About Bonnie…

I didn't begin life with much confidence. As a young child, classmates made fun of my big and crooked teeth. I felt alone and often felt I didn't measure up. Gradually I gained confidence as a result of positive experiences in high school and the fact that I grew into my “big and crooked teeth” with the help of braces!

Discovering What Matters

My journey included marriage, motherhood, returning to college, and making some difficult life decisions. In my late 20’s I discovered books that changed how I thought about life. One of the most influential was Viktor Frankl's book, Man’s Search for Meaning.

From that experience came a question that has guided me for decades: "Assume you're 80 years old. What do you want to look back on?"

I began thinking more seriously about my values and the kind of life I wanted to create. Those reflections influenced my decisions about raising my children, how I wanted to treat others, and how I wanted others to treat me. I even became more determined to reach my goal of teaching math… even if it meant going back to school for additional coursework in math and computer science and not securing a teaching job until later in life.

Finding Meaning Through Teaching

I discovered that helping students develop confidence was just as important as teaching mathematical concepts.

One of my most valuable lessons came while teaching in an underserved community: Before students could learn from me, they needed to know I respected them. And it worked. What started with students being very disrespectful to their new teacher ended with students taking an interest in math and being very respectful of me. It took a while, but I stayed persistent and used non-conventional methods, such as not focusing on the initial disrespect, listening to what they were saying, and taking an interest in them as individuals.

Later, I became an adjunct instructor at the local community college, where I taught and tutored for 20 years. I held large tutoring sessions with 6-8 students at a time, where I taught them how to help one another. I met students wherever they wanted me to be to tutor them. It meant that much to me. I just loved teaching and tutoring.

 Living With Purpose

Looking back, I realize how much my life changed as I learned to make decisions guided by my values. I gained confidence, took thoughtful risks, learned from others, and accomplished more than the insecure young girl I once was could have imagined.

That experience inspired me to create Your Life Compass, a planning system designed to help others identify what matters most and build meaningful futures.

My hope is that others will discover what I learned: A meaningful life doesn't happen entirely by accident. We can help shape it through thoughtful choices, reflection, and a willingness to grow.