A mid-year review of some of the digital organization habits I’ve been developing this year.
Woodcraft - Burning wood for rustic crafts
GET THESE GOALS
LONG POST ALERT!!!
It’s that time of year where many people bring up New Year’s Resolutions and diet plans.
At the beginning of 2018, I informally put together a mental catalogue of things I wanted to accomplish by the end of the year. It was a loose projection that worked at times and didn’t at others. By the end of 2018 I had accomplished a lot but it always seems like it’s not enough, or that I’m not where I want, or need, to be.
In the beginning of 2019 my friend and I met for a goals meeting with a few other women to brainstorm new goals and how to go about achieving them. It was such an amazing experience and I really do recommend it to anyone who has ever considered putting together a New Year’s Resolution. A meeting about your goals between peers and business associates is such a fulfilling experience. It opens up the dialogue to include challenges faced by others as well as the all-important advice they sprinkle throughout the examination of their learning experiences.
Image created using Canva.
We met twice and then were not able to meet again after that, because we were all busy trying to get them goals! Anyways, here are a few of my take-aways from this experience.
1) By creating a group event/meeting, it is easier for most people to dedicate the time necessary to tackle the concept. A discussion about goals can also be innovative and inspiring. For me, having a more formal meeting planned forced me to focus on the task, and taught me that official or formal set plans help me more than last-minute coffee plans or trying to do everything in the “spur of the moment” and then forgetting important details later. It was also inspiring to hear what kinds of goals others had and how influential certain aspects of their planning can be.
2) My friend came prepared to the meeting with some materials she recently got her hands on at a leadership conference she attended. In her take-away from the event, she found an activity that requires one to break down how time is utilized weekly and then daily. This was a huge eye-opener for me, who had very little time to myself and acknowledged how unhealthy that was. It later prompted me to realign my work hours at a part-time job through a formal process. It also helped me realize how necessary it was for me to take a step back once I did get to a point where my lack of free time was physically causing me harm.
3) Another member of the group specialized in reading personality types and how they affect your work ethic and ability to learn, among other important facets. She explained to us that certain people work best under specific conditions that others would struggle in. She also informed me of the learning pattern associated with my personality type. This helped me understand my past struggles, but gave me the wisdom to recognize what I needed in the future as well. For example, my learning process is typically referred to as a “plateau” learning curve. This essentially means that I can pick up on learning new concepts rather quickly, but once I meet a specific mark this changes and the learning is slow until I progress to another point of rapid learning. There are many different reasons why this may occur (interest and focus among them) but once the plateau period passes, rapid learning is the norm again. I basically learned that if I still maintain interest in a topic it benefits me to keep studying it until another rapid learning period occurs.
4) Overall, it’s almost cathartic to put together goals and track the progress of completing them throughout the year. 10/10 highly recommend.
Below are the goals I’ve created fro myself from 2018 through 2021. Notice how some goals in recent years were building blocks to support future goals. Having this multi-dimensional approach to goals is a very good way to executing them.
The key to this success is the mindset you create for yourself. Find out what you want, then work backwards.
For example, in the summer of 2016 I moved out of my parents’ house and found my own apartment. This was a goal I was working toward since the beginning of 2015. It took a year and a half but a lot had to happen before I could make it possible: I needed to have a dependable car first, but before that I needed to save money, but before that I needed to find a full-time job that could allow me to save money. While I was hustling to meet those support goals, I was also accomplishing other small goals within the same time frame. As I was looking for jobs, I was also going through my things in my childhood bedroom. Deep cleaning the whole place so I could get rid of useless junk and organize the things i needed and wanted in my future home. That helped immensely later on, because everything was ready to be packed in a truck to go to the new apartment. When I finally found a full-time job I started saving a lot of money for a car. When I had enough saved for a down payment I got a car right away so I could finally have a dependable vehicle. Then, once a week I would go to Bed Bath & Beyond or Target and started picking up small household items I would need in my own place. I slowly filled a storage container with these items until I moved. This made the financial burden of moving more tolerable since I spread it out over six months instead of six days. There’s plenty more I could say about this process, but I think that will be reserved for a later post.
ANNOUNCEMENT!
Today was my last day at my job.
Photo credit to Vince Donato.
I’ve worked at this company for the past five and a half years and it’s time to close this chapter in my life. I’m thankful for the opportunities gained and the skills earned, but I’m so glad to move on from this place. These past five, almost six, years have been extremely difficult for me. The transportation logistics field is very stressful and draining. Some people love it, but for someone like me (who already knows what they love) it was very tedious and a distraction from what I wanted to do.
This past June I also ended my employment at my part-time job at a domestic violence shelter. I primarily worked with children, which was very rewarding. Aside from the pandemic changing the way we ran our groups, working remotely from home for both of these jobs was very difficult. But I ended employment for both of these jobs in preparation for a new job.
DRUMROLL PLEASE!
I have been accepted into the JET Program to teach English to high school students in Japan!
Image source: wikipedia.com
This week I finally found out which city I will be living in: Ebino in Miyazaki. My departure date is set for January 6th, 2021.
Ebino is the western most city in Miyazaki prefecture, which is located on the southern island of Kyushu.
Image source: web-japan.org
I’m still in the process of figuring out all of the details and trying to meet all of my paperwork deadlines, but that’s not a problem considering how long I’ve waited for this dream to become my reality.
The application opened last September and closed in November. In January I was selected for an interview which took place in February. I originally applied for Early Departure, which would have left as early as April. On April 1st, I found out I was accepted to the program as an ALT (Assistant Language Teacher) and the departure was set for September 8th.
I wanted at least one month off before I left so I planned to end my employment at my part-time job in June and then planned to leave my full-time job in July. Well, I ended my employment at the shelter in June and then by the time July came around I found out the JET Program departures were postponed with no date confirmed. All I knew was they would at least give me two month’s notice before departure.
I’ll be honest (this is the part where I practice being vulnerable) I was really having a hard time from July until early November when they announced the new departures. It felt like such a huge drain to put all that time and effort into a dream only to have it taken away so easily.
Image source: visit-kyushu.com
With that in mind, I am going to remain positive but fully understand the departure could change again. The pandemic is still raging across the country, plus typical Midwest weather could easily delay flights. For now, I will remain optimistic and continue my preparations to leave.
In a normal year, I would have liked to have a big party with friends and family a few days before leaving. Since that’s not an option this year I will have to make time for one-on-one, socially distant meet-ups with loved ones instead. I’ll have to quarantine a few weeks before leaving as well.
Image source: tripadvisor.com (Shiratori Onsen Ueyu)
In any case, I’m excited to have the next few weeks to relax and spend time with my family before I leave. Packing will be a challenge, of course, but as most of my close friends know I love packing for a trip so I’m sure this will be just as enjoyable for me.
I’ll also be engaging with the website some more in the coming weeks as I hope to use this platform to post pictures and explain my travels. I also anticipate that I will have more time for creative projects in my future as well.
I’ll try to update again before the holidays, but if I don’t post anything you’ll know it’s because I have my hands full getting ready to leave!
Carley
Sweetheart Trail Mix
Sweetheart Trail Mix
A sweet and salty mix to bring along on a weekend get-away or simply enjoy at your next movie night with someone special.
Prep: 10 min
Cook time: N/A
Cook Temp: N/A
Total: 10 min
Serves: 6-8 people (or more)
Utensils:
-Large mixing bowl
-Large spoon
-Treat bags (optional)
Ingredients:
-Mini marshmallows
-Candy coated chocolate pieces (M&Ms or Sixlets will work)
-Peanuts or sunflower seeds (unshelled)
-Dried cherries
-Mini pretzel twists
-Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal
Directions:
-In a large mixing bowl, add as many of each ingredient as you would like. I would recommend adding the larger pieces first (pretzels, cereal, and marshmallows) and then add the smaller pieces after to get a good blend of all the ingredients.
-Next, take a large spoon (or very clean hands) and mix the ingredients. Add ingredients as you see fit to make sure there’s an even distribution of each throughout.
-If desired, put the trail mix into treat bags as a small Valentine’s gift for friends, family, or that special someone. Just make sure the bags/containers are sealed to prevent the trail mix from becoming stale.
About this recipe:
I kid you not, I got the bulk of this recipe from a dream.
Open scene.
I’m driving on a long road trip and decide to take a break at a rest stop. As I’m leaving, I hear a loud explosion in the distance and see a volcano has just erupted. It’s not very close, there is some kind of valley between the rest stop and the volcano, but it’s close enough to be an urgent concern. As myself and many others are fleeing the area, I notice a woman on the side of the road on a grassy lawn. She is painting something onto the grass and my dream-self decides it would be wise to go check it out. As I approach, I can see a painting of giant, plum-colored poppies. Think of the richest, most vibrant shade of plum. I call out to the woman and ask her what she’s doing. She says this is an exhibition in motion. I immediately ask her if she knows a volcano has exploded. She confirms and then proceeds to tell me about how there’s no rush, and when will she ever get the chance to hold another art exhibition while a volcano erupts. This is something she has to do in this very moment because she is taking this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She completes her project shortly after that and invites me to join her. I soon realize the woman is Lana Del Rey, and soon so do a few other observers. Lana signs autographs and takes pictures with a few teenage girls. She gives me a wig. Then, she passes around a bowl of trail mix and I distinctly remember pretzels, marshmallows, peanuts, and the strangest thing of all were the pieces of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal thrown in as well.
End scene. I woke up shortly after that.
In any case, the Cinnamon Toast Crunch stuck with me the most and I began to think about what else I could add to the mix. The sunflower seeds are a good substitute for anyone with peanut allergies, so it made sense to add those. The chocolate is obvious, I shouldn’t have to explain that. For Valentine’s Day I chose red and pink coated Sixlets. Finally, the addition of dried cherries was mostly due to my love for them, but also in tribute to Dream Lana for this amazing trail mix idea. Her song “Cherry” is one of my favorites and I highly recommend listening to it while making or eating this trail mix.
I hope this recipe (and it’s origin) puts a smile on your face.
Please leave a comment or any substitutions/additions you recommend below!
Carley
Winter Playlist
Normally, I’m the type of person who listens to one artist or album on repeat until I satisfy a musical craving. But every once in a while, I get inspired to create a playlist.
For some reason, this usually happens during winter. It was in one of the frigid polar vortex blizzards from a few years ago that I first started doing this. That playlist was mostly made up of songs that reminded me of summer and being in vacation in northern Wisconsin. It consisted of classic rock songs so I called it Vintage Summer and ever since then my playlists get unique names that seem to fit the vibe. For that one, think Fleetwood Mac and The Doobie Brothers.
Another playlist I made was for my long commute to and from school. It was mostly alternative and since Arctic Monkeys just released their latest album, I had a few of their songs on there as well as a few from AWOL Nation and Silversun Pickups to give you any idea of what that one sounded like. I named it Ice and Snow since that was all I ever saw on my long rides home from school.
This year, the playlist is a little more mellow and kind of has a dreamy vibe. Some songs are quieter and definitely have a folk vibe to them. The range in genre is mostly indie, alternative, and classic rock but surprisingly this year I added songs to this playlist that I had never even heard before. The overall theme I was going for was winter so I literally looked up songs about winter to add to the list of songs I already knew I wanted included. The artists range from Fleet Foxes and First Aid Kit to The Rolling Stones and Queen. I also started listening to AURORA a few months ago and instantly fell in love, so she has two songs on this playlist and I’m very tempted to add one more. Without further ado, here is Hygge Winter:
Image created using Canva.
This winter I am trying to be more mindful of the tasks I take on and have practiced being more “present” with completing them. I am trying to prioritize more self-care and relaxation. 2019 was a really difficult year and part of that was because I wasn’t prioritizing my own health and needs. I named this playlist Hygge Winter because the concept of hygge is to be more mindful and take care of yourself as well as enjoy yourself and the simple pleasures that are a part of your life.
In any case, what would you add to this list? Leave a comment below if you can.
Carley
Winter Checklist
Season’s greetings!
In the same spirit as my Fall Checklist, I also have a Winter Checklist. Although, instead of thinking about these lists as something to check off in the same way I would a grocery list, I should probably start thinking about these as traditions. For me, the winter season is a time of the year where mindfulness should be a part of everything I do. As such, mindfully I have put together a list of traditions I like to uphold each Winter.
Image created using Canva.
Most of these items are holiday related, but not all of them are which is important since winter doesn’t end when the holidays do. Even though it’s not my favorite season, there is plenty of joy to be found in winter outside of the holidays and it’s something I think a lot of people need to be reminded of from time to time.
On that note, there are clearly some unchecked boxes on my list here. So it’s refreshing to remind myself that these traditions are part of the whole season and don’t need to be rushed through before the holidays. Overall, I’m glad that I was able to take part in most of these traditions.
Stay warm everyone,
Carley
Banner image credit to Cassandra Timmerman.
