Meet Monique Gosling | Educator & Consultant

We had the good fortune of connecting with Monique Gosling and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Monique, how has your perspective on work-life balance evolved over time?
First, I like to define what work-life balance means to me: Work-life balance is a state of equilibrium in which one’s professional and personal obligations are appropriately balanced.

Now that I have defined what a work-life balance means, how has that changed over time for me? When I was single, I had more flexibility in my schedule and how I moved through my career and life, but once I got married, then priorities changed. I could still move through work and my personal life with ease because it was just my husband and me, but once children were included in the equation, that work-life balance significantly changed. I currently work a full-time job on top of running a small consulting business and being a wife/mom. I have a lot of hats to juggle, but it is how I deal with each that can help with the work-life balance. I have learned to be strategic in my goals and time management. I don’t over-exert myself, and sometimes learning to say no is a huge factor. I can’t be everywhere for everyone.

I use my calendar on my phone and at home to help me stay on track with work and personal life. The calendar is my lifeline. I do leave room at times for other things, but for the most part, if it’s not on the calendar, it’s not happening. I adore to-do lists (I stick to 3-5 goals for the month), block out distractions while working and staying focused, and learned how to delegate work better. These are things that have helped me to be better with a healthier work-life balance.
Most importantly I have learned to give myself time to relax when I need it and ask for help. Currently, my work-life balance is becoming more in sync and like anything in life, I make the appropriate adjustments when needed.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have been an educator going on about 15 years. I focus mostly on Reading, Writing, and English as a Second Language. I also want to add that I’m more of a life-application teacher. I love what I do even though educators are not paid fairly for the many roles we do, such as being mentors, data analysis, coaches, behavioral specialists, and many more. I love seeing how the light bulbs go off on in my scholars’ heads or seeing them mature from the beginning of the school year to the end. I am very passionate about teaching my kids the importance of life through learning. Yes, it is excellent for them to learn the fundamentals of Reading, Writing, Math, and Sciences, but most importantly, how does that connect to their everyday life. As they learn from me, I learn from them as well. They challenge me to stay current on trends that are happening on social media, music, and sports. That helps me stay relatable and bring that through the lessons I teach.

When I started my business as MG Consultant, I kept that in mind as I helped parents and students understand and navigate through the learning process—supporting educators as they build on their lessons and how to make them fun and relatable. Today’s kids’ attention span is concise, so you have to create something engaging and grasp their attention from the beginning because if not, it will be like pulling teeth. It has taken me years to master my craft. I continue to learn and follow current education trends through the education magazines I subscribe to, social media such as Linkedin or Instagram, YouTube, and professional development.

I want the world to know that I believe in building bridges between families, schools, and communities through Advocacy, Collaboration, and Team Building. I call it Let’s A.C.T. That is the motto for my brand, and I stand behind that because each category plays a significant role in any child’s learning development. It is all hands on deck to make that child successful in life.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I enjoy having a great time and showing others around my city when they visit. I currently reside in Dall-Ft. Worth Metro area, and the following are some of my favorite hangout spots:

I am a vast brunch/breakfast type person, so I recommend Yolks, Snooze A.M. Eatery, Dream Cafe, and Odd Fellow in Bishop Arts.

Deep Ellum is a great place to hang out (It is a hipster place with plenty of eateries, cute little shops, and live music). Must check out Free Man Cajun Cafe & Lounge and Punch Bowl Social.

Klyde Warren Park is another excellent place to hang out and chill. It is a vast park built over the highway. They have plenty of things to do for everyone and various food trucks to choose from.

Dallas Reunion Tower gives you an extraordinary outlook of the city from great heights and some history.

If you can, sign up for a tour of Dallas to learn the history. In Ft. Worth, check out the Stockyard and Water Gardens.

Bishop Arts District is known for its independently owned shops, cafes, and bars. Just walk around and you are bound to find something interesting. They also have a lot of local arts and murals that are social media-worthy.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I do have two people I want to shoutout and give a huge thanks for being there for me and supporting me along the way: Chamel Evans-She has been a mentor throughout my business. She is the owner of Sheilluminates- a strategist and designer for entrepreneurs (www.chamelevans.com).

She not only walked me through the process when developing my brand, but she was personal and was able to relate as a wife, mom, and business owner. We have prayed, laughed, and supported each other through our business. She has shared with me about the work-life balance as she juggles the many hats she wears. I love that because she understood where I was coming from and was able to help me focus and refocus at times as I continued to navigate through my different roles. Still today, I can call or text her to catch up and share ideas with her, laugh, and pray with her. We developed a friendship and sisterhood.

Another person I want to give a huge shoutout to is my dear sister Kemi Young. We may not be blood sisters but nevertheless, I consider her as a sister. I have no idea what I would do without her being part of my life and she would say the same about me. Our sisterhood runs deep for 15 years. We have cried, prayed, laughed, traveled, and done life together. She is my extra ears and eyes as well as my conscious. She holds me accountable and keeps it 100 with me at all times. There is no sugar coating with us. She is a wife, mom, and an amazing writer. We met in South Korea in 2006 as teachers and since then we have been rolling together. I’m grateful for how God brought us together and the experience we share.

Website: www.moniquegosling.com

Image Credits
Ethan Yizong Guillaume