If there’s something that has become absolutely clear these last two years is that things really don’t always work out as we plan them. I know everyone says that and, at this point, it’s a tired phrase, but it was something I hadn’t really experienced in its full scope. Turns out it’s true. Especially in the times of covid. Especially when you no longer have a plan.

Two years into the pandemic and I have had to come to terms with the fact that I completely fell out of balance. 2021 kept going and life went on, but it felt slow and full of obstacles and processes that weren’t moving. I was no longer motivated to do what I used to love doing, and I felt so stuck. There were so many things out of my control that I just started to live in this perpetual state of stress and just going with the flow. Slow as it was. The word I had chosen for 2021 had been «forward» and I felt almost like I was going backwards. Towards the end of the year things started picking up again and I felt the world starting to move again, and then came the bigger changes I had been waiting for.

Now I’m still in the pandemic, staying mostly at home, but it’s a new home in a new city, and I feel motivated again. The winds are changing a little and I’m willing to pick up steam. The fog is also clearing and I can see that, even though everything was slow, there was -almost- always some moving forward. Now it’s time for me to do my part and retake some control over what I had just let go.

This year, what I need to keep moving forward is perseverance. Keep showing up, keep on doing whatever it is I’m doing. I always have plans and goals for the year, but what really makes the difference is perseverance. So that’s my word for 2022. I chose it when I was standing in my kitchen, drinking coffee and thinking about what I want to do this year in my personal life, my creative life, and my academic/work life.

So, a few hours before the first month of the year is over, just because I still have some left, I want to share some of my goals, plans, and intentions. A goal should always be realistic and achievable, it should have some concrete steps, and it should require some work on my part. It should require me to show up. So, here it goes…

In my personal life

I want to eat more healthy. One extra portion of vegetables a day (since I already eat vegetables every day), one portion of fruit every morning, a light dinner every evening, and at least 1.5L of water every day.

I want to read more. So I’m reading one hour a day, regardless of how I choose to do it, either by reading 60 minutes non-stop, or 30 in the afternoon and 30 before bed, or whatever works on what day, but stick to one hour. Sometimes it doesn’t work, but that’s okay, I’ll just try to read two books a month.

I need to move more. The doctor said 30 to 60 minutes a day is enough. It just needs to be an activity where I move, like going out for a walk.

In my creative life

I want to blog more. At least twice a month, preferably every 15 days or so, to keep a rhythm. I want to share my thoughts a little more, write more about what I read and watch. And I want to schedule a time during the week to prepare blog posts.

I want to do a video a month. Once a month, I want to upload a video to YouTube, this time without skipping any months. I have been planing my content a little more, and I want to also schedule a specific time of the week to preparing videos.

In my academic/work life

I have to finish my thesis. This one is not so difficult because I have a deadline now and I can’t just beat around the bush.

I want to look for PhD programs. This month, I decided on what I want to do next, and that means I need to really look into PhD programs. I should have some more concrete plans and ideas by the time I submit my thesis. This gives me a little under 6 months, but it should be enough time to really start planning for that next step.

Most importantly, I want to keep showing up. Even when I don’t feel like it, I want to keep eating the fruit, keep reading the book, keep looking for programs.

And I will also keep drinking coffee.