Life Throws Curveballs
Welcome to “Life Throws Curveballs: Find Your Footing”
Life doesn’t always go according to plan. But we can learn to navigate the unexpected, find our footing, and make room for more joy!
Feeling overwhelmed by never-ending to-do lists, health challenges, competing responsibilities, or life’s unexpected twists and turns?
You’re not alone—and you don’t need a perfect plan!
Join me for four fun, interactive weekly online sessions where we’ll explore practical tools, flexible approaches, and fresh ways to make everyday life feel more manageable.
Our goal? Keep trying. Keep learning. Keep smiling.
Instructor Shannon Paul, M.Ed., wears a sweatshirt that says “KEEP SMILING.” But what if smiling feels impossible right now? That’s okay! Life isn’t always easy, and joy isn’t about pretending otherwise. Come discover practical tools to help you find your footing, one step at a time.
What Will We Explore?
SHINE — Be Your Own Joy Advocate
Recognize your needs, practice self-care, and make room for what matters to you.
LEARN — Find What Works for You
Tackle overwhelming responsibilities in manageable steps, try practical systems, and embrace an “I’m Learning!”mindset.
CONNECT — Make Room for What Matters
Practice gratitude, strengthen meaningful connections, and celebrate what’s going well.
What Can You Expect?
Over four weekly online sessions, we’ll:
- Explore three simple worksheets, one each week, to help with self-care, gratitude, and everyday organization.
- Discover a reflective learning model for making sense of life’s curveballs and deciding what to do next.
- Share ideas, experiment with new approaches, and find ways to make the tools work for your life.
A practical system you can make your own. No pressure to do everything perfectly. Just helpful tools, encouragement, and a chance to learn together!
A Little About Me—and Why I Teach This Class
I’m Shannon Paul, M.Ed., a lifelong educator who believes learning should be practical, enjoyable, and judgment-free.
I’ve had my share of curveballs! I was born with differences affecting my right ear and jaw (microtia-atresia and hemifacial microsomia), and I’ve navigated ADHD and nearly 20 surgeries.
I was born with a job before I ever had my first job!
Self-advocacy has been part of my life from the beginning. Later, divorce taught me the value of practical systems and gratitude. When carpal tunnel surgery and COVID interrupted my nursing school plans, an unexpected path led me to teaching pickleball—and the development of my SHINE • LEARN • CONNECT™ philosophy.
Along the way, I’ve learned that we don’t all carry the same responsibilities, and there’s no one-size-fits-all way to navigate life.
We can’t always control the curveballs, but we can learn to find our footing. And sometimes, an unexpected turn leads somewhere wonderful!
A Little Life Trivia!
1. True or false: Multitasking helps us finish complicated tasks faster.
2. What does the term “sandwich generation” mean?
- A. Busy people who eat lunch while working
- B. Adults balancing responsibilities involving both aging parents and their own children
- C. People who prefer sandwiches to salads
3. True or false: Most people who download a productivity app are still using it 30 days later.
Scroll down for the answers. No Googling!
Trivia Answers
1. False! Switching between complicated tasks can slow us down and increase mistakes. Sometimes one thing at a time is the fastest way forward!
Source: American Psychological Association — Multitasking
2.B! The sandwich generation describes adults caught between the needs of two generations. In a 2025 Pew Research Center survey, 54% of Americans in their 40s had a parent age 65 or older and either a minor child or an adult child they’d helped financially.
3. False! Mobile-app retention benchmarks suggest that only a small percentage of new productivity-app users return on day 30. That doesn’t mean they’ve given up on organizing—perhaps they’re still finding what works!
Source: App Retention Benchmarks
Ready to Sign Up?
Look for the “Life Throws Curveballs: Find Your Footing” in the self-development section of the PCC Community Ed current catalog.
I can’t wait to learn, laugh, and connect with you!
Shannon 🌼