For a few days now, Cos Astrology has been advising me to "make note of your achievements, so you have something to ground you when you feel overwhelmed."
Apart from feeling overwhelmed, Q1 just finished. I thought it was perfect timing to 'make a note of your achievements'/ make a summary of the year's highlights thus far.
I think eventful is a good word to describe Q1. I don't know if that's just how it is or because I'm finally, actually taking steps to make things happen. In Q1, I found myself pushing forward with climate stories, meeting new people, making progress (however little) in climbing, dabbling in old favorites like attending a concert, staycationing at The Pen, eating good food, and riding the River Ferry.
Perhaps the most unexpected thing to happen in the quarter was getting involved in my highschool's homecoming matters. Of course, it's always nice to work with people from before. But the familiarity is misleading. What caught me by surprise was learning I may as well be meeting them for the first time. We've all changed, shedded skin, and became ourselves. It certainly makes for an interesting time and something I'd enjoy if it weren't for the pressure.
Or the additional work I've been putting into my, well, work. This year was the year I was going to prioritize work/pivoting to climate!
It's so easy to quit and complain about either/both. I am well-aware they are self-inflicted.
But from where I am standing, I can't see any other way to go where I want to go than to carry this heavier load.
So instead of not knowing how I got here, instead of not knowing why I'm always tired, allow me to track the first quarter of 2023.
January:
Meeting Ken Paranada and producing two stories from our interview
Onboarding a new staff member
Smelling a climate + enviro + business story from social media and writing what would become the most successful lifestyle story on the day it was released
Getting back to climbing 6A routes and staying solidly put there
Finally meeting fellow climate reporters/OCJN alumn
Finally quitting a pandemic project in the most mature way possible
Ushering mom's double knee surgery. Mygod, what a blessing
Receiving my OCJN certificate, yay! I'm legit!
February:
Journaling more and better, and starting a gratitude practice because it was such a tough, flowless month
Finishing "Crashing" on Netlfix
Having a team member resign
Not letting the doldrums win and learning how to keep myself amused by taking on "small" assignments — funny stories, easy stories, stories too easy to nose down but entertaining nevertheless and so they add value to your day
March:
Meeting the good people of Telum who hosted a mixer event and surprising myself at how much I enjoyed myself at such an event? I used to not like these things but I guess I've changed? Or maybe Telum did a good job at hosting.
Bookmarking March 16 because it was so so good: saw a yellow bird while munching on frozen grapes for breakfast, had a delicious lunch sent to me, received a couple of important invites, some social media affirmations from cute boys (:
Going on a field day riding the river ferry, walking down Escolta, seeing the newish park by the river, lots of walking. Granted this is still for work but this is work that I love and don't mind doing
Going on a 24 hour-forest retreat where there was no signal and we hiked up to see a 360-view of the Sierra Madre in Rizal. Granted this is still for work, but this is work that I love and don't mind doing
Treating myself to a staycation at The Pen, eating at a new restaurant, seeing an old friend there and then ending up going out for a drink (just one!) at a jazz bar nearby. I spent the following morning in bed, watching "Succession" and then heading to the library but not before indulging in my usual Shake Shack meal. A very good weekend over all.
Should I include getting massively drunk at my sister's birthday or maybe not because seeing such an episode in a space dedicated to professional purposes might be detrimental? Ok, I'll stop there 😂
Taking a day off to align my finances and then meeting new people (it's professional-ish!) and hanging with an old friend at a new-ish place serving food that is absolutely my type. Sampiro serves Southeast Asian cuisine and the vegetarian dishes we ordered were downright delicious. The cocktail I had was pretty potent, too!
Finally taking on 6B climbing routes. Nowhere near done but it feels so nice to get started on this. It's been 4 years since I set 6B as a goal. Here's hoping Q2 will give this to me.
That said, below are hopes and wishes and dreams plans for Q2:
Finishing a 6B climbing route
Publishing at least one of the two long-form climate stories I'm working on
Seeing and hanging out with more friends
Hiring someone to fill in the vacancy
Will I be able to sneak in a trip to Europe on my birthday month? Hmm, I hope so!