This is just gonna be a tad bit long, btw:
Am I grateful? So, so grateful. I am overall healthy, and have the best set of friends and family I could have asked for. My basic needs are met, and my two feet can carry me anywhere I want to go. For these, I am really grateful.
Do I have a healthy perspective? This is pretty hard to gauge, but I would say so. I am learning to to reflect on my days, my decisions, my head space and physical health. Balance, balance, balance.
Am I taking anything for granted? I admit to taking my health for granted a lot of the time. I also want to believe I don't, but I do take my parents for granted. They're not perfect, but I love them. I cherish all of the time I have with them.
Is there anything I need to change? I could and should sleep more, eat a more balanced diet and commit to fewer things in a day, in a week, so I burn out less often.
Am I taking care of myself physically and mentally? I am heading to the gym as frequently as I can, sleeping as often as I can and taking more me time than I ever have. Yes, I am even starting to hit my daily water intake goals. Onward.
Am I using my time wisely? I am actually currently procrastinating as I write the answer to this question, I should really be getting ready for a birthday pub crawl tonight. But usually I am productive. I write a list. I get it done. Or I change the list (because, balance!).
Do I like my job? My job is a step up from where I was about six months ago. But I can't say that it brings me joy to wake up and be there, nor am I motivated to stay longer than I have to. That being said, the work environment is good. My coworkers are great. The location is wonderful. I am a short walk from my night classes and from meeting my friends for lunch. The commute, albeit shorter... can be challenging some days. Yes and no.
How meaningful is my work? It varies drastically from one case to another, but I think generally I am not very passionate about it. I am a paralegal and being in the legal field to me means working to represent those who have experienced an injustice or a wrong: see the definition of Tort. I disagree that every single case that we handle right now falls under this definition.
How can I get better at what I do? Like anything, I need to take on more challenging work to become better at what I do. I am currently evaluating whether or not I will find that here at my current position.
Do I spend enough time on my education? I am enrolled in six courses this term. I devote a number of hours per day to these courses on top of my full time job... YES. Maybe too much.
Where is my career going? I am at that place, that place between a rock and a hard place. There are two routes for me career wise right now. I am weighing the pros and cons of continuing to pursue my legal career at a higher level, or to continue riding it out as a paralegal. I hope to come to a decision by the end of this year.
What can I do that I'm currently not doing? I devote a lot of energy to ensuring that I spend my minutes doing all that I can do in those minutes so that I'm not wondering later what I could be doing. Instead, I'm sitting here thinking "wow, I did all that today."
What is my first priority right now? My first priority is to tackle the debt I have accrued in the past two, three years. On top of saving money, my second priority is to make more money... Which is tied to my third priority: to finish my current program. Seems like I have a plan. I also really want to continue traveling, seeing the world and living my life.
What tasks am I procrastinating? Laundry.
What are some things I should stop doing? Being so hard on myself when I don't accomplish all the things I've laid out for myself to do in a day. Come on, Lisa. You only have 24 hours in a day, and half of it should be spent sleeping or eating. I spend an unfortunate amount of time beating myself up for things often out of my control, and often because they were unrealistic in the first place. I also need to stop caring about what other people think.
What new things am I learning? Besides being in school and learning constantly throughout the year, I would say that snowboarding is still new to me. I have also picked up the saxophone this year. And boy. Do I need more practice on both those things!
What are some things I accomplished last year? I started snowboarding and bought a snowboard. I went snowshoeing for the first time in over ten years, and then went again. I started a bullet journal. I started working downtown. I bought a manual car for $500. I arranged a family hike up Eagle Bluffs, our first family activity in years. I took the family bowling, even though I hate bowling. I experienced my first massage and spent collectively 30 days out of town. I climbed Mount Outram, making it the new highest peak I've climbed (previously, Black Tusk).
What are some things I would like to accomplish this year? Graduate. Pay off about 50% of my outstanding debt. Grow my Instagram (@lisaaelle). Get laser eye surgery. Fit in one short solo trip, if my budget allows. Play a full song on the saxophone. Lose 20 lbs, in a healthy way. Sleep more. Pick up that camera and take some photos.
What are some things I would like to accomplish next year? Graduate, if I don't graduate in December. Pay off the other half of my debt. Take my parents to Asia. Make another career leap, whether that is a job change, or taking the LSAT and pursuing further education. (Back burner goals: Vietnamese lessons and dance lessons).
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