As the end of the year comes to a close, it’s important to look back on where this year has taken me: the good, the bad, and the enlightening. My hope for this post is to see what worked, what didn’t work, and what will be important for my continued progress leading into 2020. So without further introduction, let’s get into it.
What Worked:
Studying Alone WITH Snacks
Being in the library provided too much distraction for me. There were too many people I know, and weirdly enough, it was too quiet for me to stay focused. The majority of my studying got done at home, usually in the early morning when no one was awake to call or text. When I really needed a change of scenery, I went to Starbucks or Panera for ambient noise. Regardless of location, the one constant was my snack stash. So even though constantly snacking isn’t ideal for dental health, I need it to study and do it anyway. My fave are pecans or sea salt and olive oil popcorn.
Taking Days Off
Sometimes, after a loooong day of lectures and lab, I need a break. I don’t need to go knockout a couple hours of flashcards, or rewatch lectures, I just. Need. To. Chill. One of my favorite chilltivites (aside from being draped in soft clothes and blankets, glued to my couch) is going to happy hour with some of my fellow classmates. These are people that are Bare Minimum Bettys (like me) and that’s why I love them.
Trimming the Fat
I feel like I cut out a lot of the foolery that was taking up space in my life. These were things that no longer had a productive and fulfilling place in my mental and physical wellness. Some of these things were people and some of them were habits I brought upon myself. The most rewarding cutting I did this year was of the hair on my own head. I cut all my hair off, and suddenly, I was saving myself hours and hours of time and also hundreds (possibly thousands) of dollars. This is, without a doubt, the BEST decision I made this year.
What Didn’t Work
Taking Too Many Days Off
Do I need days off? Yes. Do I need everyday off? Probably maybe not. This year, I learned to relax when necessary and work the rest of the time.
Waiting Until the Last Minute
Procrastination is the thief of free time. This is hard for someone like me to grasp, but it solves so many issues before they even become issues. (ex. Finishing my lab work during class so I don’t have to worry about working lab time into my study schedule)
With all this in mind, I’m looking forward to this next year and semester. I love looking back over each year, or even every few years to see where I was and where I am now. It’s exciting to see how much progress I’ve made, because in the midst of progress, it can be easy to become discouraged if I don’t get to immediately experience the results of my hard work. Anyway, 2019 is just about over and done, so now, I get to come up with more goals and intentions for 2020. For those of you who know me, you know I love making things up, so this is super exciting for me. I’m in the process of getting specific about exactly what I want for myself in the upcoming year, but that’s for my next post (which y’all better read).
I would love to hear about what worked and didn’t work for you in 2019, so please comment below. As always, I’m super thankful to all my loyal readers. Y’all are truly the best!
Peace and Blessings,
Joi the DS