*** It is going to be a slightly long post ***
Before spring session ended, I convinced myself that I will not be taking any summer class. After all this while, my body deserved to have a three-month vacation -- most of the time, trying to detox from the long, daunting, and exhausting year. I also listed a few small and big projects that I would like to accomplish or at least started doing. Here are some insights that I have gained throughout this summer:
1. As hard as it may sound, make a conscious effort to define yourself by what you believe in, not by what people think you should do. Last year, I put on weight.. like a lot. People made snarky remarks on how fatter I got, even in just a few months. I came into summer with 189lbs on the scale and I'm on 174lbs at this moment. Not a whole lot, but for people who love eating like myself, it is something. When people started calling me names, it made me stronger. It fuels my passion to losing weight. But, I want to be healthier, fitter, and lighter not because I owed anyone a payback, but because I want to lead a disease free lifestyle.
2. Sleep and wake up early. These past few weeks, I have adopted a 5:30-morning rituals. I wake up, drink a glass of orange juice, meditate for 10-15 minutes, workout for 50-60 minutes, do some self-affirmation exercises, shower, breakfast, and work. For the first 90 minutes of my day, I would focus on the single most important task for the day. Social media and emails are not being opened until 12pm. This was a recommendation made by a best-selling author, Robin Sharma. You all should check out his youtube video in which I have linked the website https://www.youtube.com/user/sharmaleadership.
3. When in doubt, start journaling. Put down your thoughts and ideas on paper so that you would not forget them. I also write whenever there is something that is hard to process, like when I received a couple of rejection letters or when my uncle was admitted to the hospital due to stroke. There are a lot of research out there that provide support to journaling as part of a therapeutic exercise.
4. Self-experimentation is part of your learning process. People asked me sometimes, how can anyone be successful? After I gave them some ideas, I always encouraged them to be vulnerable and be exploratory. Find your own X-factor and things that are working for you. For instance, separating a meal on the table before I even started eating would help me from overeating (portion control). Moreover, pushing myself five minutes more than usual while running helps me get through a longer trail. But again, what might work for me might not work for you. Start searching!
5. When you are stressed out about something, start communing with nature. When was the last time you walked in the woods or on the beach? Every time I felt a little uneasy, I go for a long walk in nature. While walking, I will ponder on the beauty of the nature and how grateful I am to have them around. Not only that, sometimes, I also purposefully force myself to think about things that I am grateful for (eg. my health, my family, my friends, my relationships, my intellectual abilities, the sunrise and sunset).
*** Things I have done for this summer ***
1) Converted my entire college notes (since the first semester at Indiana University Bloomington) into PDF files. Now, all of those files can be accessed through my iBooks app on all my Apple products.
2) Created a study corner that helps form "tight bubble of total focus" (Robin Sharma). I have a desk and a stool, a cork board, and a minimal decorations. This is where I study, work, getting inspiration, and being creative.
3) Reconnected with long lost friends, instructors, supervisors, and family members. If they were in town, I scheduled a coffee date or a regular meeting with them so that we all could catch up. I could not be happier learning about what was new for them and it made me smile when I heard about their successes. Just remember, as we grow older, money is not going to be as important anymore. Longevity is supported through beautifully crafted, mindfully maintained relationships.
4) Cleaned, recycled, and donated unused clothes. I have decided that clothes that were not being regularly worn for a couple of months should go away. This in itself helped with decluttering my entire apartment. Surprisingly, I still have a full closet after the elimination was made (that was just weird).
5) Started monitoring money flow on a monthly basis. I was never a great person when it comes to money. However, keeping a close attention to where my money goes definitely helps.
6) Cleaned and reorganized my apartment, especially the kitchen area. This was a strenuous task, but I am glad that it worked out fine at the end. Having a clean and organized place promote higher productivity because we are in control of where things are.
7) Studied and learned for the upcoming GRE test. I am so nervous about retaking it again this year, but I intend to get a better score.
8) Practiced my handwriting and tried to improve. I realized after a few weeks of not writing, my strokes on certain letters were not as good as they used to be. So, I invested on office supplies and started writing again. Somehow, it is still not perfect, but I am happy to make progress.
9) Wrote different versions of resume and cover letter. I applied for a lot of things: awards, scholarships, jobs, tutoring positions, and lab works. Most of them did not turn out the way I had planned, but that was alright. The more I did it, the better I have become at writing application materials. [Good] practice makes perfect!
10) 90-90-1 rule (thanks to Robin Sharma).In the next 90 days, spend the first 90 minutes of your morning to do 1 most important task of the day. Eliminate all the distractions and unimportant nuances that will pull you away from your task. I go social media free until afternoon or something. At least for me, it worked!
11) Learned Shiatsu Self-Massage tutorials. I have always had troubles with headaches and my lower back. I discovered this from (http://www.mychoicemypath.com/pdfs/SELF-MSG.pdf) and thanks to the My Choice My Path, I feel much better now. This is especially important if you could not afford to go to a professional full body massage, like me haha.
*** Thank you and hopefully this will be beneficial to us all ***
