Dear readers, 6 months have [almost] passed as I type this, and by the time it will go up, the situation wouldn't have changed.
I think this is a type for freelancers and bloggers alike to draw a line to see if they follow the plan they set at the beginning of the year.
It's a time to think about what we learned, lost, and gained. It's also a time to try and reset goals for the 2nd half of the year if the results are not the ones you expected.
If you're not a business, you'll probably have a harder time setting quarterly goals. :(
WHAT I GAINED
As far as I'm concerned, I don't think I gained much - except for a lot of weight, OOPS . When 2016 ended, all I wanted was a 'different' year, with hopes for a better one. Well, so far so good - it was better than the previous one. I gained 10 kg in about 2 weeks, back in January. As June comes to an end, I still haven't lost 1 kg. Maybe I should go back to this post and remind myself on how that's done. ;)
I also gained a bit of insight into how I can keep myself on a more productive line: bullet journaling. You can read about me discovering it in this post. I can't really have an opinion on how this goes since not even a month passed since I started it, but I think that if I keep at it, I will have more results by the end of the year.
I also gained some insight that proves I'm not as mature as I'd like to be. For instance, it seems that when I decide I want something, I want it RIGHT NOW, despite some other factors clearly stating it is impossible to get. What do I mean?
Last year we decided we'll move to either Canada or France, with later deciding on France - closer to Romania, therefore easier and cheaper to do. I thought we'll be doing this in 2 months tops... but, haha 6 months later and we still have to buy tickets and stuff. It turns out, leaving for another country is more work than I previously anticipated. This pill is a bit hard to swallow, to be honest, and only someone who is still immature will not see it.
WHAT I LEARNED
What did I learn..? Thinking about it, I can't really tell, but let me try...
I learned some Mandarin Chinese - since my memory is super bad, I can't remember if I ever mentioned I'm teaching myself Mandarin. I studied mostly grammar aspects, and soon I will have to start with learning the Han characters [this is what I understood they're called in China].
I also learned that no matter how much I love cats some of them are simply not for me, or that I can't take care of all of those that come my way. That cat found some human to take care of her, but I will be lying if I said I don't miss her: she was hilarious to be honest, despite her destructive nature. But, as I accumulate more years, I realize I need calm and peace more than anything.
I also learned that creative people can't work for other people, at least not in a 9-to-5 environment. While I may not seem so at first sight, this blog is proof enough I'm creative, as well as some of the drawings/doodles you occasionally saw [there is one right in this post, higher up ;) ].
You can also see the unedited version below because I couldn't decide which one I like more. The cursive is how I really write in my dream journal - should I post pictures of it?
I am learning now to be a bit more flexible. For instance, if I plan something in advance, I must be prepared to change those plans. Freelancers or business owners will probably know this struggle more than other folks.
WHAT DID i LOSE
Well, for starters I lost a stable job, or better said I gave it up, but mostly because it was eating my health away. I didn't search for a new one. Well, you might think I have less money coming in, and this might be true. However, as a 'freelance writer' I can tell you I had projects that paid as much as the job I gave up did. Basically, a project lasting 2 weeks brought in as much dough as a month slaving away at the job. [I do plan on writing a blog about my experience in the 'normal' work-field, but I don't know when].
PLANS FOR THE UPCOMING 6 MONTHS
I plan on continuing with the bullet journal I started - I really see it as a good way to keep myself organized and on track. I do recommend it to all my readers. I also need to improve it, as the first month planning didn't impress me. Since I never did this before, I can't now how to do it in a way that works for me - but I will.
I want to workout more - not really to lose weight [as I'm not sure it will happen], but my body simply asks for it [at least at times]. I will hopefully lose some weight as well.
I will study more French - I can read it, I understand quite a bit, but speaking it... that's a whole different story. I will obviously continue with Chinese as well, so this will not even be mentioned. After we move to France [it's a matter of when not if], I will have to find a job [I want to buy a house there, as renting is something I'm done with] and being able to understand and speak the language will be helpful [for obvious reasons]. I also want to apply for the French citizenship [or naturalization] so I will also have to study more about France' history and culture and so on. This thought actually excites me.
AND YOU?
How was your year so far? what aspects will you improve? or do you have any piece of advice for me?
© Charly Cross 2013 - present. All rights reserved.
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