Oh, Canada! 🇨🇦 I have lived in Canada my entire life; I was born and raised here. Canadians are often recognized for their friendly and apologetic nature. On a personal level, I have come to realize that I possess these traits, often giving people numerous opportunities and extending my trust to them. As you may have noticed from the title, I am throwing some maple leaf shade here. I won’t give you much context for privacy reasons, but publishing this poem on January 4th was intentional. If you like this poem, feel free to check out my other poetry musings here. ✨
As the new year approaches, I will continue to plan out my monthly goals because it proved to be incredibly helpful for me last year.Surprisingly, it kept me on track and gave me the motivation to not abandon this blog. It compelled me to show up not only for myself but also for my readers. Not only do I take criticism personally, but I also carry a chip on my shoulder. To the person who called me a hypocrite and a jerk, what did you do last year? You ran away from your blog, switched it up three or more times, changed its name once, started a business, scrapped the idea before even launching it, and abandoned a couple of social media platforms as soon as things got tough.
Meanwhile, I have remained here, consistently showing up month after month. My goals are not mere empty promises, but well-thought-out objectives. But I don’t need to tell you that. In fact, I believe the results speak for themselves. I don’t blame the pandemic, a car accident, a surgery, or even the government for my circumstances. I take full responsibility for everything. What about you? Are you still placing blame on others for your current circumstances? I firmly believe that nothing will change if we don’t change our mindset first. Personally, I started making changes last year and will continue to do so heading into 2024. Have you started thinking about your plans yet? How will this year be any different than last year?
*Drops Mic* 🎤 And that’s the end of my rant. I feel compelled to share this because I genuinely believe that some individuals need to focus on self-improvement before pointing fingers at others instead of themselves. For those who have been keeping up with me on Twitter/𝕏 (@serene_hilz), you’ll know that I’m active on that platform. If you’re interested in getting to know me better and learn more about my personal development journey, please feel free to follow me over there. I’ve been stuck at 1300 followers for a while now and would truly appreciate seeing some familiar faces.
Are you familiar with these monthly goals and recaps? That’s great! And if you’re new here, that’s fantastic too! I personally find monthly goals and recaps to be highly beneficial and therapeutic for personal reflection. That’s why I’ve made the decision to continue doing them this year. If you want to read my previous blog posts, please use the search bar on my blog. I believe it would be less distracting for you to manually search for them, rather than me listing all of those blog posts here. Moving forward, here are my goals for January 2024. Let’s get started, shall we?
January Goals 2024
Career Goals:
Start bidding on shifts for January as they become available
Catch up on emails and sign up for N95 fit test → Check MLL
Complete questionnaires + submit digital copies for SW
Complete Application B Questions
Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments
Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪
Health Goals:
YMCA 2x per week minimum
Buy a new bathing suit for the pool
Healthy/clean eating 80% of the time
Buy new scrub pants and long-sleeve shirts
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
And there you have it! While it might appear easy on paper, sticking with it long-term can actually be quite challenging. I have found that New Year’s Resolutions don’t work for me because I prefer goals that can be broken down on a month-to-month basis. It feels less overwhelming that way. However, it’s important to find what works best for you and go after it.
I am curious to know what your goals are for the month of January. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ I enjoy connecting with like-minded bloggers on here.
Today is a truly special day. Not only am I uploading this blog post on time for once, but it also happens to be a noteworthy date: 123123. The next time you will see a date with a repeating pattern like this will be 78 years from now. It’s amazing that my husband was able to do that math calculation in his head in less than a minute. He’s incredibly smart and knowledgeable about various facts.
I suppose I should write a blog post about setting New Year’s Resolutions. Last year, I wrote a blog post last year sharing my thoughts on this topic, which I will include here. Reflecting on it, my overall perspective remains unchanged. However, I plan to step up my game even further for 2024 by focusing on actionable, daily tasks.
I didn’t end up writing a blog post about this, but it was a significantly stressful thing that happened this month. I lost my Apple Watch as soon as the Christmas holidays started. I searched everywhere and tore apart the house, but couldn’t find my watch anywhere. I ended up buying a new watch, only to discover that they had introduced a new, beautiful Starlight colored aluminum that didn’t match the wristbands very well. As a result, I ended up purchasing both the Starlight and Silver SE to replace my lost Silver Apple Watch SE. The coolest wristband I was able to find is the one below ↓ as Apple has discontinued my old wristband.
Let me tell you, the “Find My” app is useless when your Apple Watch is dead. That’s why I couldn’t use the tracker. I suppose the app wasn’t lying when it suggested that it last synced somewhere in my house.
It was truly a Christmas miracle when my family found my lost Apple Watch on Christmas Day. To my surprise, it was buried in a drawer, even though I swear it wasn’t in there when I searched through it. I returned both of the watches I purchased and will be using my old Apple Watch instead. As an individual with undiagnosed ADD, I often struggle with misplacing items. However, I am working on creating systems to stay more organized and improve my ability to remember where I have placed things. Here’s a recap of how the rest of the month unfolded:
DECEMBER RECAP 2023
Career Goals:
Plot availability for January 2024 I plotted my availability super late, so I don’t have any shifts yet for the month of January.
Catch up on work emails I am mostly caught up. I have yet to read the remaining emails.
Complete BLS renewal I emailed a copy last night (again, super late getting around to things).
Complete 100 total designs for #Redbubble I currently have 91 designs in my shop which is better than I thought I would do. You can check out my #Redbubble designs here.
☆ Prices are still $1.57 CAD if you buy any 10 from my shop! ☆
Personal Goals:
Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap I did the minimum this month but didn’t write additional content.
Frame seminar completion certificates (bonus) Since my husband doesn’t want to frame them, I will be adding them to a binder instead. However, I need more paper protector sheets.
Complete Application B Questions Again, it didn’t happen. We now have everything we need to complete Part B, except for answering the questions that we have been neglecting.
Get an eye exam I just did that yesterday!
Get a massage Nope, it didn’t happen this month.
Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 I have managed to maintain my streak, but that’s pretty much the only thing I’m doing with it right now. I have dropped down in the ranks and stopped caring. However, I hope to get back into learning German in 2024.
YMCA 2x per week minimum For the most part, I have been going to the YMCA twice a week on weekdays. However, it has become harder now that the children are not in school or daycare. I might get my 7-year old daughter a YMCA membership too.
Buy a new bathing suit for the pool My bathing suit is falling apart and I need a new one badly. I haven’t been to the store yet.
Clear out the cupboards → Finish 3+ food items I forgot that this goal was on my list this month. I think I finished some food items but we also bought a lot of new ones.
Make honey lemon lozenges I made them once while I had COVID and my family was sick, but I didn’t make them again after we recovered. Instead, I bought bags of Halls Vitamin C lozenges which don’t taste terrible because there’s no eucalyptus in the Vitamin C lozenges.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
December isn’t complete without holiday celebrations. In my family, we celebrate Christmas, and my husband is Catholic. This year, we attended a daytime mass on Christmas Day and had a small, quaint celebration at our house. I always strive to make Christmas magical for my daughter and baby boy. I had hoped to see the Christmas lights this year, but unfortunately, we didn’t get the chance. Additionally, I had wished that we could have done studio photos, but we decided to opt for cell phone pics instead.
Someone is happy about the mermaid unicorn blanket. Santa got it for her this year. I hope you are all having a good Christmas if you celebrate it. Cheers, from Canada 🇨🇦
Have something to share with me? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below ↓ At this time, I am not replying to emails because I don’t have time. I would also like to take this opportunity to wish all of my readers a blessed holiday season and a Happy New Year! May it be filled with joy, love, and success. ✨🫶
(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. I recently made the decision to join X/Twitter and I’m excited to see what it has in store for me.
Hello everyone. I wanted to inform you that I am still alive. I have been quite antisocial for the past two weeks as I have been dealing with the aftermath of COVID. Although I have been managing chronic bronchitis for some time, I have recently been experiencing symptoms similar to tracheitis. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of searching my symptoms online last night, and according to Google, it suggested that I might have mouth cancer. Currently, I am experiencing an extremely painful throat that is so raw that swallowing properly has become difficult for me.I have been experiencing a painful mouth, which has been a recurring issue since my jaw surgery. Additionally, my cough has been persistent and has significantly intensified this week. Furthermore, I am once again feeling fatigued.
Instead of trying to explain myself to everyone who contacts me, I have been ignoring text messages, emails, and comments. I also haven’t been leaving comments on other blogs, as I had promised.It’s not that I have antisocial personality disorder; I just feel terrible. Depression has resurfaced, and my mind is overrun with negative thoughts. Simply navigating through each day feels like an overwhelming task. I want to sleep all day, but I cannot due to the coughing. So, I just lie in bed like a lazy potato.
Life seems to be passing me by as I find myself thinking about my death, as morbid as that sounds. I reflect on the winter season, where plants wither away and animals seek shelter, knowing that there is little to be found outside in the cold. Plants and animals are aware of the gloomy and cold days when the sun occasionally shines. Some days can be dark and dreary, with cold and icy conditions outside. Personally, I dread stepping out into the freezing cold.
This month, I had planned to mail Christmas cards and had even bought a bunch to send out. I had good intentions. However, the Christmas cards are still sitting on my shelf. Additionally, I had plans to bake and wanted to try some of my late grandmother’s recipes. But instead, I have no desire or motivation to do anything worthwhile. Yet, I am still going to share my goals for the month of December to finish off the year. Amazingly, I managed to keep this up for 1 whole year which shows me that I do follow through with what I say I will do when I put my mind to it. Like I said last month, without these monthly goal blog posts, I doubt I would be able to accomplish as much.
DECEMBER GOALS 2023
Career Goals:
Plot availability for January 2024
Catch up on work emails
Send BLS certificate and mask fitting records to manager
I am still going to YMCA two times per week (most weeks) which helps a lot with my mood. I think my mood would be worse if it wasn’t for swimming. I also feel overwhelmed with all of the stuff that I have been accumulating and am hoping to start clearing out the cupboards before the new year. I don’t know what we have half the time and I get frustrated not being able to quickly find the things I need. If I don’t end up baking anything for Christmas, I still want to make some honey lemon candy to soothe my sore throat. In my opinion, homemade candy is better than store-bought candy.
Finally, my goal is to have a total of 100 designs on Redbubble by the end of the year. I believe this is a highly achievable target, considering that I already have 88 designs. I remain hopeful that I will be able to grow my small shop and continue adding designs that people want. In case you were curious, here are my top 3 most popular designs based on the number of sales:
1st Place 🥇
2nd Place 🥈
3rd Place 🥉
(っ◔◡◔)っ FYI:If you’re not already following me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), you can get real-time updates [and rants] about my day-to-day life there.Tweets have been slow lately since I haven’t been as active as usual. Once I feel better, I will start posting more frequently.
I was sick with COVID last week (yes, I had the plague) and was unwell throughout the entire week. I am now starting to feel slightly better but still taking it easy for the time being. Unfortunately, my entire family also fell ill last week and we all spent the week bedridden. As November 30 arrived and it was time to reflect on the past month, I found myself too unwell to engage in any activities. Instead, I decided to ride it out until I am able to blog again.
When reflecting on November, I can confidently say it was a consistently busy month. There was always something demanding my attention, whether it was attending appointments, taking my children to their appointments, or working diligently. It seemed as though time flew by, and before I knew it, it was the end of November.
Sick and Sick Some More
At the beginning of November, I fell ill and thought I had recovered completely. However, to my dismay, I soon developed a persistent cough which turned out to be COVID. It seems like my immune system didn’t fully recover from my earlier illness in November. If I learned anything, it’s to never take your health for granted. One day you could feel fine and the next be completely bedridden. So be prepared for anything.
It should come as no surprise that I haven’t had much motivation to write recently because I was sick and it’s hard to write when you are sick. I did renew my WordPress plan, but I downgraded from the Premium Plan to the Personal Plan. Honestly, I haven’t noticed much of a difference and I don’t miss the Premium Plan as much as I thought I would. Additionally, I would like to mention that I have successfully resolved the PayPal issue I encountered last month, and the money is now visible in my PayPal account. Although I have not transferred it yet, it is reassuring to see it there, and Redbubble has reset my earnings on their end. Overall, Redbubble has been a super slow month, but I did manage to make a few sales during Black Friday week.
(っ◔◡◔)っ P.S. I am currently accepting sticker requests for anyone who is interested. Feel free to visit my shop and browse through the designs I have uploaded so far. Currently, you have a selection of 87 designs to choose from!
Go back to work I did go back to work, but then I got sick again and missed more shifts.
Reply to manager’s email regarding COVID swab result I sent not one but 2 emails because I ended up with COVID in the end.
Catch up on work emails I am mostly caught up. There’s a couple minor things I still need to do.
Complete BLS renewal Yes, I completed it. This reminds me, I should probably email work a copy.
Complete 80 total designs for #Redbubble I currently have 87 designs in my shop. You can check out my #Redbubble designshere.
Hi #Twitterfam! Just wanted to give you a quick update of what's currently available in the shop. If you're interested, check out the link I’ve included and please give a ♥️ if you see something you like. Thanks for your support!
Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap This is the monthly recap lol Additionally, I have compiled a list outlining what I am able to do and what I cannot do, which you can find and readhere.I also wrote about a week that was almost laughably crappy, but it pales in comparison to what was to come the following week, which you can readhere.
Send email to SW regarding International Gov form In the end, we decided to scrap the idea after encountering a roadblock.
Attend Domestic seminar this month Yes, we attended the seminar. The process is still super slow and frustrating.
Complete and submit International Seminar Questions Yes, I submitted all 11 pages but again, we ended up scrapping our plan in the end.
Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments Managing my family’s busy schedule is exhausting. Text message reminders have been a lifesaver for me in staying on track with all of my appointments.
Complete and submit Application B Nope, that didn’t happen. We still need to submit Applications B & E, which are more extensive. We have hit a bit of a roadblock with the application process as well.
Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 I have managed to keep the streak going, but that’s pretty much all I am doing with it at this point. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time to learn German these days. When I looked back at what I did this year, the results were surprising.
YMCA 2x per week minimum I have been going to the YMCA on twice a week on weekdays when I am feeling well, and this routine has greatly benefited my overall mental and physical health.
Buy a new bathing suit for the pool My bathing suit is falling apart and I need a new one badly. I haven’t been to the store.
Finish Kool-Aid and Nuun drink mixes I am considering getting rid of the Nuun drink mixes, but for now, I occasionally add them to my water when I am working. However, these days, I prefer using Gatorade drink mix, as I find it much more enjoyable. While it may not be the healthiest option, if it helps me drink more water, I don’t really care.
Leave the house once a day and get some sunshine ☀️ I fell ill twice in the month of November, which resulted in me staying home most of the time. The limited exposure to sunshine had a significant negative impact on my mood and further exacerbated my feelings of depression.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
Wow! Can I just say that November was a challenging month? Not only was I sick at the beginning of November, but I also fell ill again towards the end of the month and unfortunately caught COVID. On top of that, I had a rough couple of weeks. However, despite feeling nervous about returning to work, I am grateful that I am now [mostly] healthy again. You don’t realize the importance of your health until you fall sick. Immunity is something that should never be taken for granted. I still need to write a blog post about my December goals, and I plan to do so either tomorrow or sometime next week. In the meantime, enjoy listening to some soothing beats that will help you stay focused on your work..
Have something to share with me? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below ↓ Currently, email is NOT the most efficient means of reaching me as I behind in relying to emails. Leaving a comment is the quickest way to get in touch, unless you are one of the lucky ones who has my phone number.
(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. I recently made the decision to join X/Twitter and I’m excited to see what it has in store for me.
Have you ever experienced those days when it feels like the world is against you, and everything, from the smallest details to the biggest challenges, seems to be going wrong? It can be incredibly demotivating when nothing seems to be going your way.
Drowning in a Sea of Sadness
Why is this happening to me? Who knows! 😖 And please don’t tell me that this is happening for me instead of to me; that is a bunch of BS created by self-help gurus to reframe the situation. No amount of self-help is helping me right now, which is worth mentioning because I listen to a lot of self-help guru advice. But I digress.
I could have also been been influenced by the news, something I read online, or a combination of various factors that are completely out of my control, all of which are highly likely. Either way, I’m struggling with depression and anxiety this week.
It all began last Friday when I went to work. The following days, Friday through Sunday, were incredibly busy, leaving me with no time to eat during the few breaks I had. By Sunday, my nerves were on edge and I desperately needed a steeped tea. However, my husband informed me that the line was too long, and I would have to go without it.
Over the weekend, my plastic Nalgene water bottle completely shattered into pieces. Can you believe it? I’m just as puzzled as you are. How does a plastic water bottle smash like that? RIP Nalgene water bottle ☠️
A Stressful Monday
Due to a stressful weekend, I ended up with a migraine on Monday. As a result, I wasn’t able to do piano practice with Rebecca, and I also forgot my swipe card by the time I arrived to the YMCA. Despite having my gym bag with me, I couldn’t sign in. Eventually, the kind lady at the front desk allowed me to enter, but it was a waste of valuable time and I felt rushed. Moreover, I didn’t get to enjoy a cup of steeped tea that day either.
When I feel stressed out, I like to create digital vector designs which I then turn into stickers and other merch for #Redbubble. On Monday night, I uploaded a seemingly innocent design, only to have it temporarily suspended, which kept me up all night. Karalee, who runs a blog called Tales of Belle, pointed out that there were similarities between my design and LOL Surprise Cats, specifically the one called Royal Kitty. This connection might be the reason why my design was flagged for review.
A Stressful Tuesday
On Tuesday morning, Redbubble unsuspended my Kawaii Royal Kitty, but the whole ordeal was still nerve-wracking, to say the least. Unfortunately, due to my chronic insomnia, I ended up sleeping in late again. However, yesterday I made it my mission to treat myself to a steeped tea and take Aaron out for a stroll. But to add to my frustration, the zipper on my jacket got jammed, and I ended up looking like a fool wearing this jacket with an uneven, stuck zipper. You know what I’m talking about, right?
The rest of the week hasn’t gotten much better. On Wednesday evening, something unfortunate happened – I consumed an almost lethal amount of erythritol. Who puts erythritol in their beverages? It’s a bad idea, guys. I didn’t realize there was erythritol in it when I purchased it.
I should have known better than to consume erythritol again. At the time, I didn’t know it was in my energy drink and now I’m pooping rainbows 🌈💩
In very tiny writing, it says not to consume more than 2 bottles per day. Oh I definitely consumed 2 bottles today.
Yesterday morning, I woke up with yet another migraine. In an attempt to alleviate my discomfort, I decided to pour myself a glass of freshly squeezed juice. As I went to pour myself a glass, beet juice splattered all over my kitchen, resembling a crime scene. The kitchen island, baseboards, and floor were covered in beet-stained splats, creating a truly dreadful sight. Cleaning up the mess was even more dreadful. ಠ෴ಠ
Which brings us to Friday. Well, it’s Friday, so only time will tell what challenges I’ll be dealing with today. Unfortunately, my toddler is sick, so he will be staying home. On top of that, I have a 6-hour online seminar scheduled for today, and I haven’t quite figured out how I’ll be able to take care of him while fully participating in the seminar. However, I am confident that I will find a solution because there is always a way.
Do you ever have those days where nothing seems to go right? How do you handle it? Feel free to join the conversation below ↓ and I’ll do my best to reply to your comments within the next 24 hours.
(っ◔◡◔)っ FYI:If you’re not already following me on Twitter/𝕏 (@serene_hilz), you can get real-time updates about my day-to-day life there.
I am taking requests for designs that you would like to see in my #Redbubble shop. If you have any specific requests, please feel free to leave a comment below or privately message me through the form provided in the Contact Info section of my blog. There is a form available for you to fill out, which allows me to reply to you via email. My main focus is on creating stickers, but I also offer custom designs for t-shirts, notebooks, and other merchandise. I do not charge extra for sticker requests.
All stickers are priced at $1.63 CAD when you purchase any 10 stickers from my shop. Additionally, there is a 25% discount on all stickers when you buy a minimum of 4 stickers. Currently, my shop offers a selection of 79 unique sticker designs for you to choose from. Don’t forget to check out the ongoing sales and discounts on Redbubble as there are often sitewide sales.
Hi #Twitterfam! Just wanted to give you a quick update of what's currently available in the shop. If you're interested, check out the link I’ve included and please give a ♥️ if you see something you like. Thanks for your support!
❌ Celebrities: Due to potential copyright issues, I avoid creating content related to celebrities to ensure I don’t violate any rules and risk being banned. ❌ People: I prefer to focus on anime and cartoon-style illustrations rather than realistic portrayals of individuals. I won’t create a cartoon version of you. I believe it’s best to leave that to the professionals who specialize in commissioned art portraits. ❌ Writing: I won’t do writing or lettering. It involves too much extra work, and I simply don’t have the patience or skills for it. ❌ Trademarks: On Redbubble, you can explore a diverse collection of copyrighted and trademarked art, including popular ones like Disney and Hello Kitty. However, I would advise against posting such content as it carries the risk of getting banned. ❌ Realism: It is not my preferred style as I lean towards a more playful and cartoonish approach. My shop is meant to be lighthearted and not too serious. I should mention that I am not fond of designs that have excessive detailing or realism. There are other talented artists who specialize in that style.
Here are the things I will do:
✔️Kawaii theme: I love anything cute, especially cats, but I am open to working with other animals as well. In the past, I have even added foxes upon someone’s request. ✔️Animals: They don’t need to be kawaii, but personally, I have a preference for the kawaii style. However, if you prefer a different art style, I can certainly try my best to accommodate your request. ✔️Abstract scenery: I can create scenic art, but I prefer not to focus on specific landmarks. As for flowers, I absolutely adore them, especially cherry blossoms. ✔️Japanese art style: You may have noticed this art style in my shop. That’s because I love this style! ✔️Fantasy: I enjoy designing whimsical creatures like mermaid-cats (also known as merkitties), moon cats (a combination of cats and moons), and creating astronomy-inspired art, among other things.
•♡•♥•♡•♥•♡•
(っ◔◡◔)っ Please Note: If you can, please support me by purchasing a sticker design or merchandise from my shop. Your support would mean a lot to me. Even though I earn a few pennies with each purchase which may not seem like much, it gradually accumulates over time. Most importantly, it helps cover the expenses associated with pursuing this art hobby and side hustle. I am sincerely grateful to each and every one of you who has made a purchase from my shop.
Hello everyone. I wanted to let you know that I am alive. Although I’m not feeling well. I’m currently dealing with a nasty head cold, but thankfully it is not COVID. I took a rapid test at home to confirm. I have been sick for the past 4 days, but I am starting to feel a bit better now. Despite feeling more human, I am still significantly behind on everything, which is causing me additional stress. Not to mention, I am feeling quite grumpy today as nothing seems to be going my way.
Am I creating extra stress for myself? Probably, even though I’m not even taking on extra tasks right now. In fact, I’ve started saying no to a lot of things, not because I don’t want to, but because I simply don’t have the energy or time. I am exhausted 80% of the time and not functioning at my optimal best. In the new year, I hope to be in better health. It seriously sucks not having the physical and mental energy to do the things that I want to do.
I have never liked the month of November, and perhaps there’s a reason for that. The days are getting colder, although it has been quite pleasant this past week. This could be attributed to a chinook, as it is not typically this nice. November is often considered an unpleasant month – it’s cold, there’s not much to look forward to since Canada celebrated Thanksgiving last month, and the days are getting shorter. To be honest, I feel incredibly fortunate that my daughter arrived a week before her due date in November. Back when I was pregnant with her, I had been praying for an October baby instead, as I have a personal dislike for the month of November. Even the birthstone associated with this month is not particularly appealing to me. However, I want to clarify that my feelings towards this month do not in any way diminish the significance or joy of those who celebrate their birthdays in November. 😅🍂
Moving forward, it is important that I share my goals for the month of November to hold myself accountable. Without these monthly goal blog posts, I doubt I would be able to accomplish as much. Stick to what works, right?
NOVEMBER GOALS 2023
Career Goals:
Go back to work with a fresh outlook on things
Reply to manager’s email regarding COVID swab result
After indulging in all the tempting Halloween candy last month, I realized it was time to break free from the calorie restriction mindset. But don’t worry, I’ve found a balanced solution. In order to counteract any extra calories, I’ve taken up a healthy habit of going to the YMCA twice a week. Not only does this help me stay on track with my fitness goals, but it also has positive effects on my overall physical and mental well-being. Rest assured, I am committed to continuing this routine because of the tremendous benefits it brings.
As I reflect on last month, I still have the desire to try a social media detox. However, I don’t believe that going cold turkey is the solution. Instead, I believe that if I focus on creating more content rather than consuming, social media can be a beneficial tool for me. For instance, blogging is okay as long as I am writing content and engaging with people, rather than just engaging or replying to comments. Redbubble is great because I get to focus on what I love, which is creating vector designs, particularly stickers. Despite recent slow sales, I remain determined and refuse to be discouraged. Here are some designs are currently available in my shop.
(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.
This blog post is overdue, and I must admit that I lack enthusiasm for blogging. However, I did successfully renew my blog plan and downgraded to the Personal Plan without any difficulties. It’s unfortunate that I was unable to directly contact the WP engineers via chat like I have done in the past. When the time came to renew it, the only option available was email. While email still got the job done, it was a bit more time-consuming and annoying. Fortunately, they knew exactly how to assist me and were able to switch me to the Personal Plan. I didn’t have to worry about losing my data or deal with exporting backup files.
Looking back at October, it was an incredibly busy month. “Busy” is an understatement. There was so much going on that my memory is hazy. October came and went in a blur. Between my daughter’s birthday, the birthday party, seminars, and appointments, it was a lot to handle.
Am I Bored of Writing? No, just frustrated.
So I did end up posting an article on Medium and engagement was absolutely pathetic. I guess it wasn’t a complete failure because I did end up making $1.98 CAD for doing absolutely nothing with it. My account on Medium is is still pretty dead at this point, and I really hate how the algorithm punished writers who aren’t active on the platform. It’s the same phenomenon on all platforms, and I am not singling out Medium here. All I’m saying is that if you aren’t active on all platforms at all given times of the day, then good luck lol Since it isn’t hurting me to keep my Medium profile, I will continue to post the minimum on it to keep it active, but don’t expect much more from me.
I am more concerned about my lack of commitment to blogging as of late, and I am less and less enthusiastic about writing altogether. I haven’t been actively blogging like I would have liked to, and just want to be making designs for Redbubble. I also have some frustrations with Redbubble, especially when it comes to their payment method, namely PayPal. I have never used PayPal before, and it is quite frustrating that my commissions are not showing up in my PayPal account. Will I have more luck contacting Redbubble to try and sort this out? Probably not. Enough of my complaining.
Figure out the orientation dates for work This got sorted out for the most part. Do I feel confident now that I did the orientation? Not really…
Print and review orientation notes + reply to manager’s email I reviewed my notes and I did reply to that email. However, I now have another email to reply to so it’s really a chain of emails.
Catch up on work emails + attend workshop on Oct 12 Yes, I did both of these things.
Work on side hustle if there’s time I added quite a few new designs to the shop. There’s currently 78 designs to choose from! You can check out my #Redbubble designshere.
Hi #Twitterfam! Just wanted to give you a quick update of what's currently available in the shop. If you're interested, check out the link I’ve included and please give a ♥️ if you see something you like. Thanks for your support!
Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap I posted a blog post that was also published on Medium. Unfortunately, the Medium article didn’t generate any traffic, which suggests that the algorithm penalizes inactive users. You can read my blog post here.
Complete and mail a paper copy of international form to Gov. We finally accomplished this, but I was instructed to seek guidance from another person, which I have not done yet.
Update planner with due dates, appointments, etc. At this point, I have completely abandoned paper copies. Paper books simply do not work for me at all.
Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments Managing my family’s busy schedule is exhausting. Text message reminders have been a lifesaver for me in staying on track with all of my appointments. With the constant brain fog I’ve been experiencing lately, I honestly don’t know how I manage.
Complete and submit Application B Nope, that didn’t happen. We still need to submit Applications B & E, which are more extensive. We also need to answer the questions from the first seminar.
Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 I have managed to keep the streak going, but that’s pretty much all I am doing with it at this point. Unfortunately, I just don’t have the time to learn German these days.
Health Goals:
Exercise every day (hula hooping, treadmill, chores, etc.) I have mixed feelings about how I did. In my mind, I think I did okay. I joined the YMCA last month so swimming has been helping A LOT.
Finish Kool-Aid and Nuun drink mixes The artificial drink mixes have become increasingly unpalatable. Despite my strong dislike for them, I find it difficult to throw them out. The only drink mix that tasted good was the low-calorie lemonade.
Leave the house once a day and get some sunshine ☀️ Some days were so cold and miserable that I hardly left the house, but on the nicer days, I did leave the house and got some sunshine. I could do better with this and it might be time to break out the sun lamp again.
Leave a comment if you want my IG handle. I’m not active in Instagram.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
Unfortunately, my daughter’s picture day didn’t go as planned, and there isn’t an opportunity for a picture redo-day. On the bright side, my son’s picture turned out great! This year, I had hoped to have both of my kids’ photos professionally taken in a studio. However, my husband suggested that we prioritize saving money instead. He does have a point – the cost of in-studio photos has alarmingly increased over the years. Last month, my daughter celebrated her 7th birthday with a fun-filled birthday party. We were delighted to have 18 kids attend, making it a great turnout. Additionally, we took the kids trick-or-treating, and my daughter had a blast!
A sleepy skeleton and Mommy Long Legs
Have something to share with me? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below ↓ Currently, email is NOT the most efficient means of reaching me as I behind in relying to emails. Leaving a comment is the quickest way to get in touch, unless you are one of the lucky ones who has my phone number.
(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. I recently made the decision to join X/Twitter and I’m excited to see what it has in store for me.
The reason why I am including this article as a blog post is because it is more of a review, if anything. I also wrote a Medium article called “That’s It! I’m Getting a Medium Subscription!” which I didn’t share on the blog. Lately, I haven’t been as active on Medium and the traffic on that platform has been virtually non-existent. That being said, I still see the advantages of writing for that platform.
The following post was first published on Medium on October 19, 2023. It is worth mentioning that if you use the following link to read this article and you are already a Medium subscriber, I will earn a small commission. It might be only a few pennies but it’s better than earning nothing at all. This article is behind a paywall on Medium but I want to make it available for everyone to read.
(っ◔V◔)っSerious Question: Was the Medium subscription worth it?
Here’s What I Think 🤔
Things started off well, and I was enjoying the perks that come with having a 1-month Medium subscription trial. In the beginning, it was all fun and games. However, the fun didn’t last long. It took me about a week to realize the importance of putting in effort and dedicating my time to this platform if I wanted to make the most of my subscription and get my money’s worth.
It should come as no surprise to you that engaging with others can foster genuine connections. That doesn’t sound too hard, right? Well, unless you dedicate several hours a day to interacting with your readers and engaging with other writers on this platform, the algorithm won’t show favoritism towards you, regardless of whether you have a subscription or not. Having a subscription simply makes the grind a bit easier, as you don’t have to deal with the annoying paywalls.
So, what’s the problem? For starters, Medium doesn’t cater to casual users. Like any other social media platform, it rewards active participation.
During my time on this platform, I noted that the the people who succeed on this platform seem to share a few common traits:
♥ They post consistently.
♥ They post multiple times a week.
♥ They have multiple streams of income.
♥ They engage with others.
We Are Not the Same 🙅♀️
I clearly do not possess these traits, nor do I want to. And that’s perfectly fine. Thus, I realize that I probably won’t reap the same benefits as those who are part of the Medium Partner Program (MPP) and have an active Medium Subscription. I am still a part of the MPP, even though I don’t have a Medium Subscription, because I got in on it at an earlier time when a subscription wasn’t required to qualify for the MPP.
In the end, I didn’t end up getting the Medium Subscription for $7 CAD/month. I know that some people may dislike the fact that I am earning a commission without having to “pay to play.”
But don’t worry, there’s no need to be envious of me. The earnings I make from writing for Medium are not something to be jealous of. On a successful month, I earn around $0.20 USD, sometimes even less! So, rest assured that I’m not making a fortune or fueling my caffeine addiction through my writing on Medium. Initially, I was optimistic about being able to earn enough for a cup of coffee, but now I have my doubts.
(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥
Who knows, maybe I will get a Medium Subscription eventually. If I were to get one, I would prefer a monthly subscription rather than a yearly one, but I don’t think a monthly subscription is an option. If you’ve been following me on Medium, you might have noticed my brief absence. It’s true, I took a break from publishing new articles around May 2023. My biggest concern right now is potentially being disqualified from the Medium Partner Program due to being absent for several months. I constantly remind myself to write, even if it’s just a mediocre article. I understand that this may not be my best work, but perfectionism is not something I need to worry about right now.
When I’m not writing, my attention is captivated by my passion for creating cute digital art for print-on-demand (POD) designs. I have my own shop on Redbubble, where you can explore the digital art that I made. Ironically, I opened my shop around the same time my writing habit took a nosedive.
Congratulations! If you managed to read this entire article, you are undoubtedly a one-of-a-kind individual — a majestic unicorn in your own right! 🦄💕 Did any of my points resonate with you? Do you have a Medium subscription? I’m curious to know about your experience. I have so many questions. Feel free to join the conversation below and I will try to reply to you within the next 24 hours.
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 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
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.
Halloween 2022 with the kiddos!
(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.
How did your September go? Mine was surprisingly more productive than usual. I managed to stay productive throughout the month and it made me wonder if listening to productivity podcasts every day had anything to do with it. It always saddens me when a favorite content creator disappears or stops uploading new content. I heavily rely on their content for motivation, so it’s truly disappointing when they are no longer active. #firstworldproblems
During the month of September, I didn’t go to doctor appointments and have been procrastinating on scheduling them. However, I did make progress on the extensive paperwork for the social worker and I am halfway through completing the applications. The last two sections are time-consuming and extensive, but I hope to complete them by the end of October. As for expenses last month, not gonna lie it was a lot. Hopefully, October will be kinder to us.
Redbubble ≥ Medium
By dedicating a lot of time and effort, I successfully achieved my target of having 60 designs in my Redbubble shop by the end of September! It’s safe to say that I have been tirelessly working on creating new and captivating designs. I did hit a roadblock where sales have plummeted and I am unsure why this is happening. I haven’t changed anything, have been adding new designs, and have kept the prices low. I am determined to find the motivation to push through and keep going. After all, I only have a limited amount of time to devote to my hobbies and side hustles, and digital art requires a significant investment of time.
Even though I have nearly given up on Medium, I still need to post there to maintain my qualification for the Medium Partner Program (MPP). Therefore, I will continue to upload content periodically if the content is deemed suitable for Medium. Kindly remind me to upload something soon. I completely forgot to upload something on Medium because I was so preoccupied with Redbubble. Here are the links where you can follow me:
Bid on shifts as they become available I didn’t have to bid on shifts because I had enough shifts for the month of September.
Catch up on work emails + finish CCP requirements I renewed my license and fulfilled my CCP requirements. As someone who has undiagnosed ADD and can’t function without some kind of organization system, I now have a binder full of notes to keep everything in order.
Work on side hustle → goal is 60 designs I added my 60th design to the shop and reached this goal! You can check out my #Redbubble designshere.
Hey #Twitterfam! I added an adorable, kawaii pastel crab to my #Redbubble shop! 🦀 If you're looking for more cute designs, you can check them out using the link below! ⇩
Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly recap I posted more blog posts than I thought I would, but that was partly because I was procrastinating on emails and working on the application for the SW. Here are the latest blog posts in case you missed them:
Scan paper documents → turn into digital copies I scanned a few documents but I didn’t scan the ones I eventually plan on discarding. I have way too much paper clutter.
Start habit tracking using Posh PlannerLOL nope, that certainly did not happen. Although it is a beautiful planner, I have no desire to use it as I am still keeping track of everything on my phone.
Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments Managing my family’s busy schedule is exhausting. Text message reminders are helping me stay on track with all of my appointments. We had so many appointments in September!
Complete and submit Application A We not only submitted Application A, but we also submitted Applications C & D. However, we still need to submit Applications B & E, which are more extensive.
Daily Duolingo practice 🇩🇪 I have been performing poorly in the leagues, but I have reached a point where I no longer care. Due to time constraints, I have been unable to complete one lesson per day. My main concern now is maintaining my 262-day streak. Unfortunately, I don’t have enough gems to freeze my streaks anymore, so I must remember to use the app every day.
Health Goals:
Exercise every day (hula hooping, treadmill, chores, etc.) I have mixed feelings about how I did. In my mind, I think I did okay. However, my clothes are still a bit too tight for my liking, and I still feel uncomfortable. I have not been actively tracking my fitness.
Finish low-cal lemonade and Kool-Aid drink mixes I finished the low-cal lemonade and still need to finish the Kool-Aid drops. The low-cal lemonade actually tastes good whereas the Kool-Aid drops are more artificial tasting.
Leave the house once a day and get some sunshine ☀️ I did pretty well with this one because I have to take my daughter to the bus stop every morning. However, I didn’t get to enjoy much sunshine on the weekends, which made me miserable.
Decluttering has a remarkable effect on my productivity. It serves as a catalyst for my creativity, taking it to a whole new level! 🚀✨
✔️ Donated 3 boxes of clothes ✔️ Donated 1 laundry basket full of stuff ✔️ Baking fresh batches of ‘healthy’ muffins 3x/week for lunches
And there you have it! Throughout the month of September, I spent most of my time at home following my daily routine. Given my busy schedule, I seldom have any spare moments. Although I am still procrastinating on emails, application forms, and doctor appointments, I am relieved to say that the CCP notes are finally complete. Overcoming this particular challenge was a significant accomplishment that had been weighing on me for quite some time.
Have something to share with me? Don’t hesitate to leave a comment down below ↓ Currently, email is NOT the most efficient means of reaching me as I behind in relying to emails. Leaving a comment is the quickest way to get in touch, unless you are one of the lucky ones who has my phone number.
(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. I recently made the decision to join X/Twitter and I’m excited to see what it has in store for me.
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