This is part 4 in a 5 part series of posts (reflection and gratitude). The first 3 parts were time management, self-love, and learning a new skill. As we move into 2022, it almost feels unreal that it’s been almost 2 years of living through a pandemic. While the time dragged, it also flew.
So the 4th thing I’m going to focus on for the new year is reflection and gratitude. These could possibly be two separate posts, but for me, they are often combined actions. So here we go.
Why should we give gratitude?
Gratitude is an important action in our individual journies to happiness. According to Merriam-Webster, gratitude means a feeling of appreciation or thanks. Many research studies explore the topic of gratitude in relation to happiness and motivation. Expressing gratitude can lead to being happier, higher motivation levels in yourself and people around you, and better sleep. Overall, being grateful can help increase your mood and general sentiments of positive well-being.
Photo by George Dolgikh @ Giftpundits.com on Pexels.com
Integrating Gratitude and Reflection
There are many ways you can incorporate gratitude into your daily life. For me, I like to write down a few things in my notebook either first thing in the morning or before I go to sleep. It is also part of my affirmations practice because it is important to be thankful for what you have when you are trying to manifest the things you want.
One new digital app I am utilizing this year is called Notion. In it, you can create templates to organize your life. I have a daily journal section. In this section, I will write my gratitude list and reflect on my day. The great thing about writing down reflections is that it allows you to see where you want to change. Or, it shows you the good things you have so you can appreciate them more.
Wherever you are in this process of gratitude and reflection, I encourage you to explore ways of being thankful and sharing your appreciation with others.
This is part 3 of a 5 part series(learning a new skill). Part 1 was time management and part 2 was self-love. If the last two years have taught us anything is that the future is digital. And it’s time for us to adapt. Our students and kids are already digital natives, oftentimes teaching us adults how to use apps and programs and devices. My suggestion might be to learn something digital, but you certainly don’t have to. What you can do, however, is utilize digital platforms to learn your new skill for free!
Learning a new skill? Is it ever too late?
No! It is never too late. And in fact, it’s good for our brains and cognitive functions to continue learning new skills. In a research study asking older adults to simultaneously learn new skills, the researchers found that their cognitive abilities improved to someone 30 years younger. I don’t know about you, but if continuous learning can help my brain stay active and young, then I’m in.
As I mentioned earlier, the future is digital. So, there are many websites you can go to in order to learn new skills. Here is a post I wrote about four sites I recommend. Simply going to YouTube and typing in what you want to know will yield thousands, if not millions, of results.
One new skill that I’m focusing on in 2022 is language acquisition. I’ve been living in Norway for 3 months and have been using Duolingo to learn Norwegian. I also used to be fairly advanced in Spanish and am practicing that as well so I don’t forget it.
Whatever skill that you have been thinking about doing (piano, language, art, coding, etc.), just start by researching how. And once you find a way, then you create your plan and you go for it!
This is part 1 of a 5 part series (time management). As 2022 stumbles upon us, many of us will reflect on what that means moving forward. For me, I like to pick several items of focus to organize my life and set goals for my future.
And one of my biggest life areas of improvement over the last several years has been time management. So what are some key things to focus on to improve time management in the upcoming year? For each of us, that might look a little different.
Why is time management important?
Poor time management can cause all sorts of problems in our lives. We can feel more stressed and anxious. There can be disappointing times when we don’t accomplish all we set out to do or even need to do. So if procrastination is something you struggle with, then perhaps it’s time to start tackling the planning side.
What are my big tips for moving forward in the new year?
Effective time management is a skill that anyone can learn. It takes intentional practice and sometimes sticking to things over a longer period of time to make a habit.
Reflect – When you find something taking up a bit chunk of your time, ask yourself if this is how you want to spend it? For example, maybe you should check your screentime and find out if social media is taking up more time than you realize. Or, scrolling through Netflix for hours each night is preventing you from starting that business or taking a step into something new. Don’t get me wrong. We all need our downtime and our own ways of de-stressing. I just know for me, personally, time passes way faster when I’m doing those activities.
Plan – If time management is something you struggle with, start small. Wake up and plan your day. Then, move to planning a week. Then, a month. Then, start filling in your calendar for the year. To do lists, Google calendar, and time-saving strategies are your friends.
Follow simple time management tips to get started – This was one of my first posts on this blog earlier in 2021. I wrote about 5 quick time management tips here and it was a pretty popular post. Check it out!
So, whatever stage of the time management process you are in, there is always room for reflection, planning, and following some simple tips along the way. Best of luck in your journey!
New Year’s is a good time for reflection. I’m finding myself in an even more reflective mood than usual. Perhaps it’s because I’m living in a new country right now. Or, perhaps it’s living under another year of Covid and restrictions. Whatever the reason, I thought I would share some of my biggest personal reflections. Maybe you can relate to some of them. Or, maybe it will be a starting point to your own personal reflections on the past year.
So I thought I would frame my reflection through questions to myself. I encourage you to take the questions and think about how you would respond.
What “stuff” do I really need?
I moved to Norway with only two suitcases and a backpack. The year before that, I moved back in with my parents while I waited for the green light to go to Norway. So, I have a whole apartment’s worth of boxes and furniture sitting in storage in the U.S. right now. Granted, the apartment in Norway came furnished so I didn’t have to buy much when I got here.
However, the past two years have made me really think about the “stuff” I have. Some of it is sentimental, but much of it is probably things I don’t actually need. And now I’m considering staying in Europe for another year (country TBD). I’ll have to also revisit the selling my car debate because that is also sitting not being used right now.
I think we can all agree that time is precious and managing it effectively can be challenging sometimes. For years, I have been very deliberate about my schedule and my calendar. Now, in a new job in a new country, I have had to adapt to a bit more flexibility to allow for changes and updates and unknowns.
This is because of the type of work and also the fact that we are still in a pandemic. When I first moved to Norway, I had so much downtime I didn’t know what to do with myself. I spent it exploring the city and generally taking some time for myself after a year of working multiple jobs and finishing a dissertation.
So, I ask myself if being so strict about my time hinders my creativity or allows it to flourish in its time? Or, am I giving myself enough time to let the creativity out? I like being organized and thorough, which leads me to my next question…
What do I still need to work on for my personal health journey?
Mental health is hugely important to me. And I’ve spent the better part of the last 5 years working on self-improvement and self-care. And getting to know me and what I need to thrive and be the best version possible so that I can be that person for myself and for the people I love and care about.
But in that journey, my physical health has not been where I’d like it to be. I am ready for a bridge between the physical and the mental. In years past, that used to be running. But for some reason, I let the habit go and now it’s harder to rebuild. But I’m working on it and I am planning to run another half marathon in April 2022. I have action steps and now it’s about prioritizing this in my life.
As far as accomplishments go, this year has been a good one. I graduated with my doctorate 12 years after I initially started one. For my career, I started a new job in another country and I get to travel all over Norway doing something I love to do. I finally decided to join the world of online content creation with a blog, YouTube, and Etsy shop. I got to spend quality time with my family, even my grandparents.
So while it’s hard to pin down exactly what I’m most proud of, I don’t think it’s an accomplishment. I think it’s more of an internal feeling that I’m finally on a path of being true to myself. All my life, I’ve been an overachiever, constantly trying to prove that I’m smart enough or hard-working enough to be deserving of an opportunity. I am finally starting to believe that I am enough just the way I am and I get to choose what’s best for my life.
How do I make the most of the year ahead?
Well, the next 6 months of my life are planned and known. I will finish out my current role in Norway, then take a 14-day trip through Europe traveling to countries I’ve never been to. Hopefully, I still get to travel this spring, but that will be determined by Covid.
I will make the most of the year ahead by being open to opportunities. Originally, I planned to go back to the U.S., but now I feel like there is so much of the world I have yet to see. So I’m exploring more job opportunities in Europe, specifically in Norway and Spain.
One of the really great books I read this past year was Year of Yes by Shonda Rhimes. While I am generally extroverted and agree to many things, there are still lots of things in life I am ready to experience. I would like to improve public speaking, go ziplining, and take a chance on myself by continuing to build my consulting business. But first, I will start with some skiing, which I never thought I would try again. But, when in Norway, right?
Final Thoughts
If you have been reading my blog posts this past year, you might know I have a lot more questions I’m asking myself. And if you want to take on a 30-day self-reflection challenge, check out this earlier post I made with prompts you can utilize.
I write this post on December 28th, 2021 reflecting on the past year and gearing up for the next. And it’s time to clean up your email inbox. I love the fact that January 1st provides a set date to start over, but the truth is, you can do this at any time. So, if you’re reading this at a different point throughout the year, the advice and tips still apply.
If you’re anything like me, your email and phone notifications and inboxes are just filled to the brim. Now, I do my best to maintain a zero inbox and minimize any notifications that will disrupt my thought process. However, things sneak up over time and it’s important to do a reboot of your process if necessary. For me, it’s time to get my email back in order.
Why I’m Feeling This Way
Now, I only have a few emails in my inbox at the moment so you might think that I’m doing a great job at managing emails. However, over the past year, I have joined different newsletters and applied to various jobs. That means that the volume of emails I’m receiving is still pretty high. So even though I’m wading through them, it takes more time than I would prefer.
It’s also a reflective time of year that makes me evaluate all my systems as I think about the goals I want to achieve for the upcoming year. And one of my continuous life goals is to be more reflectively productive. Not just productive for productive’s sake, but being truthful with myself about what’s working, what’s not working, and what causes extra unnecessary tasks.
So, before you jump into overhauling your email inbox, make sure it’s a priority that will help you. I listened to Ali Abdaal’s recent YouTube video on how much money he spent and he made a point about the money he spends ordering takeout. Cooking is not a priority so time isn’t invested in doing it or learning how to do it better. Make sure to invest time in the things that are a priority for you.
Time to clean up your email inbox: Strategies to help you
Review any emails that come through a subscription
I often sign up for new things not realizing how many times per day or week the organization will email me.
Sometimes I change the settings to once a week
Other times I just decide not to get that newsletter anymore because it’s no longer helpful. Use the auto unsubscribe feature in GMAIL or go through the organization’s system.
Create filters
Not every email has to clog up the inbox upon arrival. You can create filters to send emails to folders. Or, have it enter with a label based on a specific sender.
Filters help create visual clues about important emails upon arrival. For example, you may have a client or boss that demands immediate responses. Create a filter so it stands out when you are glancing at your emails throughout the day.
You can also set up notifications so that it only interrupts your workflow if it is from certain people.
Archive old emails
If you want to get started with an inbox zero, then archiving everything is a way to start. If you are not sure how to get started, then follow this guide.
My personal email account had tens of thousands of emails before I started doing this. I signed up for it in 2005 and since it is my name, I have kept it ever since.
No one has the time to review thousands of emails so simply archive all of them and start doing inbox zero moving forward. They will still be accessible through search so nothing is actually deleted.
Set boundaries
Decide how often you plan to check your email.
Decide what devices you will keep your email on.
Decide if you will get notifications via a sound alert or banner.
Set personal time aside where you will not check your emails at all – perhaps even for a day or two.
Now, these are all suggestions I have incorporated into my own routines over the last few years. As with life, my process and systems ebb and flow to match my current endeavors and productivity needs.
Comment below with any helpful email tips to start the new year!
I was recently talking with someone about my goal of visiting 40 countries by the time I’m 40. When I tell people this, usually their eyes get big and they say something like good luck. Now, full disclosure I just turned 35, so I only have 5 years to go. And so far, I have only been to 5 countries.
The other consideration is what counts as an adequate amount of time somewhere for me to say that I visited that country. I am counting Portugal, which I was only in for 20 hours, but I did leave the airport, stay in a hotel, visit the downtown area, and eat some delicious food.
Although I currently live in Norway, I am from the United States where I spent all of my life. I visited both Mexico and Canada for a few days each. But other than that, I haven’t had the chance to see much of the world.
But here’s the thing that I believe to be true about goals and myself. If I don’t put a time limit on it, I am less likely to take action. I might put something off for years and years, wasting all of this time I could have used. I did this in my 20’s when I decided to run a half marathon.
I made this decision early in my 20’s and said that I would do it by the time I turned 30. Each year went by and I didn’t take action until I was 29. I did do it, but I could have done it so much sooner!
So maybe the real lesson is that I need to make the time constraint even closer to my current reality. Because the procrastinator brain in me will use all of the available time. I wish I had the diligence and self-discipline to just make things happen because I wanted them to. But, that’s also related to the power of manifestation and another area of my life I am definitely working on.
But Really – Time Limits Can Be a Good Thing
One of my favorite authors and writers of productivity, habits, and goal-setting, James Clear, has an excellent post on the realities of setting goals. He says that the true challenge is the competing goals we have for ourselves. If we have too many at one time, it can be difficult to narrow in on one at a time. Therefore, it can be helpful to focus on the most important goal of the time.
Time limits help us focus and prioritize our goals. Another helpful tip is to place a limit on the number of goals and tasks that you are working toward at any one time.
So, if I really sit down and try to think about the things that are important to my immediate future, I have 3 goals that come before traveling the world:
Complete another half marathon in April 2022 (time limit imposed and training plan created).
Continue to be the best teacher possible while traveling to schools in Norway. Meaning, work on improving lessons, resources, and engagement with activites.
Have a remote job lined up by August 2022. My current job will end at the end of June.
I did book a 14-day travel trip through Europe for July. Knowing that is coming and already booked alleviates some of the pressure of trying to make it to as many places as possible over the next 6 months.
All 3 of my most important goals are time constricted to the next 6 months. So maybe I should let go of the 40 countries by 40 and continue to take it 6 months at a time. It is a much more manageable deadline that allows for specific action in the here and now.
Oh, and one more goal for this month is to write 8 more blog posts to make it to 100 posts in 2021 on my brand new blog!
What do you think about imposing time limits on your goals?
I think one of my next posts is going to be about how you can become an Amazon affiliate. I have mixed feelings about it because I definitely don’t want to be contributing to making Jeff Bezos richer. However, if you’re looking for some extra cash to save or get out of debt, then signing up gets you a piece of the money pie. Because let’s face it, Amazon isn’t going anywhere and people are going to buy from it anyway. So that’s my way of saying that these are all affiliate links – meaning if you choose to click on them and order something, it’s possible I can earn a small commission on eligible items. And I encourage you to find ways to do the same!
Even if you don’t purchase an item on the link and you stay and order on Amazon, I can earn a small amount from that as well. And if you are interested in learning more about it, drop a comment below and I’ll write a post on how to join!
I recently saw a TikTok (Haleyhoffmansmith) describing a manifestation exercise of using the power of November 11th to write 111 things that you want to have happen in the year.
Her premise is that instead of having 3 to 5 big manifestations, we focus on a bunch of small wishes. We don’t always know when or how things will happen so the more we put out into the universe, the more something could come to fruition.
My 111 Wish List
I actually found it quite difficult to come up with 111 things. This past year, I really focused on contentment with myself as a person and the reality of the here and now. Sure, I definitely plan out goals and strive for new things, but the process of manifesting true wishes is a work in progress. But I can’t argue with it because I have so many amazing things going on in my life right now.
The easy part of this year’s list stems from the fact that I’m already living a previous manifestation of teaching in Norway for the year. So things like visiting an ice hotel and going ice skating are likely to happen. I even put visit 10 new countries (which up until 6 weeks ago I had only been to 3) and I know it’s a strong possibility.
Right now, I’m sitting here trying to finish my list and this blog post at the same time. I only have 43 items. I guess the question now is how big or how small should my wishes be? I love Christmas and I have no idea where I will be on Christmas because of my European travels. So I guess I can say to take a picture in front of a Christmas tree on Christmas wherever I am!
I have committed myself to the Bergen half marathon in April with the 20-week training plan I created and I the hotel and flight I booked!
Fitting in a Box
As a high-achieving student my whole life, I really want to follow all of the expectations. So some stranger told me on the Internet that I need to come up with 111 wishes for the year. Which sounds great in theory. And I’m sure I have them in my brain. But I just can’t seem to get them all out on paper right now. And part of me feels like I’m failing. But to who’s metric? It’s a guide and I can create my own reality.
And you know what? It is really okay. I make the rules for my life. I’m a little silly and goofy. Some might call me gullible. It’s something that happens when you are generally trusting that people have good intentions. I’ve been working on becoming the best version possible of me, the only me on this planet.
So I will likely fill up my 111 Wish Google Sheet with checkboxes all nice and neat. But for now, I’m still developing that list and letting opportunities come to me. Perhaps when I’m done I’ll share the whole list with the world and we can all track my progress together!
Because I haven’t started traveling outside of Oslo yet, I still get to spend my free time exploring the sights of the city. Each day I learn a new neighborhood or new way to get from one point to another. For example, today I took the tram for the first time, which was super easy and comfortable. As someone from the U.S., the public transportation system here is simply amazing.
The app gives you the exact times and locations of where to make transfers to get to your destination. I had previously walked to the top of the Opera House on an evening I was already downtown by the central station.
The Opera House is gorgeous, but tickets to shows are out of my price range. However, from the top I got a great view of the new Munch Museum. This is definitely a place where I need to spend a few days visiting. There was some type of DJ or outdoor concert on a big screen right outside, so I stood and listened to some music for a bit.
Aker Brygge
A beautiful area to walk along the water in Oslo is at Aker Brygge. I had not had the chance to explore this area, but walked along just around sunset time. I saw the outline of the buildings a few weeks ago when I took a ferry ride. The area is hustling and bustling with people. There are a lot of restaurants of various price ranges. You can find affordable dinners up to expensive meals in much fancier restaurants.
As the weather gets colder, people still eat outside and the restaurants are set up to accommodate this. Heat lamps are placed outside with blankets and fire pits. It’s kind of cool how Norwegians are so in touch with nature that they have found ways to still enjoy the fresh air even in winter.
At the end of the pier in Aker Brygge, there is a diving board to jump into the water. I saw a couple of people swimming there while I was bundled up in my jacket. Apparently, people will swim all year no matter how cold it is.
There are many events free to public in this area, such as the festival of light art. I can’t wait to check them out throughout this year!
I’ve struggled for years with building my confidence. I think one of the biggest fears of putting myself out there is rejection or negativity. This is only natural. To some degree, we all want to be liked and validated. Some people are better at shrugging off the negative comments. While others, like myself, take them personally.
For years, I let my anxiety hold me back from sharing publicly some of the things I wanted to talk about. What will people think? What if it’s not good enough? What if I’m not good enough? The truth is, I will never be enough if I continue seeking validation from others.
Furthermore, I have the power to change my reality and my actions. If it turns out that I could have done something differently, well, then I have the chance to improve and be better next time.
When I read and watched YouTube videos about starting a blog, the number one advice was to niche down. I’m just not ready for that. And it is okay. My blog allows me to share my thoughts and experiences with my friends, family, and even strangers who are interested in reading.
That is partly why I believe it is building my confidence. Despite being academically driven, I never considered myself that great of a writer. People always saw me as the numbers person, good at math, and destined to work in a math profession.
Yet, if I look back through notes and journal entries from when I was a teenager, I always enjoyed writing to express myself. I didn’t necessarily enjoy writing to appease others through an assignment or required task.
Now, I pick and choose how to manage my time and write posts of interest. The likes and comments allow me to see what content the audience is connecting with the most. But overall, the comments are overwhelmingly positive.
Building my Confidence Through Social Media
My adult students told me for years to start a YouTube channel. I was scared. Making videos intimidated me. I finally took the plunge this past year and did it. At first, I always tried to make sure my make-up looked good and everything was perfect. Then I realized that perfection is not the goal. Reality is. And the reality is that we look different and have good days and bad days.
Tik Tok also brings out the opportunity to be silly and share with others. The app gives you a chance to showcase bits of your personality and separate yourself from work if you so choose. I am still working up the courage to post more dancing videos. But, if you know me, you know I love to dance. So, I better start having some fun and being my silly self!
Now, I still have a long way to go to be the type of confident that I wish to be. But, I’m well on my way, helped by inner reflection and being brave enough to put myself out there, flaws and all. Yes, there will be mean people, but most people are supportive and encouraging! So go build that community.
Whatever it is that you have been waiting for to get started, why wait? Don’t wait for the perfect body, partner, or job to start sharing your message with others or living your dreams!
Tracy Dee Tips 