We are 2 months (and 1 day) into this personal wellness and growth journey. I thought that I’d circle back to my introductory post and address some of the goals that I talked about there. Those that have been following along know that it has been a bit of a down period for me lately. I’ve covered that here. However, this post will be about analyzing the goals listed, in my introductory post, from an objective, yet supportive mindset.
Without further ado, let’s look at the progress on those goals and how they might best be modified for future success. For simplicity’s sake, I have copied and pasted the goals below. My commentary is in the sub-bullet points below the goals.
Build healthy relationships: This will include meeting new people and strengthening my existing friendships (being more present and available to friends).
This is the big one. It is what I am craving so desperately, yet struggling with avoiding and self sabotage. The past two months have been a mixed bag here. I have not made much progress on the romantic relationships front, but I am planning on attending social events with singles in the coming month. I am also planning on going to the zoo with Jane. There have been several hurdles to this planning, but I am committed to making it happen. It will happen. Hopefully, I will also have some nice pictures to share.
Being kind to myself and increasing motivation, while also being able to accept criticism.
A key point that I mentioned here was my tendency to be self-deprecating. I notice less negative thoughts, but it remains an issue. Motivation is also a constant struggle for me. However, I am feeling motivated to be successful. I applied for an academic advising position. I plan on applying to more jobs this month. A preliminary thought is to submit 1 high quality job application per week. I want to focus on quality over quantity. However, I notice that when I do not put a specific number to the applications it hinders my motivation. By setting a number, I have a benchmark to hold myself to. It is also worth noting that my definition of quality is comprehensive. Quality to me includes both the quality of the job (material benefits, but more importantly happiness) and the quality of the materials that I submit.
Hobby development: I’d like to find more activities that I truly enjoy.
This is another area that I haven’t truly committed to in the past couple of months. I tend to spiral into isolation and inactivity. I discussed my interest in learning photography. I am still interested, but I have been reluctant to invest in a nice camera. The truth is that part of my reluctance comes from my desire to be able to monetize my photography, and knowing that there will be a steep learning curve. However, this is the wrong attitude. Not all hobbies need to be monetized, and many times the best monetization comes when you are truly passionate about something. It also takes time. All of this is to say, I just need to jump in and start learning photography. If the opportunity exists to make some additional money, that would be fantastic. It is not imperative though. Preliminarily studying photography and learning the craft, determining if I truly enjoy it, and deciding if I want to pursue it further are imperative. In the coming weeks, I will set a goal of watching the introductory session of the Udemy masterclass in photography.
Consistently blog, create a production schedule, and build a personal website.
The one area that I have met and exceeded is posting blogs. I was striving for 1 blog post a week. It has not always been perfect (it never is and that’s okay), but I have consistently posted more than once a week. Now the key is to use this writing to spur accountability and action. As for a production schedule, I have not developed one per se. I have started taking notes as things come to me, but I have also found that a production schedule is not necessarily the best way for me to operate. That is, spontaneity is key to the rawness and realness of these posts. Lastly, I purchased a domain name and started setting up a website. However, I have found it a bit overwhelming and have avoided working on it. In the coming weeks, I am going to watch some Youtube videos regarding website creation. I am following a guide online, but I had neglected to watch the video instead thinking that I could do it on my own. That was not the case.
Increase physical activity to 150 minutes a week, I really enjoy group workouts.
This is where I have really struggled. I have been avoiding group workouts. That’s what is so difficult about avoidance for me. It is pervasive. I avoid important conversations, social interactions, and other personal wellness. It has impacted every goal mentioned. Especially this one. A big reason for gym avoidance though is ice cream scooping. It proved to be more physically taxing than I had anticipated. Given that I am on sabbatical, it presents a great opportunity to get back on the wagon so to speak. I know that I enjoy these fitness classes, and it is just taking that step to get back up and going to the classes.
In the grand scheme of things, 2 months is not a long time. Many of these goals are long term and will not be accomplished overnight. It is going to take time. It is going to include regressions and successes. It will not be easy, but it will be worth it.
As always, thank you for reading. I am truly grateful that you are here. This blog is for everyone. However, it is especially for those interested in growth and wellness while maintaining core values, such as kindness. My definition of making a mark on the world is not driven by material success (although that is a component). It is more about becoming the best version of me and helping others become the best version of themselves, wherever I can.
Thank you again for reading. If you enjoyed this post, please consider subscribing to and sharing Making my Mark on the world. The journey has only just begun.
THANK YOU for sharing!!! 🙌