---
title: "Flying Solo: Gratitude on My 15 Year Stroke Anniversary"
description: How collaboration with interesting, talented, and compassionate individuals that stretch my thinking has been my saving grace.
image: https://allisonzmuda.com/hubfs/IMG_9472-rotated-e1743109875867.jpg
---
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# Flying Solo: Gratitude on My 15 Year Stroke Anniversary
[Allison Zmuda January 5, 2026](https://allisonzmuda.com/insights/author/allison-zmuda)
- [Author Reflections](https://allisonzmuda.com/insights/tag/author-reflections)
- 1 mins
For much of my professional life, I have been navigating as a solopreneur working with school clients to help articulate a coherent and compelling curriculum. Over the past two decades, I have regularly swung back and forth from way too much to not enough work. And regardless of how many engagements I have on the calendar, the worry never subsides. My saving grace has been collaboration with interesting, talented, and compassionate individuals that stretch my thinking.
- Collaboration with school and district leaders to plan and monitor curriculum development.
- Collaboration with my networks to better understand their issues and challenges as well as to hear feedback from them on tools and resources.
- Collaboration with my co-authors who played in the sandbox with me to imagine, create, and share ideas for a broader audience.
- Collaborations with dear friends and family that continue to lift my spirit.
And on the day of my 15 year stroke anniversary where the world went dark, I believe that unthinkable, unpredictable, volatile situations are a chance to shed a skin and look toward the future with a curious, playful, and compassionate eye.
Thank you for everyone along the journey with me. You are treasured.
### Allison Zmuda
Allison Zmuda is an international curriculum consultant with over two decades of experience helping schools design educational systems that are dynamic, engaging, and relevant.
[mailto:allison@allisonzmuda.com](mailto:allison@allisonzmuda.com)
[](https://allisonzmuda.com)
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