Get My Life

Your front row seat at my attempt to get my life together.

[getmylife]

Get My Life Navigation

2025

2024

2023

[getmylife]

April Goals at a Glance

Completed March 20, 2024

Soul

Mindfulness habit:

Develop mindfulness habit after I wake up and/or before I get into bed.

World

Road Safety:

Continue harassing government ministry until the road nearby is safer.

Bones

Stretching:

Develop a habit of stretching my back for 1 minute every Thursday at any point in the day.

Tones

Piano Progress:

Learn two measures of "I've Seen Hell" from the North and South BBC Soundtrack.

Pen

Song writing:

Finish writing an EP.

Den

Wardrobe:

Measure space for dresser and start window shopping.

Skills

Mobility:

Start driving school.

Thrills

Scrapbooking:

Do a Quarter 1 Faves recap (media and moments).

Quotes

Learn something new:

Read or listen to one non-fiction book about (business) leadership.

Notes

Tracking:

Do report for cycle tracking for the past 3 months.

[getmylife]

January Goals at a Glance

Completed January 8, 2024

Soul

Affirmation and gratitude habit:

Write in my affirmation and gratitude journal at least 5 times a week.

World

Road Safety:

Harass government ministry until the road nearby is safer.

Bones

Supplement regimen:

Incorporate taking vitamins and other food supplements into my daily routine.

Tones

ASL Progress:

Finish Lesson 1 with Dr. Bill Vicars.

Pen

Publish one chapter:

Write and edit New Year's scene for J.

Den

Weed:

Repurpose old clothes and donate good ones that are out of use to clear out storage space.

Skills

Uniforms and equipment:

Get uniforms and equipment made for three employees.

Thrills

Create Tumblr schedule:

Organize what kind of posts go up on what days and when to create and schedule them.

Quotes

Learn something new:

Read or listen to one non-fiction book.

Notes

Diavlogs:

Record 4 video diaries.

[getmylife]

My ideals (and my schedule) have apparently changed a lot in the past year so this kinda reflects it.

TEXT ID:

"My Ideal Week" above a table with the days of the week:

Sunday

Laundry x 2

Week planning

Work (2 hrs)

Kalimba

Write

Chill

Monday

Laundry x2

Work (3 hrs)

Piano

Edit

Chill

Tuesday

Laundry x 2

Work (3 hrs)

Guitar

Write

Chill

Wednesday

Domestic clean up project / Grocery

Laundry x 2

Chill

Thursday

30+ mins activity

Declutter room

Declutter devices

Chill

Friday

Laundry x 2

Clean room

Clean bathroom

Volunteer

Saturday

Self-eval

Read

Journal

Laundry

Chill

[getmylife]

2025 Master List

Vison Scape

Ideal Week

Quarter One

April Goals at a Glance

[getmylife]

2025 Vision Scape

Completed October 23 2024

So I know that it would be a good idea to do my 2024 evaluation before I decide what I want for the new year, BUTTTTT I'm running off of what I feel like doing (it is October after all) and I don't really want to evaluate the past 12 months, thank you very much. They were a bit of a rollercoaster to put it lightly, so maybe when I get around to it, this post will have to be updated.

Let's get into it!

or Spiritual and Emotional Health

I am living a life that aligns with my values. I'm curious about the things I don't understand about myself or the world around me and I extend tolerance and respect to those who have different views and beliefs to me.

I have a daily affirmation habit in the mornings and gratitude in the evenings. I journal my thoughts and feelings to help me understand them and regulate them. I am self-aware and mindful. I continue to benefit from monthly therapy sessions and am constantly learning about how to improve my mental and emotional health.

or Volunteer and Community Outreach

I am expending my time, effort and money on projects and causes that I care about. I volunteer my time and skills to the people around me on a regular basis. I find joy in helping others and feel a sense of fulfillment as I give back to my community.

I am an advocate for mental health awareness in my community and online.

or Health and Wellness

I love how my body feels. I wake up energized and ready for the day ahead. I am flexible and fit. I spend thirty minutes everyday being active. My neck, shoulders and back feel relaxed.

I get all the nutrition my body needs from my food and supplements. I am hydrated both from my liquid intake and by moisturizing my skin.

I schedule routine doctor visits to monitor my cholesterol and get my teeth cleaned every 6 months. I wear my prescription glasses comfortably.

I practice good sleep hygiene.

or Languages and Music

I am having so much fun learning about other cultures. I am using my fluent language and acquiring vocabulary in my other target languages. I am engaging with native speakers on a regular basis.

I enjoy all kinds of media in my target languages including television, music and books.

I am having so much fun creating and learning new music. I have a safe and accessible way to store all my instruments.

or Writing and Doodling

I fit writing into my schedule everyday, even if it's just a single line. I write for many reasons. I journal for my own reflection. I write stories to entertain my friends. I write poetry to feel connected to others. I write songs for all of those reasons.

I have so much fun creating entries in my scrapbook. I draw cute doodles and cut out pictures I've printed from Pinterest and my camera roll. I add stickers and random scraps I've collected. It's fun to do and to look back on.

or Domestic and Hygiene Habits

I have created systems that make it feel easy to keep my environment organized and clean.

I do laundry every day (except one) to keep it manageable. I change my sheets and towel three times a week. I clean my bathroom weekly and put things away as soon as I'm done with them.

I deep clean my room (including my fan) and one other room in the house once a month.

or Adulting and Independence

I am a competent and confident driver. I manage my expenses with responsibility and with the future in mind.

I organize my schedule efficiently so that I have a satisfying work life balance. I am comfortable meeting new people and open-minded to new experiences and adventures.

or Entertainment and Social Life

My siblings and I do a fun social activity outside of the house every quarter. I am deliberate about incorporating the things and people I love into my regular, everyday life.

I enjoy the process of making things and being creative. It's a soothing and relaxing experience. My hobbies are a major part of my rich life.

or Education and Personal Development

Learning is a part of my daily life. I read self-help and motivational books and other non-fiction books about topics that I'm interested in. I listen to YouTube essays and podcasts, and watch vlogs that interest me. I take my time with the content so that I can absorb the new ideas.

I'm learning more about myself and the world every day. I am growing and evolving into a person that I love even more and want to be around.

or Reflection and Introspection

I keep track of my mood and other factors that could be affected by my menstrual cycle in my daily tracker. I record my thoughts and emotions whenever they feel overwhelming. I ask questions about my intentions and emotions when I react in a way that surprises me.

I forgive those who have hurt me, especially myself.

I do a quarterly vision board and review and a weekly check in about my physical and mental health.

[getmylife]

2024 Updates

Update 1

Update 2

[getmylife]

We've Finally Moved

Completed September 8, 2024

So we moved at the end of June and it was a bit of a rollercoaster, because there's so much we still have to do. The house is unfished in quite a few ways. My room is missing some key features (LOL) and the kitchen, laundry, storage are all missing some cabinets.

BUTTTTT

I'm so relieved, and so grateful. It's amazing. The past few months have been full of their ups and downs. Like in July, we hosted five family members on top of the usual five occupants of this house. The prep for that was pretty stressful, but the reality was so much fun and so much love <3 <3.

Otherwise, I've settled into my room well. I love it so much. It's been AMAZING having my own space and having a door and a bathroom. I feel so much more comfortable and I'm sleeping so much better and overall, I'm soooo grateful.

There's a lot to look forward to when everything is more settled and completed, but I've started getting into routines and coming up with systems that work for me, so I'm very, very grateful.

I think I'd like to do another Vision Scape this year, for 2025, God willing. My birth month is next month and I usually take some time off to really spend some time with myself and think about what I want and who I am and who I want to be, so I plan to look at that and my goals for the new year next month God willing. I'm really looking forward to tackling that.

Overall, I'm grateful and looking forward to how I can settle into this new space and make it comfortable and functional.

[getmylife]

2024 Update

Completed May 9, 2024

I have low-key abandoned this blog because we HAVEN'T MOVED YET.

That has been so frustrating, but it's actually looking possible this month. At the same time though, it's not going to be everything I hoped for. But that's life I guess.

My mental health has not necessarily improved and that's probably because I think a lot of my challenges with mood are related to deficiencies and hormonal imbalances, so I don't have a lot of control over that at the moment. However, my coping skills have increased dramatically over the past six months, it's genuinely amazing. #Soul

My community work has been pretty lowkey...mostly helping others complete tasks for their community projects, but I'm okay with that, because I don't have the bandwidth to do more than that right now. #World

I've been writing a bit more, journalling in different ways. I did a fiction project as a gift for a friend that was about 20k words. That was exciting. I've been a bit stuck with my favourite WIP though. I'm trying to write over the hurdle and see if I will speed up as I gain momentum. #Pen

I'm back on a decent routine in terms of hair care and bathroom cleaning. Unfortunately, the storage in my new room won't be set up yet when I move in so I might have to do some Macgyvering in order to get some kind of order. #Den

My goal is to get my driving permit this month and start driving lessons next month God willing. I made some serious progress in understanding financial statements this year and I really hope it will be easier the next time around. #Skills

I've been watching a lot more shows and movies and reading a lot of fanfic. I got myself an eBook and audiobook subscription (Everand) that I really like and I think will come in handy during the moving process. I did a 10-day overseas trip with my brother last month that was really fun and got me out of my comfort zone. #Thrills

I've fallen off a bit on my DuoLingo enthusiasm and only go on to maintain my streak at this point. I'm not sure if that's going to change if I start engaging with my target languages more or when I move my keyboard into my room and can start playing again. I've been writing a few songs on guitar too. That's been really fun. #Tones

I've been having regular BMs since I travelled and that's been a welcome experience. I've been putting the weight back on since my bout of "not too good" in February. Almost at 50kg again, but my appetite is still not what it used to be. I'm still struggling with hydration too. I've been working from the dining table though and that's been better for my back. #Bones

I've not read much nonfiction. But I'm looking forward to that being easier with the book app. I've learned a lot in therapy though, so that's nice. And I'm learning lots of new words reading fanfic lol. #Quotes

I've started tracking my cycle more consistently this month, especially since my period came early last month. I want to be more aware and paying attention so I can catch it before it catches me unawares. I've been doing my vision boards and quarter reviews in a physical notebook and that's been a fun activity too. #Notes

[getmylife]

Completed (I don't remember) Finally uploaded November 10th 2023

This quarter feels kinda' like a fever dream. I can't quite remember where it started. It kinda' blurs together with the second quarter, but overall it was Not a Good Time TM. My mental health took a dive, but the one really good thing that happened is I decided that I didn't have a choice but restructure my life in the next quarter and I started therapy so whoot whoot.

[getmylife]

I'm taking a few weeks off from other people's deadlines (which means no personal or business projects for my parents). They're on their own for a bit this month and next month. I was planning to take a whole four weeks off but there's a business project coming up early November that needs my expertise. It feels a lot like throwing my dad under the bus if I don't help out. So I've decided two stick two days onto the end of my vacation for every day I work for in the middle.

I want to get a lot of personal stuff done during this "time off." For example, I need to start my personal packing and some of our communal decluttering. I also want to go ham on my current WIP. One of my friends has a birthday in February and I was hoping to finish this WIP, edit it and send it to her as a surprise. We'll see how that goes.

The thing is that I just want to mark off two things from each column. I think that's the most realistic seeing that my period is a stone throw away and it usually takes an additional week to get back on my feet.

[getmylife]

#Den things I’m looking forward to when we move

Having my own room

Having my own bathroom

Having a designated work space

Bay windows ❤️

Storage!!!

Safe, accessible place for my instruments

Safe, accessible place for my books

A door on my room

A door to my bathroom

A chest of drawers

[getmylife]

T-70 Days to Moving

Completed September 7 2023

So great news! The tiles are here, the windows have been ordered and the doors are being chosen. It should take about three weeks to tile and by then the windows should have arrived and so that can start right away.

The contractor and the joiner should be meeting next week, God willing and so we'll be able to start working on bathroom cabinets and bedroom closets. I'm getting my bed custom made for extra storage so that meeting should get the ball rolling for all of that. #Den

The issue I've been having is that the new house has lost its shiny glow. I've been thinking of it as this Promised Land TM, where life will just be better, which, objectively, is true. Our neighbours will be few and far between so I'll feel more comfortable going out in the yard and I'll get both fresh air and sunshine. I'll have my own space and some more control over my belongings and my routines and so my mind will be clearer. I'll have easy access to my instruments and the internet will be faster and self care activities will become a lot easier. My periods will be more comfortable because of the privacy I'll have. There are so many benefits that will come with moving.

Yet, I'm still going to be me. I'm still intrinsically flawed. I'm still going to have to work on treating myself and others with kindness. I'm going to have to put fail safes in place for the low energy and low mood days. I'm still going to have to keep seeing a psychiatrist. I'm still going to be struggling with figuring out who I am and what I believe and where I'm going. I'm still going to battle with anxiety and depression and ADHD. These are still going to be my struggles.

The realization of this has dampened my excitement a bit, but I don't think it's a bad thing. I think it's more realistic than pessimistic and it will save me from the disappointment waiting for me if I hadn't thought this over more objectively. I can't imagine how devastating it would be to get there and then have this realization. #Notes

It's also helped me be a bit more proactive. I can't wait to get there to start living and improving. I was seriously going to wait til I got there to start seeing a therapist. I'm glad I didn't wait. My next appointment is scheduled for next week. I've been thinking about some of the stuff we talked about the last time and I'm over most of the shame of feeling like I overshared (like that isn't what you're literally supposed to do...smh). #Soul

I've also been doing some recommended reading: The Four Agreements; A Scattered Mind; and The Self-Compassion Workbook. The last two have been kind of overwhelming in terms of length for me right now and my attention span, but I'm taking it all one page at a time. I doubt that I'll be done with all three by the next time we meet, but I'd like to be done with the Four Agreements. That is the one that has been resonating the most with me. #Quotes

My health has been okay lately. Mostly just dizziness and lack of appetite to think about. I'm definitely dehydrated though. This heat has been wicked. I need to find some form of physical activity though: something light and easy and mindless. Walking is not for me, but I need to figure something out and soon. #Bones

I've not found a replacement for myself for my lessons yet and so I'm thinking of keeping one student. I don't know that she'd work well with just anyone and my other two should be fine without me. #World

This week I've not been writing like I'd like to, but I did put out a two liner that has been gaining traction on the Tumblr TM. That will always be so validating to me, getting notes on pieces I'm proud of. My WIP is not close to being done. I've been gunning to finish it by December, but at the rate I'm going it doesn't look great, especially since I also wanted to write a short story to put out during Christmas. We'll see how it goes especially since I'm taking the whole of next month off. #Pen

My #Skills and #Thrills life have been kinda dry. Although, I did go out for icecream with a cousin this week. That was fun. It was nice seeing him after so long.

My music has not gone anywhere in a long time, but my DuoLingo is going strong so yayyy. #Tones

[getmylife]

Update (Post-therapy appointment)

Completed August 28, 2023

So I had a consultation with a psychiatrist this week and when I tell you I feel so validated and justified. We haven't spoken about PMDD yet, but we're talking about ADHD, autism and OCD. When I tell you I'm both shocked and not surprised at all. These "diagnoses" (I'm using that word loosely because Idk that I've been diagnosed or it's just that I meet a lot of the criteria) just feel like one giant step in the right direction. #Soul

In light of figuring myself out and trying to improve my mental health, I'm taking a step back when it comes to all of the volunteer projects. I'm trying to see who I can get to take care of all my students when September comes, because I don't think I could make any strides forward if I'm stressing over after-school lessons. #World

When it comes to building, the tiles have supposedly arrived, but we're having trouble clearing them. Once that's sorted hopefully we'll get those laid and be one step closer to finishing. Last week we met with a joiner about closets, bathroom vanities and kitchen cabinets. We're organizing windows too. So it's all happening. Still a bit slow, but I'm grateful. #Den

I've been so good at writing lately. I finally got back into my current WIP and I've been sending it to one of my friends overseas as I write each chapter and she is so hyped it's inspiring. She's so excited about the story and so it makes me excited about the story and so I keep writing. I think I've sent her two chapters in the past four weeks which is incredible for me. #Pen

I've not found the willpower to take care of my skin with the products the dermatologist recommended. So my skin has been a challenge, but it's so much better than earlier this year. Also prune juice has been a win when it comes to bowel movements. Not there yet on hydration yet especially since it's been so stinking hot, but we keep on keeping on. #Bones

I have not used any of my instruments in way too long. I'm not beating myself up about that, though, which is good. The only thing is that when the psychiatrist asked what I do in my spare time, I didn't mention music at all (T.T) . My DuoLingo streak on the other hand is fire. I'm almost at my 250 days streak. Did I have to use a ton of streak freezes? (Yes), but this is still something to celebrate. #Tones

I do not know how to cook or drive, but I'm learning to live with myself LOL #Skills

I have a date with one of my cousins once he's back from vacation. We're supposed to go for ice-cream. So that's it for my social life. I also have been chatting a lot with my uni roommates. That's been fun. I've been watching Ted Lasso and an early 2000s Tarzan adaptation in my free moments. Been scrolling le TikTok and reading lots of fanfic. These have been anxiety inducing as of late, though. #Thrills

I got recommended three books by my psychiatrist so definitely some room for some sick #Quotes.

I've been fairly consistent with my Self-evals and I'd like to be consistent with these updates too #Notes.

[getmylife]

Update (Game Plan?)

Completed August 3, 2023

I am depressed. There’s no other way to say it, no point in beating around the bush. And depression has a way of interfering with productivity (LOL). July was A LOT. I did my tally of completed tasks this week and I think it was a total of almost 180, which is approximately half of what I do in an entire quarter. So yh, no wonder I’m burnt out.

But more than that, the past five years have been building up to this giant ball of “Why am I even here?” in my chest and it looks like the only way out will be through my mouth. So I’m going back to therapy. 

The past few months have made it abundantly clear that I’m not going to survive without some kind of intervention. I was hoping that moving would have been that intervention: cleaner air, more sunlight, my own space, safe ways to exercise. I mean it sounds like heaven.

But moving is taking a lot longer than expected. Money has been the major problem. And energy. Someone has to sort through and pack all of our stuff. Someone has to push for windows and doors and kitchen counters. I’ve tried to be that person but please refer to Sentence #1. I’m barely able to keep myself going at this point. How will I sustain an entire moving operation?

So moving might be a last quarter of the year situation. I’m praying for October, the 7th, to be exact. It’s a Thursday (woot woot) and all our major projects for the year should be done and dusted. We should have the bandwidth to pull off an entire move by then. I can’t wait ‘til October to feel better about life, so therapy it is.

I’m hoping I get some distinct diagnosis so I know what I’m working with. So I have an idea of where to start. 

I was talking to my mom today about medication and sharing that I think if I’m ever going to be a functional person again I’m going to have to try medication, but I don’t want to be on medication for the rest of my life. And she was like, you might have to be on it until your body can produce the hormones you need to function. Idk. I don’t want to taste normalcy and then have to give it up. I’m so afraid of messing up my body and mind further. I was like “it’s been ten years, why can’t my body figure itself out yet?”

But she reminded me that it’s been 10 years of going nonstop. I don’t even know who I am anymore. I’ve been running so fast that I don’t even know which direction I’m moving in. I don’t know which way is up or down or forward or backwards.

So.

I’m thinking about making October a month of self-discovery. I really want to spend some time figuring out who I am and where I want to go. I think I’ve largely focused on the needs of the people around me and their expectations of me for the past ten years. I think it’s time to be a bit more conscious and deliberate about making this my life. About making it something I’m creating and not something that’s happening to me.

I think this month, and next month, God willing, I’ll spend some time putting together a list of activities I can try throughout October to get to know myself better. Once I figure out who I am and what I want, I think building the life and the routines that facilitate that will be easier. And then I can put things in place over the months to follow to hit the ground running (or walking, if I so decide) in January 2024, God willing.

For anyone else struggling, I hope you find a reason to hold on today. You got this! I believe in you!

[getmylife]

Items on my wishlist intended to make my life easier/better

Wireless over ear buds

Massage gun (with heat)

Heated blanket

Hot water bottle [Coronation]

Mouse (wireless optional)

Audible subscription?

[getmylife]

Noteworthy:

Completed June 22, 2023

I’ve gotten the wireless over ear buds and they’re chef’s kiss. I’ve gotten the mouse recently too but I haven’t tested it out yet since I took a week off work this week.

My periods have been beautiful for the past few months and so the massage gun, heated blanket and hot water bottle are not emergencies. They will just improve my standard of living once I get them.

Still not sure about the Audible subscription. Still testing out the headphones. I love that I don’t risk yanking my head back when I get up from the computer though.

[getmylife]

Thrills - Reality Vs. Goals

Completed March 18 2023

Reality

I feel like I’m always either in a reading slump or a binge. I don’t know how to be in between. Right now I’m in a slump and I think it’s based on two things: I’ve been really busy for the last few weeks in terms of both work and volunteer projects and me time was very hard to come by. I feel like most books I want to have read (note I didn’t say “want to read”; I might have issues; who knows?) require a high investment and a long wait before the pay off. So in the evenings when everything is quiet and everyone has gone to bed I just read fanfic, webtoons or those quick beach read romances.

I’ve started a collection of used books. Our local library gives them away from time to time and Ma has been picking ones up that she thinks I’d like. That in itself brings me so much joy, so I don’t mind being one of those people who considers that a whole different hobby.

Also I’m really interested in scrapbooking and reading and other kinds of tracking journals that use calligraphy and all different kinds of writing styles. My dream is to do them in a physical book but I don’t really have my own space right now and I’d want to keep all the pieces safe. Also, I don’t know that I have a lot of the resources like the magazine cut outs. I don’t think I’d want to print out everything and then cut them out. Also I don’t know how to do calligraphy.

So I made a reading journal on Canva but I have not begun to use it because as I said –BUSY.

I’m not as into crafting as Sib 2 (she does crochet, macrame, embroidery, cross-stitch, and she has a paper quilling set too), but I do know how to do some basic crochet (I’ve made two hats I believe). I wouldn’t mind making a cute sweater or cardigan (although, I find most yarns kinda’ scratchy and ridiculously expensive where I live).

I think my other hobbies are included in TONES and PEN.

I don’t have very many close friends where I live. So any socializing would have to be done virtually. We all have such busy lives it feels like we’re drifting apart sometimes, but I think we’ll just have to do friendship differently.

That being said, Sib 2 wants to go out and do things so once one of us gets our license we might start going for ice cream or drives etc.

Habits to Develop by the End of the Year:

Check on three friends every quarter

Spend money on something fun or entertaining every quarter

Plan a relaxing experience every month

Create something every month

Bonus: Media consumption scrapbooking/overview (monthly to quarterly)

[getmylife]

Noteworthy:

Completed May 29, 2023

I’ve been spending a lot more time chilling. I don’t know if that’s good or not. I rarely feel the bite of the productivity bug. I think I might be burnt out or it’s just  a symptom of depression. Can’t really tell the difference atm. But I know that once I’m feeling “better” I’ll go ham with the productivity and not want to chill. So I’m trying to enjoy the fact that I want do nothing at the moment.

Between my mental and reproductive health, idk that I’m ever going to be a social person. I missed a wedding last weekend because my period came the day before. And then when I’m having really low mood like last Thursday, I don’t want to be around people. So idk what to do about that.

The relaxing experience does not have to cost me anything. I didn’t consider that, because I was thinking about maybe going for a massage but those stress me out more than anything rn. But when we move it could be something as simple as taking a soak in my tub. Or lying in my bed and listening to my favourite playlist. So I think I need to practice thinking simple.

What I really badly want to create is music. And as stated earlier that will be made easier when I move, both in terms of access to my instruments and privacy. 

I need to get my own source of income. I’m not sure how to do that, but hopefully I’ll figure it out.

I’ve been checking on my friends though. That habit has been the easiest one to maintain because I don’t even have to think about it.