As I mentioned in my last blog, I do not have the resources
to do much blogging at this moment in my life.
However, I do not want to abandon it completely. Here is my attempt to keep some activity
without having to expend a lot of time and energy on it. For 2018, I will try to do a monthly
reflections blog posted on the last day of the month. If my schedule opens up later, or I feel inspired
to post something extra, then I will do so.
This however will give at least 12 blogs for the year if I can stick to
it.
I am borrowing and adapting a format that I read on someone
else’s blog. I wish I could remember who
it was, because I would definitely give her credit. The other blogger did this format for a daily
reflection to end her days. I am going
to do it as a monthly reflection to review how my life is going. It is broken down into three sections: The Good, The Challenges, and the
Future. The Good focuses on gratitudes,
special events, accomplishments, and other things that make me happy. The Challenges reflect on problems, disappointments,
struggles, and other things that did not go so well. The Future looks forward to things I am
excited for in the future or perhaps challenges I know are coming my way.
The Good
The Blinds by Adam Sternbergh – This was an awesome book to
kick off the year. It is a complicated
story full of interesting twists and moral dilemmas. It was entertaining while also making me
think.
The Desire Map Daily Planner by Danielle LaPorte – I read
the book The Desire Map last year, and I am using the planner this year. So far, I really like the layout. It includes the time schedule and the to do
list that other planners always incorporate, but it adds little sections to
help remind yourself what is most important.
CPA Studying – I have done much better with studying for the
CPA this month. Towards the end of this
month, I determined all the sections of the Wiley software for REG that I had
not completed yet. I scheduled them out,
taking into considerations obligations already made, through my testing date
March 3. So far I have stuck to the new
schedule.
Ballet Burn – Pilates class at work had a two week hiatus,
so I tried a new class at my gym called Ballet Burn. It is a combination of ballet and Pilates
done at a pretty fast pace. I really
loved it. I was going to use it as an
alternative to Pilates when there was no class.
However, work is apparently changing Pilates to Wednesday going forward,
so I should be able to do both now.
Less Soda – I outlined some healthy eating goals for myself
for the year, adding changes one month at a time. I tried to keep it light in January, because
I knew changes during a quarter close are difficult. My goal was 1-2 sodas per week, and I
actually managed about 2 sodas per week.
For reference, I was more like a 1-2 sodas per day type of girl.
The Challenges
Work – It was the quarter so that is always hard. I am so unmotivated by my job right now, that
I really struggle getting through all the extra hours. I feel frustrated with all the weird
transactions that they do last minute and the lack of communication that
surrounds them. I get impatient with my
staff who are great workers but not so great at the little details. I just know it is time to move on to another
position, but I feel so guilty. I know
there are challenging things in the future (like the updated Lease Accounting
Standard implementation) where they are probably counting on me to contribute.
Sick – I had some kind of virus during the month. Lately I feel like I get sick every
quarter. I assume I had a virus this
time (though I do not think it the flu that is going around), but sometimes I
wonder if I just work myself into the ground and my body gives up.
Husband – My husband is extremely unhappy in his job right
now. It is making him a miserable person
to be around at home. I am trying to be
supportive but it is hard. I am going
through my own job burnout, and I do not always feel I have the patience and
energy to deal with his too. I also
think he is sometimes unreasonable about what he thinks the company owes
him. It is hard to be supportive when I
think he is being a bit obnoxious at times.
He has put in his notice with his last day during the end of February. They supposedly have been trying to convince him
to stay, but at this point I hope he really does walk away.
The Future
CPA Studying – Studying is going to dominate my
February. The schedule plan that I
created has about 1-2 hours per week night (except Wednesday which is a hubby
night) and about 7-8 hours both weekend days.
There some changes to the schedule based on obligations I had already
made, but otherwise February is study month.
I waited too long to get serious, and now I really have to focus if I
have any chance of passing March 3rd.
Book Club – My book club meets about every other month,
rotating houses as meeting places. I
volunteered for February, before I realized how crazy my schedule was going to
be. None the less, I am looking forward
to it.
Staycation – The last few years I have tried to take a week
off at the end of February, and I am doing it again this year. I need some space away from work before we
get into the fiscal year end craziness.
I use this time to relax, read, watch movies, eat good food, and do some
projects around the house. This year of
course I will be studying too.
There you have it, my month in review. See you next month!
