Hello, everyone! The leaves are falling and the days are getting colder to the point where I find it difficult getting out of bed in the morning. I apologize for the delay in this blog post. As you can imagine, my main priorities have revolved around family and work obligations. Lately, I’ve been swamped with responsibilities and haven’t had the chance to dedicate much time to my blog. In fact, I am contemplating downgrading my WordPress plan when it’s time for renewal next month.
Moving forward, I am not sure if I will have enough time to upload more designs to my #Redbubble shop. Sales have experienced a slump, and I am not receiving the level of engagement I used to. In an effort to improve this situation, I recently subscribed to Twitter/X, hoping it would enhance engagement and increase overall exposure. While I am enjoying the perks, I have yet to witness significant changes in this department. I am not giving up or anything, I am just confused as to where I should put my focus. Should I prioritize writing informative articles for Medium, focusing on digital art designs for Redbubble, or finishing up the 50+ drafts I have on WordPress?
♡ Quick Link: Sereneluna.redbubble.com
♡ Quick Note: Apologies for the oversight, everyone. I didn’t realize that the video I posted had sound, which is quite embarrassing on my part. Rest assured, I will upload a new version of the video at a later time. In the meantime, please refer to the link provided for your convenience. Thank you for your understanding and patience. 😂😭
𝒜 𝒞𝑜𝓏𝓎 𝒯𝑜-𝒟𝑜 𝐿𝒾𝓈𝓉 𝒻𝑜𝓇 𝒪𝒸𝓉𝑜𝒷𝑒𝓇 🎃🍂
I’ve Just Been So Busy
I often feel stressed and anxious these days, as there is oh so much to do! Like the lyrics from Peppa Pig go, “Miss Rabbit is busy. Busy, busy, busy. Miss Rabbit is busy, she’s got so many jobs to do!” I often feel like I have multiple responsibilities, which can become overwhelming at times. Lately, I have been decluttering my house and letting go of items that no longer serve me. This has helped with my anxiety to an extent, but now my anxiety is in overdrive. I have a significant amount of work to do this month, including unanswered emails, cleaning and organizing my house, and helping my daughter with her homework. Additionally, I have forms to complete, invitations to write, and appointments to schedule. It can feel overwhelming to have so many tasks to juggle at once. How does Miss Rabbit manage to do it all?
OCTOBER GOALS 2023
Career Goals:
- Figure out the orientation dates for work
- Print and review orientation notes + reply to manager’s email
- Catch up on work emails + attend workshop on Oct 12
- Work on side hustle if there’s time
Personal Goals:
- Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap
- Publish 1 article on Medium
- Complete and mail a paper copy of international form to Gov.
- Update planner with due dates, appointments, etc.
- Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments
- Complete and submit Application B
- Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 → keep the streak going
Health Goals:
- Exercise every day (hula hooping, treadmill, chores, etc.)
- Finish Kool-Aid and Nuun drink mixes
- Leave the house once a day and get some sunshine☀️
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
I started falling back into the pattern of calorie restriction, and it’s something I know is not beneficial for my well-being. This behavior usually stems from the overwhelming stress and feeling powerless in this turbulent world we live in. As a potential solution, I am contemplating a social media detox, even though it may seem like just another item on an already overwhelming list. However, acknowledging the importance of prioritizing my mental health is paramount in overcoming these challenges.
Next week, my daughter has picture day and I must admit, it’s adding to my stress levels. On top of that, her birthday is this month and I want to throw her a party. As if that isn’t enough, Halloween is also just around the corner, and I genuinely want to ensure that the kids have an enjoyable experience. It’s quite a busy month you guys. October is filled with numerous commitments. I am curious to know how you handle an overwhelming to-do list. Feel free to join the conversation by leaving a comment below ↓ Your suggestions are most welcome.
(っ◔◡◔)っ FYI: If you’re not already following me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), you can get real-time updates about my day-to-day life there.
Thanks for stopping by! ♥
I’m not surprised you’re stressed with all of that going on! I hope you find time for self care and relaxation this month as it sounds like you need to make it a priority. Have you tried a sunrise alarm to help you wake up and be ready to start your day?
Hi Laura! October is a crazy busy month. I did end up going to the community center today and got a workout in, which I am going to count as self care. I still have 6-7 hours worth of homework to do tonight before I go to work tomorrow and a bunch of other things to do today still. Hmm, I haven’t heard of a sunrise alarm. Is it better than a traditional alarm clock? The only alarm clock I use is the one on my phone.
Hope you managed to be productive. A sunrise alarm simulates the sunrise by starting of a dark orangy red tone and then getting brighter. It’s supposed to help with waking naturally during the darker months. I bought one earlier this year and have found it helpful. Plus, it stops you needing to pick up your phone straight away.
I wear an eye mask at night to block out the sun/light shining in so I’m not sure if I would benefit from this 🙈 However, it does sound like it could be a very useful alarm clock for many ppl. I like that simulates natural light and sunshine! ☀️
Yes, picking up my phone and scrolling through it first thing in the morning is a terrible habit of mine. I’ll look into my settings and see if I can switch it to silent or airplane mode during my restful sleep hours. I know there’s a way to do this and will have to look into it. It might stop me from mindlessly scrolling through my phone first thing after waking up.
You have a stressful month ahead but remember to prioritise yourself and your mental health when you can. I know it’s easier said than done but you need to take care of yourself too. I tend to restrict calories too when I feel like my life is out of control and it stems from my unhealthy relationship with food and disordered eating I had. I think when we’re feeling down we tend to revert to our unhealthy habits. It’s something we need to lookout for.
I ended up binging on pumpkin pie this weekend only because the rest of my family doesn’t like pumpkin pie. And it was from Costco and their pies are huge. So sugary and I could feel the sugar spikes. Too much of a good thing, but it was tasty! 😋🎃
Today I am working but will try to reply to the comments when there’s time. I’m also doing orientation for work this month on top of work which is an additional stressor because more responsibilities and new things to learn. There’s also homework and readings to do. I also have a work-related workshop to go to on Thursday 😬 And another workshop/seminar thing with the social worker on Saturday. She gave us homework to do too.
You deserve a treat, hope you enjoyed the pie 🎃🥧
Oh wow, you are going to be quite busy it seems but I hope you still get some time to relax and enjoy yourself!
I try to find ways to relax on my days off, even if it’s a TV show or a walk to the coffee shop. It’s the little things that can help make things more bearable. ☕💞
Absolutely, those small activities help so much and are part of self-care.
Your kids are so cute!!! I hope you get through the month of October without toooo much stress, although it’s clearly a busy time for you and your family! Wishing you a happy October. 🎃🍂 (I can’t stand the cold, either!)
Thank you, Samantha! October has been a busy month so far and I’ve been the biggest procrastinator ever. When I’m stressed, I procrastinate. We got a pretty good turnout for RSVPs and my daughter’s birthday party is next Sunday. Her actual birthday is this Friday! She’ll be 7! 😮
It’s cold here now. I woke up to freezing rain this morning and my car was covered in a sheet of ice. Since I hardly drive, I couldn’t figure out how to defrost the car so my toddler was late getting to daycare. I also have a migraine, probably from lack of sleep. Great start to the week lol