WordPress website. And how she earned me as an eternal fan. When she started offering “How to Market Yourself Online” I noticed that a lot of her information was WAY better than what I got in courses I had paid an arm and a leg for.
Beside giving her info away for free – she makes her money from affiliate marketing and some other paid courses – Shannon doesn’t talk down to you but still breaks everything down so it is super easy to understand. When I started using her courses almost 3 years ago, she was marketing herself as your “Wordpress BFF.” She has since updated her marketing, but I still think of her as my online BFF, She totally knows her stuff and is just so DARN genuine, real, and personable.
Podcast: The Money Nerds Podcast by Whitney Hansen
It’s for you if: You want to learn more about money, but think it’s going to be boring
She had me at “money nerd.” Whitney totally embraces her nerdy side, and I love it. She reports on side hustles she has tried, interviews cool people who are building a business they love, and just dishes about how she sees the world, especially money. On Monday and Friday, her bite-sized Mondays with Me and Five Tip Friday give you a little lift and a glimpse into her life. Despite the title, Whitney is like that totally cool girl who is even cooler because she celebrates the nerdy in herself – and in all of us! Trust me, if her interview with Megan Bryant – they talk about how investing is like sex and dating – doesn’t get you interested in retirement planning, NOTHING will!
Website: Truth for Teachers by Angela Watson
It’s for you if: You are a Rockstar teacher (or want to be a Rockstar teacher) who also needs a reality check and some sanity in life
Angela gets it. She has high standards, wants every kid to succeed, and is a go-getter who makes things happen. (Sound familiar, teachers?) But she also knows how to protect her own mental health and draw boundaries. AND she helps teach us to do the same. I am totally amazed at how timely her posts are and how they speak to my heart. Soon after schools went online when we were in shock and despair about how hard virtual teaching could be, she wrote about some of the ways that teaching online was better. It was a great mindset shift and spirit-lifter. One of her most recent posts is about how to create lesson plans that will work for in-person, remote, and hybrid instruction. That’s something we could all use, now isn’t it?
Book: The Millionaire Next Door: The Surprising Secrets of America’s Wealthy by Thomas Stanley and William Danko
It’s for you if: You think you’ll never be rich because you’re a teacher
This is one of the first books I ever read on wealth. Based on years of research on millionaire and deca-millionaire (net worth of over $10 million), it highlights the habits of the everyday millionaire. The big thing here is that the stereotype of the “millionaire” is totally wrong. Most of the time, you’d never guess that the millionaire is one because their lifestyle is so “normal.” A special bonus for teachers is a chapter that highlights how teachers are the exception to one of the rules they discovered (which makes us MORE likely to amass wealth than the average person in other careers!) and why it matters for building wealth. If you only ever read one book about personal finance, this is the one I would recommend.
Just for fun: Eleanor Oliphant is Completely Fine
It’s for you if: You haven’t read it, but love good fiction.
Admittedly, I don’t have much time for fiction reading at the moment. However, I made time for this lovely little novel and was so glad I did. It was both endearing and cunningly clever as in both its characterization and its plot. It deals with the issues of childhood abuse and narcissism, but – amazingly – is more of an upper than a downer. Here is a quick clip of the author talking about her inspiration for the book.