✨ Creation is Key!

✨ Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

✨ Something to Remember the Month by?

☕ What’s Next for the Cafe

🔖 Read Something Else?

🔖 Recommended Reading!

✨ Creation is Key!

Pottery

My month-long project is finally complete! After painstakingly crafting, restarting and trying again, my creation LIVES! I’ll post some pictures soon of the completed project - I think it turned out really well!

Writing

I’ve managed to stick to my new writing schedule! 2 essays per week! Let me know - what do you all think of the 2 posts per week?

Leave a comment

✨ Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

Reading

💫 Empire of AI by Karen Hao: CURRENT READ

Did NOT get to read much this month! Unfortunately, my life became crazy and chaotic, and I needed to spend my energy elsewhere. I’m still in the middle of Empire of AI - taking diligent notes along the way - so look forward to that review next Month!

Essays

Some Quotes that helped me this month! Find the Articles below in Recommended Reading!

Watching

Alice reiterates the story of the Fig Tree by Sylvia Plath. She explains her POV while dealing with a similar circumstance - not being able to pick a Fig from the tree because we want to do it all. She brings up the Odyssey Plan; a way to design your life to try as many figs as possible. Broken into 3 parts:

✨ The Expected Path: current projection of life - if you took your life and didn’t change a thing, how would that pan out?

✨ The Alternate Path: say the expected path didn’t work out - what other lifestyles could you choose?

✨ The Wild Card Path: without any concerns or obligations - what is your dream path?

Now, I’ve already written a few pieces on my Alternate Path and not following my Expected path, so I’ll explain what the Wild Card would be.

It should come to absolutely NO ONES shock when I say - I want to own a bookstore. I have a passion for reading and telling stories, and I would love to kind of be the middleman, introducing others to amazing authors and explaining WHY I think they should pick that book up. I want to make a community where everyone can get together and read and discuss books!

Alice also brings up the “Yearning Octopus” by Tim Urban. First, I LOVE THAT NAME. It’s a cute lil octopus, each arm represents something different you need to fulfill. The Yearning Octopus helps us identify the areas of our lives that need balance. I’ll link the website here, check it out!

Okay I ABSOLUTELY LOVE this video! Janapasabi has created a fun new way to visualize your goals in your journal. She breaks it down into 6 categories:

✨ What I’m Scared of

✨ What It’s Costing Me

✨ Why It’s Not That Bad

✨ How I’m Fighting It

✨ OPTIONAL: How It Made Me Feel

✨Proof Doing the Scary Thing

Take a look at mine below:

Perfectionism is a double-edged sword - yes everything works out when it’s perfect, but you get trapped in the thoughts on how to start. Projects never get to see the light of day because you are worried about the Messy Middle. Art by Bet explains three examples of where a person needs to rid themselves of their perfectionist ideas and just START. Because honestly, starting is the hardest part. For a perfectionist, starting is staring at a blank page and seeing all the possible ways it can go WRONG, not the ways it can go RIGHT. I thoroughly enjoyed this video, and I’d give it 12/10 stars for its production and message!

The rest of the videos I watched are linked HERE: May Inspiration!

✨ Something to Remember the Month by?

I spent a lot of time with family and friends this month! I doubled down writing my essays - posting 2x a week now! A lot of positive changes and some not-so-great stuff too. I’ll explain further what I mean.

Runaway - like a train that can’t be stopped.

Runaway - from all the bad things happening.

Runaway - an unexpected triumph.

A lot of good and bad things happened in my life during May. It was truly a month of Chaos. I started the month, already with last month’s energy to keep writing. I started posting 2x a week. Some essays took a while to research, others straight from the heart. I’m starting to see a light at the end of the tunnel - the Train finally has a direction to head in.

Friends - I’ve spent so much time with them this month! Each day bringing more and more laughter - I’m glad I reached out to them. I can’t wait to spend even more time together.

Family - We’ve been each other’s rocks this month as lots of things happened. But even though it was tumultuous times and I’ve wanted to run away from it all - my family remained my anchors, helping keep me afloat.

The folks I’ve told about my writing have all been supportive, giving me the energy to keep running towards my goals. For that, I say a BIG THANK YOU. You truly don’t know how much your support means to me. I’ve been stuck in my head and not moving forward; with your support I can finally get that push to run towards my dreams. They don’t seem as scary with you all behind me.

☕ What’s Next for the Cafe

Here’s the Calendar for June! I’ll include this in every Monthly Recap so that you know what’s ahead! I’ve moved to posting on Tuesday and Thursdays from now on! This gives me more time to write and reflect on what’s working/ not working for me!

New Section! Espresso Yourself - the new section for all my Journal Prompt Essays!

I’ve also turned on subscriptions! I know monthly subscriptions don’t work for everyone so I’ve created a tip jar so you can show your support for the Chatty Cafe! If you’ve read something you really liked, please consider leaving a tip - it’s totally OPTIONAL!

Support the Cafe

And that, my dear Reader, wraps up May! How was your time spent? Let me know in the comments and please share your May Wins!

Leave a comment

🔖 Read Something Else?

🔖 Recommended Reading!

The Open Letters

A cure to your loneliness

From Līga Aija Lagzdiņa💌…

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a month ago · 128 likes · 3 comments · The open Letters

Lillian Kennedy

personality paradox

I do not know what kind of person I am. Nor do I know how others might perceive me; I hope they would describe me as kind or intelligent but perhaps some would use less favourable adjectives. There is however, one word which indisputably belongs to my defining characteristics: stubborn…

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a month ago · 35 likes · 19 comments · Lillian Kennedy

marie's internet history

"I'm just a girl" is weaponised incompetence

“Girl math,” she says, strutting into her overdraft, “girl dinner,” she says, over a plate of food with enough nutrients to feed a hamster. “I’m just a girl,” she justifies, lazing in bed, refusing to vote because she’s not ‘politically informed,’ and cheating on her boyfriend. ‘Girl’ is a female child — and you’re certainly acting like one…

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25 days ago · 255 likes · 25 comments · marie

Sami Raihane

The Geography of Longing

Dear friend…

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a month ago · 51 likes · 6 comments · Sami Raihane

House of Becoming

If No One Is Coming to Save You, No One Is Coming to Stop You Either

One of the hardest realisations in life is that no one is coming to rescue you…

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2 months ago · 289 likes · 26 comments · Nayara Coenen

˖ ࣪ ⊹ whimsically written ⊹ ࣪ ˖

I want to be a sunshine girl

I know that life can be so beautiful, and I want to bring that to other people…

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a month ago · 58 likes · 8 comments · 𝘧𝘢𝘪𝘳𝘺‧₊˚𖦹

The Official Nancy Drew Newsletter

No, Therapy is NOT for Everyone, Sorry!!!

Therapy is great… for people who need it. I would say a lot of you bitches don’t need it!!! I would say a lot of you bitches just need a friend, a real friend, like someone that will listen to voice messages that you send or listen to your rant or listen to you beat the same (very) dead horse over and over again. But we shouldn’t do that, because everyo…

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a month ago · 81 likes · 18 comments · lindsey louise

FORM Wellness

The Twelve Supplements You Feel Guilty About Is a Business Model

We all buy supplements and with genuine intention. Read the reviews, maybe watched a few videos, possibly even set them out on the counter so you’d actually remember to take them, and now they just sit there. A quiet little monument to a version of yourself that was going to have her “act together…

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a month ago · 12 likes · 8 comments · FORM WELLNESS

To make things a bit easier, I’ve included links so you can jump around the article. Let me know what you think of this new style!

Table of Contents

Creation is Key!

Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

Something to Remember the Month by?

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Creation is Key!

Pottery

Guys my 2 major projects are done! Mother’s and Father’s day presents have been completed! They look super cute and I learned a lot during this process. Making sculptures is H A R D guys. But I finished them in 6 weeks!

From these projects, I was actually inspired to make something bigger! I won’t share just yet, the process has only just begun! Once I’ve started making actual progress I’ll update you all under Creativi-TEA!

Art

If you haven’t taken a peek - I’ve updated my Substack! More hand-drawn icons by yours truly! I plan to create hand drawn cover art for my articles - it just adds a little more personal touch.

Writing

After a lot of thinking, I’ve decided to take my Substack in a new direction - I wrote about it in:

You’ll see new sections pop up under the homepage:

I’ve Bean Busy: My Monthly Wins! Just a reminder of the good things that happen during the month!

Not Your Average Cup of Joe: Serious, researched articles - I’ll try and do this once a month

Let’s Give This a Chai: The catch-all for Journaling posts

Every Mug Tells a Story: Book Reviews! I’ll only do 1 a month on these - unsure of the format yet; I might group my Monthly Reading together and give a quick synopsis OR do a review on one book. More to come

Creativi-TEA: All my pottery and digital art will be posted here! Any long term projects or things I’ve drawn in the month will go here.

Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

Reading

💫 The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop by Takuya Asakura ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ 5/5

💫 The Road of Bones by Demi Winters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 1.5/5

💫 A Certain Hunger by Chelsea G. Summers ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5

💫 The Baby Dragon Cafe by A.T. Qureshi ⭐ ⭐ ⭐⭐ 4.5/5

💫 The Exes by Leodora Darlington ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4/5

💫 Yellowface by R.F. Kuang ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5/5

A bit of a mixed reading month; coming off a Reading Slump means trying to find SOMETHING that will hold my attention. I know the Road of Bones wasn’t TOO bad - the characters just reminded me too much of Court of Thorns and Roses people (they all drove me mad). The side characters were great (as they usually are) but the MCs annoying behavior just tanked the book for me.

My two highlighted books were The Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop and Yellowface. I wouldn’t have found the Vanishing Cherry Blossom Bookshop without a Quest from Pagebound and I’m glad I gave it a chance. A book filled with short stories is exactly what I needed to rebound from a reading slump! Which pushed me enough to read Yellowface, my second 5 star of the month! When I added this book to my Anti-Rot reading for the year, I did not realize how insane the character truly was. I mean that in both a good and bad way - June’s character was written so well you couldn’t help to feel a little icky after reading. It was a different kind of ick than A Certain Hunger - at least in that one, Dorothy is a bit too descriptive.

Overall, a pleasant month of reading!

Essays

Links:

chicgirlmoment

30 things you can do to make your month not as boring as the last one

Check off these 30 things to make your life interesting again…

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2 months ago · 207 likes · 8 comments · chicgirlmoment

perfume & letters

let whoever think whatever

We can control almost everything, what we say, what we do, how we present ourselves but we can’t control how people choose to see us. And still, there’s this constant urge to try…

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2 months ago · 962 likes · 30 comments · teodoraa

marie's internet history

You're not an introvert, you're just stuck in your comfort zone.

I’m the extrovert. I make people laugh. I never stop talking (although some might wish that I would). I’m the friend nominated to speak to the cashier at McDonald’s because no one else wants to point out that there’s meat in our veggie order. And yet, somehow, just last week, at an anniversary party for an independent magazine I’d contributed to last ye…

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2 months ago · 63 likes · 11 comments · marie

Badmouthing

Help! I don't find joy in the things I used to enjoy anymore

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2 months ago · 34 likes · 6 comments · Luciana Cole they/them

Watching

💫 The Internet is Rewriting Your Personality by Olivia Unplugged

⭐ The Internet really IS rewriting your personality. Think about how many goals, your ambition before the Internet. Think about the things you wanted to do and you just… did them. You didn’t get caught in your phone before, stuck scrolling away. Olivia identifies 4 elements to come back to yourself, which I won’t spoil here, give her video a watch!

💫 The Horrific Price of Creativity by Zelly

⭐ Zelly creates a masterpiece identifying the price of creativity using Tatsuki Fujimoto’s Look Back as the subject. Look Back shines light on two Creatives: Fujimo and Kyomoto. Fujimo, a popular student who creates the schools comic strip, and Kyomoto, a shut-in whose art shines brightly, become an unlikely duo. The pair become friends and work together on a manga, each pushing the other outside their comfort zone. I love the way Zelly told this story - they narrowed in on the key components of each character and showed their growth, nailing why Look Back was so popular. Creativity - what does it truly cost?

💫 Make Something by Sinikick

⭐ Following suit from the Horrific Price of Creativity comes Make Something by Sinikick. Please give this a watch - I was pleasantly surprised. We should each strive to make something every day. Not just because of AI, but because it’s good for us. We should challenge ourselves to make something new, that’s how we’ll grow.

💫 This Video Will Find You Before Your Next Chapter by Emmy

⭐ Finally, this Video Will Find You Before Your Next Chapter - it isn’t long but the point still stands. Emmy explains that while you shouldn’t wait for others to complete your goals, sometimes you DO need to wait “to pursue what you truly want”. Pausing before your next hurdle isn’t a waste - it’s merely the planning stage. The stage where you take it all in, before starting something new.

Listening

The new Tomorrow X Together album dropped April 13th and it is insane. 7th Year: A Moment of Stillness in the Thorns - first of all, what a Fall Out Boy title, I LOVE IT! Second - this album leaned more EDM/Rock-y which are genres I absolutely adore, so you know this album was on my top listening for the month! My favorite song is a toss up between Stick With You and Take Me to Nirvana (feat. Vinida Wang). Collab songs are a fun way to see how the artists work together, and TXT collabs usually slap soooo you know this got added to the daily drive mix!

Something to Remember the Month by?

This month’s theme was reinvention.

After a slow start, I’m finally seeing where I want to go. Writing

helped identify exactly what I was missing from my life. Reinvention does not mean I’ve lost everything before - it means I’ve taken the lessons and moved onto a new path. A path that is defined by ME.

This new path is undefined, but every step forward is a step away from my sadness. It’s a step away from the things that weren’t meant for me. I may not have a clue where it leads, but that’s the adventure I was craving so bad. I’m going to lean into my art and learning. I want to be stupidly educated and down to clown at a moments notice. I want to be able to make MYSELF proud because I’ve long forgotten what it feels like.

Reinvention is redirection. I’m following a new path now and while that’s TERRIFYING its also EXCITING! There’s so much to learn, so much to do, and for once, I don’t feel as empty as I did before. It’s time to shake off the comfort and do something new. Stop letting your life be dictated by others; it’s YOUR life, no one else is going to live it. Let go of others opinions and make yourself the priority. Don’t let your story be told by others, make it yourself.

And that, my dear Reader, wraps up April! How was your time spent? We’re 4 months down for 2026 - anything you’re looking forward to in May? Let me know in the comments and please share your April Wins!

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A: Your Answer Goes Here!

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Ahhhhh, March. The return of Spring! The sun is no longer setting at 5 PM and I! Feel! Alive! Seriously, is it pollen in the air, why am I crying seeing the sun? I live in a sunny place, this is the norm. Y’know what’s NOT the norm? These temps! One day it’s in the 50s, the next it’s in the 80s. Why are we built like this Florida?

March brings not only the Spring but new Wins! Without further ado, here’s my March Madness (Wins)!

What I’ve Done this Month!

Gym

Same Routine, Same Days, MORE EFFORT. It’s exhausting dragging myself after work, but I feel SO much better after a long day of sitting. Movement really is medicine, I hate to say it.

Pottery

Back at it again with my pottery. This time I’ve been given tasks! My dad asked me to make my mom a sculpture of her favorite animal and to be used with an incense stick. So with that in mind, I’ve made the best lil guy I can. I also made my dad his OWN version. So Mother’s and Father’s day are taken care of this year!

I don’t have pics of the sculptures yet - I’ll reveal them after Father’s Day, so look forward to that in June! Just know, they are the cutest lil things you’ve ever seen!

Art wise - this was a HARD project. I’ve never created something on this scale - so it was hard to determine the size of the animals and poses. It took a lot of building and standing away from the statue to figure out exactly what I’m going for. Building is HARD when you’re not using the wheel! Hard but NOT IMPOSSIBLE!

Art

I’ve started my digital art journey! To be honest, I’ve had procreate for a while. I’ve made a few drawings here and there, but never fully committed to learning. It was just something to do for fun. Well - not anymore! For my Spring Personal Curriculum, I’ve signed up for TWO, yes T W O, art courses! Found through Instagram, KatfishDraws and SleepyRedBean will be teaching me how to draw. I got these courses during their Black Friday sales and while it’s been a while since November, I’m finally attempting something I’ve wanted to do. Which is scary. Scary but Fun!

Writing

Did you guys see that? I posted again. TWICE. And they both were well-read! I can’t imagine 100 people seeing my work and thinking they’d want to read it, but here we are! I cannot be more grateful to you, Reader, for continuing to support my rambles. It means a lot to me. Writing has been cathartic for me - as someone who didn’t believe my words had any power.

AND YET - YOU ALL READ THEM ANYWAYS! YOU BELIEVED IN THE WORDS I SAID! Even if you may not have agreed with what I said, you still sat there and read the words I put out there and for that I will be eternally grateful.

Aaaaand if you missed it, here’s what I wrote:

Cooking

I’ve made SO many things this month that I’m just going to post the pictures! Once I learn to take PROPER food pics, it’s OVER for you food bloggers!

Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

Reading

Alright, I’ll admit it. I’m Icarus. I flew too close to the Reading Sun. I’ve caught the burnout. I’ve asked my fellow book buddies on how to slow this burnout down; they all gave me the same advice: SLOW DOWN!

BUT I DON’T WANT TO! Reading has been so good for my mental health that I don’t WANT to give it up! I managed to read 4 books this month:

💫 Immortal Longings by Chloe Gong ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.5/5

💫 A Letter from the Lonesome Shore by Sylvie Cathrall ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5

💫 Road of Bones by Demi Winters ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 3/5

💫 Goddess of the River by Vaishnavi Patel ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5/5

Yes, I gave the Hindu Mythology book the highest score. It’s fascinating to me. As someone who grew up in the religion, but ever so slightly out of it - hearing these stories retold is interesting. I think it’s bringing light onto Hindu stories that should be told - every other religion has a retelling (cough Divine Comedy cough). Highly recommend you give a read, dear Reader!

I’ve also been reading a TON of essays - you’ve probably seen the reposts of callout quotes as I’m now calling them. Here are some of my favorites:

marie's internet history

how to ACTUALLY stop people-pleasing

My credentials as a people-pleaser are publicly documented for the world to see in this article I published last November. Featured on Hasif’s Open Letters project (an incredible opportunity I encourage everyone to submit to), it remains a major factor in the growth of my platform to date. For those of you who’ve yet to read it, I’ll keep my list of cri…

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2 months ago · 27 likes · 4 comments · marie

“Surely the most quick-fire way to get everyone to like you is to give them everything they want - right? Wrong it makes you invisible, even to yourself. You’ll end up wearing so many different masks that you’ll look in the mirror and not recognize your own face.”

The Content Girl

It’s weird that we don’t start our comments with ‘hi’

Recently I was sat in a really grimy pizza place that doesn’t have nearly enough seating for how popular it is. It’s become known in the area for serving the most incredible spicy margarita in the most unlikely setting. The place is so wildly basic that it’s actually looped around full circle and become incredibly chic…

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3 months ago · 54 likes · 24 comments · Ellen

“But online, we’ve created this oppressive chamber of negativity disguised as fact-bearing, and I feel like the internet would be a better place if we all just… chilled a little bit?”

Nine to Vogue

Don’t be that miserable person, and try not to stand next to them either.

You know the person I’m talking about…

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3 months ago · 183 likes · 33 comments · Nine to Vogue

“But here’s the thing I’ve learned somewhere along the way: you can go through difficult things without becoming someone who sees everything as terrible.”

dose of hope

we're all unreliable narrators of our own lives

lately, in an effort to romanticize learning, i’ve been picking a topic each month that intrigues me and devouring everything i can about it. this month, i’ve been studying narrative psychology—the science of how humans use story to make sense of their lives…

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3 months ago · 11 likes · 4 comments · courtney hope.

“it takes real effort to notice the difference between self-awareness and self-limitation in disguise. because the story sounds so reasonable when you’re the one telling it.”

Recovering Girlboss

Staying invisible is costing you more than being cringe ever will

I’m writing to you from up in the sky, my favorite co-working space. But I’m editing this back in New York, where fake spring is officially here, it’s a cloudless 69 degrees today, and the sky is staying lit a little longer. I can taste the Hugo spritzes dancing on my tongue…

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3 months ago · 1350 likes · 100 comments · Juliette Dallas-Feeney

“I believe every person has a perspective worth communicating, and not because the algorithm demands it, but because honest expression contributes to something larger than any one post”

Watching

I’ve finally finished Trauma Code! Really wish they would drop a second season. I love the way the characters developed, even in a short amount of episodes (8). Now I’m rewatching S1 of Bloodhounds in anticipation of the next season - dropping April 3rd! I’M SO EXCITED TO SEE THESE CHARACTERS AGAIN!

This month, I tried to watch more short animation films! It’s interesting to see the stories develop through art. Some use stop motion effects, others use solely digital art. These are my favorites:

💫 Hooked by DoodlemeGo

💫 The Legend of Pipi by Papajoolia

💫 Lost & Found by Andrew Goldsmith & Bradley Slabe

💫 Blahaj Goes to Waffle House at 3 AM by Atoga

Also this YouTube Video in Particular: I think we should all use the Audacity

💫 Do It Anyway by Owiebrainhurts

Listening

This month, I took a little turn away from my KPop listening. I turned to Soft Indie music which I haven’t heard in a while. It reminded me - I’m not JUST the hyper, loud, on-the-go person 24/7. I’m more than being the catch-all and I should SLOW DOWN. How did I get this reminder from music? You can get this reminder from ANYTHING - as long as you’re paying attention that is.

Something to Remember the Month by?

One of my coworkers started to bring me homemade coffees. I really appreciate her, it’s not cheap bringing an extra coffee daily! And to be 1000000% honest? Her coffee is better than Starbucks. I don’t get sick when she makes it - I think the extra ingredient is LOVE.

No but seriously, she’s the SWEETEST person. It doesn’t take a lot to show others a little compassion, and she does it daily. To repay her kindness, I made her a little teddy bear tip jar, which she LOVED. I hope the bear sits nicely on her coffee cart, sending sweet coffee to all her patrons.

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And that, my dear Reader, wraps up March! How was your time spent? Are you excited for Spring? Anything you’re looking forward to in April? Let me know in the comments and please share your March Madness Wins!

Leave a comment

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What did I do?

Pottery

We finished off Session 3 of Pottery! That’s 18 weeks of consistently creating things! I’m now on Session 4 - and there’s so much more to make. This session, we’re still hand-building, but now I have a clearer picture on what I can/can’t make.

For session 3, I really leaned into hand building. I’ve made some cool things including a duck pond. I also ATTEMPTED (heavy on the attempt) to create Stray Kids SKZOOs because I find them adorable. Everyone gave me lots of compliments on those, and they weren’t bad for a first attempt!

Gym

I’ve gone down to 3 days a week at the gym! Still a lot, but honestly, every week was flying by. I had to regain some time for me to decompress too. It’s important to have a balance. I have been getting stronger, I can now lift without my carpal tunnel killing me! So a wins, a win!

Cooking

I’ll be honest - I love me a fancy coffee. I love the fancy syrups and the milk options and the combos. It’s fun for a little treat - but also expensive. This month, I’ve decided to learn how to make both coffee creamers AND syrups from scratch. I’ve also juiced an orange on my new contraption, which WILL come in handy when I’m making jams later this year. I already have a strawberry, blueberry, and mango jam on lock - I’m going to try orange marmalade when they’re in season!

Media Consumed My Heart, Soul, and Mind

Reading

Keeping up the reading streak with 5 books this month! I did DNF a book, I got like 50% through and couldn’t finish. I’ve learned that DNF’ing a book doesn’t mean failure, just means it’s not the right fit. The books that DID fit this month are:

💫 My Sister, the Serial Killer by Oyinkan Braithwaite ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5/5

💫 Cursed Daughters by Oyinkan Braithwaite ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5/5

💫 Capitalists Must Starve by Seolyeon Park ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4.5/5

💫 A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking by T. Kingfisher ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 5/5

💫 A Witch’s Guide to Magical Innkeeping by Sangu Mandanna ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ 4/5

I’m still working on my Anti-Brainrot challenge by @thisstoryaintover. This month I chose to focus on POC Women Authors with a fun read by T. Kingfisher thrown in too thanks to Pagebound’s Seasonal Quests.

Listening

Ateez dropped Golden Hour 4 on Feb. 6th, at 12 AM EST. At 12:01 EST, Adrenaline and NASA went platinum in my room.

HA but seriously, that album was AMAZING! I needed more! This month, my bestie and I traded playlists - he made me an ATEEZ one and I made a Stray Kids one for him. It was so much fun doing a deep dive into each artist and honestly made me miss making playlists.

Watching

I started 2 K-dramas - Trauma Code and Positively You. I really like medical dramas but boy did Trauma Code blow them out the water. I read Positively You about 8 years ago and it was amazing so I had high hopes for the KDrama. AND BOY WAS IT AMAZING! I love the actors they chose and the story is progressing pretty much as I remember it.

On YouTube, I’ve been watching a LOT of DIY and Cooking videos. Some of my favorite DIYs I watched this month are:

💫 NerdForge Celestial Reading Nook

💫 DIY In Progress Stained Glass Window

💫 Tina Le IKEA Hacks for 2026

💫 Cloudyhills Studio Makeover with IKEA

Something to Remember the Month by?

Shoutout from ChicGirlMoment

Okay so this was a big one that I really wasn’t expecting? A few weeks ago I posted an article, What to Write About When You Don’t Feel Like Writing (give it a read, if you haven’t already!). It was a silly post, mostly reminding myself that “hey, I’M the target audience, I can write what ever I want to”. I came up with a pretty long list (with examples) to help others know that you can write about literally anything. The point of the article was to give ideas and just POST IT. Someone out there will vibe with your content.

So I posted it in some subscriber chats where I’ve noticed others post their work too. And then I went about my day. I didn’t realize that my literal words would be used AGAINST ME (I’m joking, I was so stoked). SOMEONE DID SEE MY WORK. THEN QUOTED MY WORK. IN A LIST. WITH OTHERS WHO WROTE AMAZING PIECES!!!!!!!! MY WORK! MY SILLY LITTLE ARTICLE REMINDING MYSELF TO JUST POST WHATEVER I WANT! IT MADE THE LIST!!!!!!!!

Thank you Chic Girl Moment for picking my silly work amongst other amazing authors! You guys should give this a read and find other topics that inspire you!

chicgirlmoment

are my subscribers' essays worth your attention?

Recently, I thought it would be a good idea to use the reach I currently have here and create a post focused on the essays written by my paid subscribers. Since they support my work, I decided to post them here for the rest of you and say a little about them, because, as you know, we all like to have someone to write for…

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4 months ago · 34 likes · 19 comments · chicgirlmoment

Guys, I don’t think you understand how shocked I was to receive that notif. Because it TRULY was unexpected and one of the most shocking/happiest things to happen last month. Someone out there really WILL read your work and WILL vibe with it, no matter what you post.

So these are my February Wins! I hope you enjoyed reading! Please tell me about your wins below, I’d love to celebrate with you!

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What’s something you did in January that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment?

This month I’ve:

• Created some cool things at Pottery!

• Actively Cooked My Friday Take Away Meals

• Read 6 books of my 2026 Reading Goal

• Consistent Gym Routine!

Pottery!

I’ve missed making things! I had about a month off between sessions and while I enjoyed sleeping in on a Saturday, I DID miss creating things. For the Jan sessions, I’ve been going in the afternoons instead of the mornings. I can say confidently now, I’ll trade my morning sleep for afternoon sleep please. I miss my afternoon lazing around!! Although I can say as well - cooking in the morning before class was pretty nice. Then I could come home and just relax.

Enough about that, you wanna know what I made? FIGURINES!!! I’ll show for my Feb Wins, but so far I’ve made some COOL looking figurines. I’m really leaning into hand building and learning what works. I’ve made a cool bowl and an interesting… mug? Listen, it started off as a mug, and then turned into something else completely. You’ll just have to tune in for the next Win edition to see!

Cooking?

Okay so one of my yearly goals is “STOP EATING OUT SO MUCH!” DoorDash, Uber, you have seen the last of me. Hello Pinterest, TikTok, and YouTube, I come begging for interesting recipes. So far I’ve made:

Week 1: Dumpling Soup & Stir Fry Noodles

Week 2: Enchilada Stuffed Shells, Apple Tarts, & Banana Muffins

Week 3: Cherry Milkshakes & Onigiri

Week 4: Brekkie for Dinner (Pancakes, Turkey Sausage, & Bacon), French Bread Pizza (Baguette with Alfredo, Spinich & Mushrooms), Chicken Pot Pie

Reading!

Guys I’ve surprised myself. I’ve completed 6 Books out of my 2026 reading goals! So far I’ve read:

💫 Strange Pictures by Uketsu

💫 The Gathering Dark by MULTI Authors (antirot challenge anthology)

💫 BUDDY READ: Slaughterhouse Five by Kurt Vonnegut, Jr.

💫 The Stationery Shop of Tehran by Marjan Kamali antirot challenge SWANA author

💫 Rings of Fate by Melissa De La Cruz

💫 A Letter to the Luminous Deep by Sylvie Cathrall

My favorite read of the month was Strange Pictures! The first book really set the tone for the rest of the month! In the most NONSPOILER review I can possibly give: This book combines pictures and storytelling. It offers the audience a new perspective on how stories are told through pictures and how certain influences affect the art.

Gym!

Another 2026 goal: more consistent gym routine! So far I’ve hit the gym 4x a week! EVERY WEEK! Guys, I’m gonna be SO strong come December I can’t wait! My trainer always asks “what’s my goal in being here?” and my answer is always “to not hurt when I exist” and so far, its been working! Really excited to see how much improvement I’ll have by December.

That’s my recap! What’s something you did in January that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment, dear Reader? Leave it in the comments below so we can cheer you on as well!

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I know I promised another essay before the year ended - I really did have this planned out! Unfortunately, the flu caught me. So, I was confined to my room, stuck in bed with absolutely no energy to write.

Did anyone else have that moment this Christmas Break (if you had a break) - the lack of energy. I don’t know why, but my body felt like jelly. It was hard to move around and actually do things this time off. I did, however, force myself out the house to hang with family and a friend before the flu grabbed my ankles and threw me down sickbay.

So, I wanted to use this time to recap and plan! I want to talk about my 2025 and what I hope 2026 has in store for me!

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2025: YOU GOT BINGO!!!!!!

I started the year with a fun Bingo! It included reading goals, gaming goals, music goals, and show goals. I’m happy to report the only things I did not finish were my gaming and music goals - which I’ll go further into below.

I completed my reading goal! 12 books before the end of 2025 - I ended up reading 19! This was a challenge, as I was coming out of a reading slump. I could not find the energy to read, and forcing myself to sit down and actually finish a book felt like hell. My attention span was dust, no thanks to my doomscrolling. What helped me reach this goal? Forcing myself to disable EVERYTHING on my phone for 30 minutes during my lunch, picking books that interested me, and learning the art of DNF. There is no crime for DNF’ing a book - it just didn’t vibe with you.

The second thing on my bingo - Kdramas! In 2024, I finally decided to start watching Kdramas. I was always a step away from watching - reading webtoons, manga, and watching animes and Bollywood literally leaves you at its doorstep. I finally bit the bullet and watched Sweet Home which THEN started my deep dive into this new world of media. It’s kinda funny it took me SO long to watch them, as I can’t imagine a time without it. Though, as with every media, too much will leave you burnt out, so I try and moderate the amount of screen time I’m having.

For the artsy bingos - make a sculpture, doodle, use my coloring books, and paint a picture - I completed them all! I joined pottery and made my lil guy. I doodled so much, I ended up getting procreate on my iPad. My coloring books have never been more vibrant. And the picture I painted? Well… let’s just say, my muse was unimpressed.

My self care goals were met this year, but I can definitely do better! Self care Sunday needs to become a weekly habit. Journaling should be daily, if not, weekly, as it’s good to mentally dump out what’s bugging me or reflect on my week so far. Walking 1 HR - that’s why I started the gym! We’ll be doing MUCH better in 2026! New recipes will be on the list. Last year, I made Mango Jam for the first time!

What didn’t I complete? I didn’t end up gaming as much as I’d liked to. Unfortunately, my carpal tunnel made it damn near impossible to move, so that idea had to be scraped. I did get to game a little - Little Misfortune, Cabernet, Love Ghostie, and of course SILKSONG to name a few. I also didn’t make the playlists. My cousin hates the fact I don’t make playlists anymore, but honestly, I don’t have the spoons for that anymore. My iPod playlist days are over (for now).

What else happened in 2025?

Well I,

• Started Therapy

• Went out of town for a concert with my Cousin

• Started pottery

• Tried things alone (Painting with a Twist, Pottery, Dining)

• Started going to the Gym regularly

• Dedicated time to Learning

• Got back into journaling

• Started my Substack!

More things definitely happened, but I’ll focus on these points for now. 2025 was the year of trying things.

I started therapy, which has been beneficial for me to understand behaviors and boundaries. It’s helped me learn a lot about myself, and I’ll continue to go until the day I feel I’ve learned all the lessons I can.

Going to see Stray Kids was already crazy. What led up to this was a brief video on Tik Tok saying they were coming to start my dive into their music. Then SOMEHOW convincing my cousin to drive with me to Orlando. Where we SOMEHOW landed floor seats (thanks to her friend for letting us know we could call and change it!) Ended up having the best weekend away, filled with laughter and cousin bonding time!

I started pottery last September - this was the best decision. I forced myself to log off tech and focus on something in front of me. I had to lock in but had total creative freedom to make anything I could dream of. And I dreamt big! I made trinket bowls, sculptures, and of course, the ornaments! I’m so glad I decided to do pottery, it’s truly been the best for me.

I did things alone! Usually, I’d ask someone to go with me to do things - it’s important to hang out with friends where you can! Pottery, Painting with a Twist, and eating alone were all new experiences that I enjoyed. I felt a sense of quiet but I also challenged myself to do the scary thing. And it turns out? It’s not so scary after all.

Speaking of scary - the GYM. My god, is it scary in there. So many people, so many eyes. I HATE being perceived and the gym? That’s the one place where you are PERCEIVED. Thank goodness I had a friend start this journey with me. We met a wonderful trainer, and now we’re on a good path to reaching those health goals in 2026! My friend will no longer be joining, and I could’ve used that as an excuse to not go anymore, but I’m not. I’ll be there, 4 days a week, suffering under the watchful eyes of gym-goers. (Okay, that was a joke, but I will be there 4 days a week!)

2025 was the year I decided to get back to learning. It’s always good to keep your skills sharp, and I’m not sure in which direction I want to take my career in. During this slump, I signed up for courses through Coursera and this year, I hope to continue that momentum.

With the train moving on the learning path, I also went full speed ahead with my journaling. I now have WAY more journals than I can use, but it’s okay - they all have a purpose. I have my thoughts journal for when my head gets too full, my junk journal/commonplace journal for my creative outlet. I use my Hobonichi to track important things, and my Linda Tong mid-year planner for my fun/weekly events!

Which leads me to my last point - my Substack! Writing brought me here, to this community. Thank you Reader for making my 2025 better! When I started this journey, I didn’t know how consistent I’d be. I have no idea what to talk about, and I’m pretty awkward. But you’ve made me feel welcome to share my ideas, my Ramblings, if you will. Thank you for making a space for me to talk about anything and nothing.

When I started 2025, there was no way to know what was in store. I didn’t know who I’d grow into during the year. I did a lot of amazing things, and hit some lows. There were many points I wanted to give up, to crawl under a rock and just stay there. There were also many good interactions. And I think going forward into 2026, I’ll put more focus on the good rather than the bad. I’ll change my perspective.

2026 Goals!

Going forward I will continue to:

• Go to pottery

• Go to the gym (4x a week!)

• Practice Drawing - I want to create something cool on Procreate!

• Write down my monthly wins (maybe I’ll start including my losses too)

• Weekly Self Care Sundays (and Saturdays too)

I’ll also be reading 26 books this year! Starting off with Strange Pictures which was recommended to me by Julia, aka @thesoftspine! Perhaps I’ll finally make those playlists too! And of course, I’ll be writing to you all weekly, so make sure you visit the Cafe, Reader! Let me know your 2026 goals below!

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WELCOME DECEMBER! We’re almost done with 2025, Reader! Okay this month literally FLEW by! It’s been hellish, testing me at every avenue. Today I’ll go into my December Wins! Before the year ends, I’ll make a recap of all the goals I’ve hit this year.

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What’s something you did in December that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment?

In December I:

• Painted my ornaments and presents I made in Pottery

• Spent quality time with friends and family

• Create my Vision Board/Bingo for 2026

Pottery Time!

After 12 weeks, I’ve finally brought home my creations. My little Guy is here and he is the best thing I’ve randomly made! He’s tiny but mighty. I experimented with his coloring, using different glazes on each area. Unfortunately, his arm broke. So he’s lovingly referred to as my little Winter Soldier.

I also gave my family their Christmas presents. My parents bowls are proudly displayed in the cabinet, my brother is using his manly trinket tray (aka phone charging station), and the ornaments hung proudly on the tree. I’m really happy everyone enjoyed their presents, as I tried to make something with love instead of buying it.

Quality Time!

Tis the Season filled with family and friends. For the season, I planned on spending quality time with family and friends, and I think I’m doing good on that front. My family and I see each other pretty much every other day when its Christmas season. My cousins, brother, and I went out to shop this past Saturday - eating good food, enjoying some laughs, and being destroyed at ski ball. My friends and I will find a time to hangout soon - it’s hard being an adult!

Vision Board

Okay, I’m writing this ahead of time. I’m making my vision board with my friend tomorrow! We’re gonna have a little wine and dine time; a charcuterie board and fun ideas flowing. I will be making another Bingo Board and perhaps make a more detailed version for each area of my life I’d like to narrow in on. I haven’t thought that far ahead.

What’s Next?

I have one more post going up this week: my 2025 year in review! I’ll go over all my wins and losses for each month, and what I’m looking forward to in 2026. Reader, thank you SO much for coming along for the journey. I hope to see you in the next post! Let me know your December wins in the comments below!

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Without further ado, My November Wins! (okay that’s a repeat from October HA!)

What’s something you did in November that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment?

November, November. We’re almost done with the year! I can’t believe 2025 is almost done. What did I complete this month? What do I feel proud of? Honestly - I’m not sure what to write here! The last two months I was on a roll! Then I hit a dip in the road (Hello, Sadness, my old friiiiiiend), and well, here we are!

This November I,

• finished a video game I’ve been wanting to play

• created a lil guy in pottery!

• created my mosaic tray

• started my reading log

• went to gym SOLO

Finished Little Misfortune!

I played the first game by this company, Fran Bow, years ago! In the past few years, I’ve been suffering from some carpal tunnel and it’s made it hard to game. This month, my hands were in a bit better condition, so I decided to give it a go. I LOVED this game. Misfortune is a delight and when she curses it’s the funniest thing ever. Her love for Benjamin is adorable and his need to stop Mr. Voice is admirable.

Created a Lil Guy in Pottery

I’ve been experimenting with hand building in pottery and I’ve made some cute ornaments and small crafts. This time I’ve challenged myself to try and build something totally from scratch with no inspiration - just let my hands do the “talking” so to speak. I made a lil guy! I’ll post a pic when he’s completed (fired and glazed) but I’m in LOVE! He came out perfectly (to me) and I’m inspired to make more things without a guide. We’ll see where this takes me.

Created My Mosaic Tray

I made the CUTEST tray! Its a regular tray that I glued flower mosaic pieces onto. She’s really cute. My mom stole it from me, so I don’t have a picture. She says she’ll use for Christmas decorations and serving, so at least it’s getting SOME love LOL. God. Does it make me old to write LOL?

Created my Reading Log

My Reading Log is finally in the works! I’ve been thinking of starting for years and I finally bit the bullet. It’s not perfect, but perfect for me. I want to make it full of my favorite quotes with a very basic overview on the book. If I feel like it’s a book I really connected with, I’ll do a full literary analysis on it! It helps to have a space fully dedicated to my reading, as it was my major goal for the year. I love reading and it’s been great to stand behind the phrase “Reading is my hobby” without feeling like a fake.

Going Solo to the Gym

Okay yes I had my trainer, but I made it to the gym all by myself. It was a rough month - mismatching schedules between my friend, my trainer, and myself. At last, we switched trainers to someone new, and now we’re in a comfy groove. She pushed me MUCH harder than the last one (intermittent trainer) and I’m glad I went solo. It was scary but I did it. The motto of the year - scary but I did it anyways.

What’s Next?

December Goals!

• Bake cakes!

• Create personalized ornaments

• Spend quality time with friends and family

• Create my 2026 vision board/bingo

What are your December goals? Let me know in the comments below! One more month till 2026!

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Last month, I posted my September Wins. I found exciting to look back on the month and see what I accomplished. To be honest, I usually look back on a month and say “Man I really didn’t do much”. Since the last Wins post, I’ve made it a point to write down what I’m specifically doing. I have a cute Mid-Year planner that I use to write down little blurbs of my day. (I hope I stay consistent in doing that).

So without further ado, let me tell you about my October Wins!

What’s something you did in October that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment?

October is my favorite month. It’s the start of my favorite season; filled with the mysticism and wonderful memories. Dressing up, watching scary movies, eating candy, and of course visiting “haunted” houses - these activities just give October a different feeling.

This year the Hindu holiday Diwali happened mid-October. The Festival of Lights. The day we welcome in the new year, wishing for prosperity and good news. We pray for health, happiness, and good fortune while welcoming the gods into our home.

What did October bring for me? Change. That’s this months theme. Many things in my life changed - I finished a major goal I set for 2025, I found a love in a few hobbies, and most importantly I was inspired. Which I have been lacking in all honesty.

This October I

• finished my 6 weeks of pottery

• finished a LOT of books

• started annotating books

• inspired to do more creative things

6 Weeks of Pottery Complete!

Last months challenge was to start a new hobby. I went in alone to try something new. And y’know what? I had a BLAST! Quickly figured out making things on the wheel is not for me - I can’t quite master how to make a bowl on it - but hand building things is a lot more satisfying. I think my favorite part is seeing something I dreamt in my mind come to life in front of me.

Some of my creations - flower star tea lights and a little trinket cup - Originally for Diwali Diyas but they weren’t done in time.

GOAL: 12 Books before the end of 2025

This was a HUGE accomplishment. I found my love for reading again. It has been many years since I picked up a book for fun and read it through. No thanks to my phone, I had a difficult time just sitting still and reading in the beginning. To curb this, I’ve been reading during my lunch period - 30 minutes uninterrupted. You’d be surprised how many books you can get through if you locked your phone away. It also helps not locking yourself into a book - if you’re not enjoying it, there’s no harm in DNF’ing (Did Not Finish) it. Also - genre matters. Sometimes all you have the bandwidth for is a kids book and that’s okay too (Looking at you Frog and Toad).

Annotating Books!

Okay, I’ll be honest, I used to HATE writing in books. Like completely abhor seeing someone’s notes - I felt like it changed the meaning of the book for me. It didn’t allow me to make my own judgements. I still feel this is somewhat true, however… I’ve started annotating my books. I’ve highlighted my favorite phrases, interacted with the text by asking questions. It’s helped me get a better understanding of what I’m reading. I even asked my mom (she’s an English teacher) for her AP Lit resources so I can get further into the material if I truly enjoy a book.

What You Are Looking For is in the Library by Michiko Aoyama

Inspiration in many forms

So this month’s theme has been change. Change in the way I look at the world, change in the way I approach things. With this, I’ve become inspired to try new things. New art forms. I’ve got my journals, I’m doing pottery, I’m drawing both digitally and physically - what else can I do? Well my next project is to make a mosaic tray. I’ve already bought the supplies, now I have to make it. I also want to make a cushion pin board. I think that will be a really cute project to make. I’ve also been inspired, thanks to

evermuse

My guide for 21 day anti-rot challenge

Do you ever feel like you’re not being as productive as you could be? Or find yourself thinking, after hours of scrolling, “I wish I had spent that time doing something I truly wanted…

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8 months ago · 602 likes · 14 comments · evermuse

, to make a long term personal project. I’m at the very beginning stages but this will combine my learning goals and my purposeful computer usage goals.

What’s Next?

I hope November brings about good change. My goals for the month are:

• see my family and friends

• visit the book fair

• make something interesting in pottery

• create my mosaic tray

What are your November goals? Let me know in the comments below! I hope November is good to you too!

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SO. Instead of having a topic to talk about, I’m gonna be inspired by someone else. This weeks essay will be a journal entry from Softy Said.

Softly Said

31 journaling prompts for october

“We all change colors and lose our leaves… then we bloom again…

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8 months ago · 204 likes · Nia M.

The prompt I choose is:

What’s something you did in September that you’re proud of, and how did it make you feel in the moment?

September. The start of the school year for many. Life picks up again and it doesn’t slow down. Even in the workforce, you feel that shift in energy. Working in a school, the buzz of energy, the excitement and nerves all bundled together. Towards the end of September, the world shifts and slowly becomes more orange-hued. Not here though. Not in Florida. Our landscape stays the same all year. Our climate - HOT. No fun sweaters and boots for us. We do get pumpkin chai at least.

What did I do in September? How did I start the month? How did I end the month? What did I take with me into October and what am I proud of?

September for me brought about a change in emotions. It was recognizing what works for me. Setting in motion the next chapter of my life. Understanding the changes that need to be made. Getting ready for the next sprint so to speak.

In actual details, I:

• made a vision board

• recommitted to my education

• cleaned my depression room

• committed to my health

• reconnected with friends

• set boundaries and stuck to them

• tried new things

Vision Board

My vision board is a physical poster board I decorated into sections. Each section represents a different area of my life that I’d like to concentrate on. Near the vision board, I have a calendar to mark off the days work. This allows me to see what I have coming up and if I’ve over-committed myself without having to check my phone. My vision board is broken into 6 sections. 2 of which are blank at the moment. I can’t think of anything to put there. Perhaps a reading log in one? The 4 others are filled with positive affirmations, trackers, and envelopes for positive experiences.

Recommitment to my Education

September was the start of the school year for many. With the drive for education in the air, and the personal curriculums dropping, my interest to learn was reignited. I’m already 80% done with 2 courses on Coursera that I started months ago and dropped due to lack of interest, but now I need to finish. The deadline is December 1st to have my courses completed and start 2 more.

Cleaning my Depression Room

Okay so maybe its not 100% complete but at least 80! The major parts are done and I’m waiting on my new bookshelves to arrive so I can tackle the last area of my room. I can’t wait to get my space back. It already feels different with the spots that are clean. My brain doesn’t feel as foggy and I can get up without feeling sad as heavily.

Commitment to my Health

Going to the gym 2x a week. Technically started in August but I wanted to mention as a September goal because it became more balanced out here. Therapy also balanced out in September and this has done wonders for my mental health.

Reconnecting with Friends

As the seasons change and we get older, maintaining friendships becomes a struggle. Especially when you’re not feeling up to talking with people. I’m glad my friend enjoys going to the gym with me. It’s been helpful having someone else there to do the trainings with and not feel so isolated.

Set Boundaries and Stick with Them

Man. THIS was the hardest one. Speaking with my therapist allowed me to see what I really wanted in my life and how I should honor the goals I set for myself. It also means not letting people walk all over me and bulldoze my boundaries. Setting them and sticking to it has been really hard. I still feel bad and apologize for doing it. I think that’s a habit that will change over time.

Tried New Things

Omg did I do a LOT this month! I went to Painting with a Twist (by myself thank you very much), I started pottery (also a solo adventure). I started writing to you all here on Substack. I joined so many snail mail clubs and bought new journals and pens. I’ve been more open the last month and open to starting new conversations and friendships. It’s hard, having been isolated for so long. I’m ready to be a human again.

Okay. I think I’m done with this entry for now. Thanks for reading! Please let me know your September wins in the comments!

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