2017 in Review

It took a couple of extra days, but I really had to force myself to sit down and reflect on 2017. Anyone else feel like every day was the end of days (without the hope of Arnold Schwarzenegger coming to the rescue)? Most of it was revisiting some dark days in this climate, days where I was literally afraid to walk outside my door, but it was also a good reminder to wake up every day, be brave and fight for those I love and the dirt I'm standing on. Here's what I took away from last year, and what to do going forward in 2018.

2017 in Review

The Ups

• Got outside my comfort zone

• Got woke

• Got closer to my significant other

The Downs

• Mental health took a real beating this year

• Watched distance grow significantly in relationships w/friends and family

• Let fear stop me from succeeding on multiple occasions

Challenge Accepted

• Revisited Mt. Si

• Backpacked for the first time on the Na Pali Coast

• Competed for the first time with 16kg in Biathlon

• Moved for the first time since moving to Seattle

• Spent the night in a hobbit hole, a tent and a treehouse

The Videos

• Ludacris Llama Llama Red Pajama Freestyle

• “You’re Mine” - Lola Marsh - Mariel Madrid choreography / Keone and Mari

• The dangerous ways ads see women - Spotlight TEDx Talk

• The Purpose of Friendship - The School of Life

• Papyrus - SNL

The Articles

• Self-Care is an Act of Survival

• The Surfer’s Guide to Taking Risks

• The Science Behind How Mindfulness Can Help Break Negative Thought Patterns

• This Stanford Professor Has a Theory on Why 2017 Is Filled With Jerks

• “Ars longa, vita brevis.” (Art is long; life is short)

The Movies

• Lady Bird

• Step

• Okja

• The Big Sick

• Get Out

• 3 Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri

• Blade Runner 2049

• Chasing Coral

• Coco

• Wonder Woman

The Music

• LCD Soundsystem

• N.E.R.D.

• Sia

• Lion Babe

• Gorillaz

2018 Moving Forward

What’s Working?

• Being mindful of things happening to me and around me

• Establishing a morning routine

• Keeping 2 different bullet journals: one for everyday things and one for just training

What’s Not Working?

• Losing energy on things that return more negative than positive outcomes

• Staying up late and getting up late

• Wasting money on things I don’t need / throwing out food I don’t eat

How Can I Fix What’s Not Working?

• Prioritize diverting energy to things that are rewarding and sustainable

• Set boundaries on how late to stay up, only set one alarm in the morning instead of three

• Make an actual budget, evaluate each purchase on whether it is necessary/practical or wasteful