Tag: health

July Goals? What Goals?

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July went by so fast that I didn’t even write a July Goals blog post. This isn’t my best work but at this point, I don’t care as long as I publish something.

🅹🆄🅻🆈 🆆🅰🆂 🅽🅾🆃🅷🅸🅽🅶 🅱🆄🆃 🅳🆁🅾🆄🅶🅷🆃.

This is an old photo from a few summers ago. Photo is my own.

Sorry I was AFK.

I spent a lot of time away from my laptop. Most of my time was devoted to caring for my kids and the neighbors’ children. Whenever the neighbors’ kids visit, it’s essentially a party at my house. I’ve tried to discourage this because it’s exhausting, and the other moms are exhausted too. I don’t want this blog post to sound like a rant, but I’m in a bad mood. You have been warned.

The Mental Struggle

Being a mom is hard and it’s even harder trying to find the time to sit down and write a blog post. Also, I am beginning to think that my used iPhone 14 hates me. Apps don’t work like they should which is incredibly frustrating, especially when I need that phone for blogging. I really don’t know what’s going on with this phone and I am in the process of waiting to get a replacement. The only problem is that it could take several months since I bought this phone used from a reputable third party store.

The Physical Struggle

Lastly, we had a drought lasting the whole month of July and nothing but hot temps averaging above 30°C every damn day. I did go to the Calgary Stampede this year but didn’t take photos this time. It was a different experience, being able to fully immerse myself in the festivities without the distraction of capturing every moment through a lens. Additionally, I started walking again to maintain an active lifestyle, but the relentless heat has been taking a toll on my energy levels. The scorching sun seems never-ending, making it challenging to enjoy outdoor activities. Hopefully, the forecast will bring some relief soon, as we desperately need rain to alleviate the dry spell. As I don’t have AC in my house so the persistent heat has been quite taxing, leaving me feeling irritable and uncomfortable.

The Emotional Struggle

As you probably know by now, my mental health isn’t the greatest and I am struggling with some stuff that is emotionally draining. I want to talk about it, but I am afraid of sharing too much personal information on here regarding this subject which isn’t really anyone’s business other than my own. I just wish I had someone to talk to because it feels oh so lonely. Also, while I am on the subject of mental health, I am very worried that the custom bridesmaid dress I ordered won’t fit. I leave for Ontario at the end of August, which leaves no time to prepare for my friend’s wedding in September. These are the things that keep me up at night, along with worrying about the unforeseen future.

🅿🅴🆁🆂🅾🅽🅰🅻 🅶🆁🅾🆆🆃🅷 🆃🅷🆁🅾🆄🅶🅷 🆂🅴🅻🅵-🆁🅴🅵🅻🅴🅲🆃🅸🅾🅽.

Image source: https://wallpaper.mob.org

The Struggle IS Real!

I find myself still struggling to accept and love myself as body dysmorphia has been a real issue this year. I dislike the way I look, which is mainly why I haven’t taken photos, and now I can’t even hide behind the filtered ones because Snapchat doesn’t work on my phone (I’ll save that for another blog post), which leaves me feeling very vulnerable. The custom dress I ordered is due to arrive mid-August, and I am beyond scared to try it on. I ordered a size slightly smaller because that was the size I was at the beginning of July. Somehow, I let my exercise routine slip, stopped exercising completely, and started drinking diet drinks, which caused me to gain weight. Lesson learned: stay away from diet soda and artificial sweeteners!

I am back to getting 10,000 steps a day and let me tell you, it is hard. I spend most of my days outside walking, and I force myself to go outside in this heat so I get Vitamin D from the sun. My mental health is not good at all, so I need all the help I can get from mother nature, despite it being so hot outside. There are days when I want to quit, but then I remember how easy it is to gain weight if I quit. I am way too hard on myself, but at the same time, I have to be because I am not happy where I am right now. It is incredibly frustrating to never be satisfied with the present moment. Sometimes, I find myself wishing that I could just accept where I am and what I have achieved. I long for the ability to appreciate the progress I have made, to celebrate the small victories instead of always focusing on the next goal. It is a constant struggle to silence the inner critic and embrace self-compassion. I hope that one day I can find peace within myself and cultivate a more positive relationship with my journey. 🧘✨

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

If I did anything right during the month of July, I leaned more towards basic living and started spending more time with myself. Although I didn’t really create anything, if at all, during the month of July, I cut back a lot on consuming content. Yes, I still watch a lot of YouTube videos, but I use it mainly for educational purposes. I still need to cut back on Twitter/𝕏 as I find myself using that app way too much. Spending time in nature has probably been one of the best antidotes for depression, and during that time, I like to listen to spiritual podcasts on iTunes.

The second best antidote for my well-being and overall health has been diving into the world of cooking and baking nourishing meals using fresh, real ingredients instead of relying on inflammatory, ultra-processed foods. It’s a journey of gradual improvement, as I continue to reduce my intake of junk food, acknowledging that it’s a work in progress. I’ve moved past denial and accepted that I made a few slip-ups in July. Believe me, I’ve experienced firsthand the negative impact that junk food has on my body. 😖

For those following me on Twitter/𝕏, I’m still active there, sharing my current hobbies and interests. If you have an account, feel free to follow me, and I’ll follow you back! I’m also open to DMs. Twitter/𝕏 is where I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts daily. I am still trying to cut back on social media, but you can still find me tweeting about something. You can follow me using the link below:

♡ Quick Link: https://mobile.twitter.com/serene_hilz

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

About that June 2024 Recap….

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You might have noticed that I’ve been AFK lately. I didn’t write a June 2024 recap or July Goals blog post because I haven’t sat down at a laptop to type. I haven’t really written anything lately. It’s hard to find time to blog when I feel so tired and drained, not to mention taking care of my little kids plus the neighbors’ kids. Sometimes, I pick up work shifts whenever I can, which doesn’t leave much time for anything else. My blog, however, is still alive, and I have no intention of abandoning it completely.

No Time for Blogging 💻

I am at a difficult point in my life where I have so much going on outside of blogging, yet I still struggle to figure out exactly what to focus on when I do have free time. Should I write for myself? Should I write blog posts for my readers? Or should I be working on my Redbubble designs? All of these things take time, and all of them are important.

My hobbies are like my children: Like children, hobbies require time and attention. If you don’t give your hobbies attention, the algorithm and loyal readers will punish you. Neglecting your hobbies leaves you with “nothing” to show for it. Even the Redbubble Gods are punishing me because I haven’t updated my shop, so the algorithm doesn’t work, and I get almost no visitors due to inactivity. Ironically, I am mostly active on Twitter/𝕏, yet my profile engagement is even more dead. Unless you pay for their “enhanced services,” the algorithm won’t reward you, and you’ll get little to no engagement on that platform either.

I need to redirect my attention on what matters: By that, I mean focusing on things that actually generate results. I want to spend less time on Twitter/𝕏 (which I use when I’m bored) and YouTube, and concentrate more on writing/blogging and Redbubble. I don’t believe Redbubble is dead; it will only truly work if I actively add new designs and promote them. I have yet to find another site to sell on if I were to expand. However, migrating elsewhere would also exhaust time and energy that I don’t have.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ Here’s what I actually did in June because I need to wrap up that chapter before moving onto July. ♥

June Recap 2024

Career Goals:

  • Bid for shifts. 7 shift baseline. A couple shifts were cancelled so I made those up by bidding on shifts. In the end, I still had 7 shifts and ended up breaking even
  • Catch up on emails if there are any I am pretty much caught up and to-date on emails.
  • Have 100 sticker designs in my #Redbubble shop I am currently at 98 sticker designs and am still working on reaching this goal. I added 1 new sticker design.
  • Promote stickers Twitter/𝕏 I didn’t do much promoting if at all because I haven’t been very active on Redbubble. If I were to put more time and energy into Redbubble, I would be posting more often. I plan on doing this in the upcoming months as an experiment to see if input really does equal output.

🌸 My Redbubble Shop: @sereneluna 🌸

♡ You can browse my designs here: http://shorturl.at/otvxQ

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts On June 10, 2024, I published 1 new blog post about why I quit Duolingo and deleted the app and a fellow blogger wrote a guest post on July 8, 2024. You can catch up on these blog posts below ↓ and yes they are clickable links:
  1. Why I’m Quitting Duolingo
  2. Unmasking Your True Potential (Guest Post)
  • Log into #Medium at least once/week I log in every so often but I haven’t been active on the platform.
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments I am still relying on my phone to keep track of things. My family has had a lot of appointments this summer.
  • Log into FB for the first time since 2017 I haven’t done this yet but still need to by August.
  • Pay any outstanding invoice(s) Done ✔️
  • Figure out our flight schedule(s) I have a one-way ticket and need to book my flight ticket home.

.ೃ࿔ ✈︎ *:･

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day Since upgrading my phone, it’s I haven’t been tracking steps. My old phone fit easily in my pocket whereas my new one is bulky. Unless I’m wearing my apple watch, I am not tracking steps. I know this is a problem.
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee I quit coffee! Yep, I quit coffee 100%. I stopped drinking orange pekoe at home but will occasionally buy steeped tea. It’s much less frequent than it was before. I drink water, coconut water, sparkling water, and diet soda.
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app My water intake really suffered because I stopped tracking but by the end of August, water is all I will be allowed to drink, so I better get used to drinking water.
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app The app helps keep me motivated, and I still recommend this free app to anyone who likes to gamify fitness. You can read my review about this app here.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I know this is an unconventional blog post and it’s somewhat disjointed, but I wanted to summarize my activities during June. July has been even more unusual, as I’ve strayed from my goals while working on unrelated tasks. Ideally, I want to refocus on the most meaningful activities and reduce time spent on less important matters. Of course, that’s easier said than done.

Finally, I am curious to know how you are doing with your goals and blogging schedule, and whether or not you accomplished what you were hoping to. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter/𝕏 (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is harder than ever to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

June Goals | Summer 2024

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Okay, so there wasn’t a May Goals blog post so I didn’t feel like it was necessary to write a May Goals recap, for obvious reasons. Now that it is June, it is a new month which for me, which also means new beginnings. I am in a sense, starting over. I will give you more context later on in the blog post. Oh, and in case you missed last month’s blog post, I will post a link down below:

May Goals? What Goals?

Ⓗⓔⓛⓛⓞ Ⓢⓤⓜⓜⓔⓡ Ⓗⓔⓛⓛⓞ Ⓙⓤⓝⓔ

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Who I Want to Become •̩̩͙*˚＊

Remember how I started off strong at the beginning of January? Like any habit, we lose them if we don’t use them. Over time, I started slipping to the point where I abandoned the 75-Hard program completely. Despite that, I still lost some weight, but it wasn’t enough.

The hardest part was coming to terms with it instead of living in denial. I knew that I was disproportionate in my waist compared to the rest of my body, but I didn’t know by how much. I still mostly wear the same clothes, but they don’t fit comfortably. Then I took my tape measure because I had to get measurements for my dress, and well, it wasn’t pretty. I cried after coming face to face with reality. I don’t want to live in a fantasy world and I do consider myself a realist. I see things for how they are in present moment. So I came to terms with it, wiped away my tears, and started over yet again. I have until September to fit into one of the 3 beautiful dresses that I ordered online!

Here We Go Again (˚ ˃̣̣̥⌓˂̣̣̥ )

I guess you could say I am not doing the 75-Hard program as intended, but I do not care. I am here to lose my belly pooch and am hyper-focused on diet and exercise. I don’t want to read a non-fiction book or any book for that matter, so I am not going to. I still wanted to incorporate some kind of discipline/mental toughness task into my routine, so instead of 10 pages of reading a day, I have decided to do 30 minutes of creative work, whether that is blogging, journaling, or completing an intimidating task that I have been putting off for weeks. It could be a design for my #Redbubble shop since I haven’t worked on that hobby in several weeks, decluttering items and writing ads for them, or bracelet making. Whatever it is, it needs to be creative work and not some kind of chore or busy work. And this is on top of the goals I have for June 2024!

June Goals 2024

Career Goals:

  • I have 7 shifts this month. Bidding is optional.
  • Catch up on emails if there are any.
  • Have 100 sticker designs in my #Redbubble shop → 3 designs away from this goal
  • Promote my Spring & Summer stickers online → From $1.63 CAD (Ignore the $1.98 price)
➤ Click here to visit my Redbubble shop 🐈‍⬛💕

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts
  • Log into #Medium at least once/week
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments
  • Log into FB for the first time since 2017
  • Pay any outstanding invoice(s)
  • Figure out our flight schedule(s)

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day → leave the house at least once/day ☀️
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee
  • Intermittent fasting. No food after 7:00pm
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app
🌸 ℑ’𝔪 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔳𝔲𝔩𝔫𝔢𝔯𝔞𝔟𝔩𝔢 𝔬𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔦𝔰 𝔟𝔩𝔬𝔤, 𝔰𝔬 𝔞𝔩𝔩 ℑ 𝔞𝔰𝔨 𝔦𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔞𝔱 𝔶𝔬𝔲’𝔯𝔢 𝔨𝔦𝔫𝔡. 𝔑𝔬 𝔫𝔞𝔰𝔱𝔶 𝔢𝔪𝔞𝔦𝔩𝔰 𝔱𝔢𝔩𝔩𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔪𝔢 ℑ’𝔪 𝔞 𝔥𝔶𝔭𝔬𝔠𝔯𝔦𝔱𝔢 𝔬𝔯 𝔰𝔬𝔪𝔢𝔬𝔫𝔢 𝔴𝔥𝔬 𝔡𝔬𝔢𝔰𝔫’𝔱 𝔩𝔦𝔳𝔢 𝔲𝔭 𝔱𝔬 𝔱𝔥𝔢𝔦𝔯 𝔴𝔬𝔯𝔡, 𝔬𝔯 𝔴𝔥𝔞𝔱𝔢𝔳𝔢𝔯 𝔟𝔞𝔰𝔢𝔩𝔢𝔰𝔰 𝔞𝔠𝔠𝔲𝔰𝔞𝔱𝔦𝔬𝔫𝔰 𝔥𝔞𝔳𝔢 𝔟𝔢𝔢𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔯𝔬𝔴𝔫 𝔞𝔱 𝔪𝔢 𝔦𝔫 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔭𝔞𝔰𝔱 𝔣𝔬𝔯 𝔟𝔢𝔦𝔫𝔤 𝔬𝔭𝔢𝔫 𝔞𝔟𝔬𝔲𝔱 𝔪𝔶 𝔰𝔱𝔯𝔲𝔤𝔤𝔩𝔢𝔰 🌸

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

There are a few appointments that I need to book this summer, but I didn’t include them in my general list of goals. I have them written down on my phone, and I plan to complete them close to September. Both my husband and I need to travel to Ontario, but at different times, so I don’t know what’s happening yet. Overall, I think my goals are reasonable and not too extreme. I know I’m strict about my diet, but I have limited time to accomplish what needs to get done. And when you’re under pressure, you find a way to get it done. My next weigh-in is tomorrow. Wish me luck! 🙏💕

I am curious to know what your goals are for the month of June. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. Trying to grow on Twitter/𝕏 is hard and I’m constantly having to weed out those pesky bots and fake accounts—it’s so annoying! If you’re a real person, you don’t have to worry about me removing you. I can spot those bot accounts from a mile away, so you can trust me on that.

(っ◔◡◔)っ You can find all of my links and socials here!👉 https://linktr.ee/sereneluna

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

May Goals? What Goals?

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Let’s pretend that May did not happen. I totally let my blog posts slip this month and did not post any May Goals at all. Should I even bother? Is there even a point?

🅼🅰🆈 🅼🅰🅳🅴 🅸🆃 🆁🅰🅸🅽.

Image source: https://wallpaper.mob.org/

No Laptop, No Blog Posts.

Simply put, I didn’t use my laptop and I only write blog posts using a computer. If I am active on WordPress, I’m usually using my phone, but I only write blog posts using my laptop. So, why didn’t I use my laptop this month? Well, there are a bunch of reasons, but mostly it’s because I was either babysitting kids who invited themselves over to our house almost every day this month, or I’m avoiding my laptop on purpose. I won’t go into details, but I have been procrastinating on a few things. Rather than deal with the dumpster fires that the the rain did not put out, I have been running from them. Now that it’s the end of May, I can’t run away from my problems anymore.

Lately, my mind has been preoccupied with other things other than blogging. I am afraid that if I were to start a new thing that I will get overwhelmed as it is one more thing for my brain to process. Does that make sense? There’s a lot of stuff for my brain to process that eventually it gets “overheated” and I just can’t function. I am at that point right now and it’s a little overwhelming. Like I mentioned last month, “I take responsibility for this lack of engagement as I haven’t been very active here. Nevertheless, I truly appreciate those who come across my blog and take the time to read my content.”

🅸’🅼 🆃🅰🅺🅸🅽🅶 🅰 🆂🆃🅴🅿 🅱🅰🅲🅺 🆂🅾 🅸 🅲🅰🅽 🆃🅰🅺🅴 🅰 🆂🆃🅴🅿 🅵🅾🆁🅴🆆🅾🆁🅳.

Image source: https://wallpaper.mob.org/

I find myself still grappling with my procrastination and am committed to finishing my overwhelming list of tasks by the end of May, or at the latest, early June. I must allocate time to sit down, open my laptop, do some online bridesmaid dress shopping, take body measurements, place the order, sift through emails, and revisit a social media platform I have neglected since 2017. Unironically, I have some items to sell on that social media platform, which means I must log into my account whether I like it or not. My husband has had success selling his used stuff on that platform, and I don’t want to list my items on his account anymore because I feel like I’m burdening him.

I feel like I spend way too much time mindlessly scrolling on my phone and it’s taking a toll on my productivity and mental well-being. I need to take a step back and reevaluate my relationship with technology and social media. Deep down, I know that I need to step into nature and go back to basic living. I need to stop consuming so much content and start creating again. I think it’s time for a digital detox, and I’m determined to reclaim control over my time and attention. The biggest thing that prevents me from deleting apps is that I listen to podcasts and lectures all day, every day. I like learning new things and need to listen to something to help me cope with stress.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

Despite the challenges, I have to find a way to push through and complete these tasks on my own schedule, which means ditching the May Goals and focusing on the things that are most important. I also hope to declutter my space and make some extra money doing this because why not? I still have my notebook so perhaps I should start using it more and my phone less. Aiming to complete 5 critical tasks a day sounds ideal for me. I am just thinking out loud here so I hope I didn’t bore you too much with this blog post.

If I delete the app, I will lose the pink aesthetic.

For those following me on Twitter/𝕏, I’m still active there, sharing my current hobbies and interests. If you have an account, feel free to follow me, and I’ll follow you back! I’m also open to DMs. Twitter/𝕏 is where I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts daily. I am seriously thinking about deleting the app off my phone and only using it on a laptop, so I might not be as active on there as I once was. You can follow me using the link below:

♡ Quick Link: https://mobile.twitter.com/serene_hilz

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

April Recap | Spring 2024

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I didn’t keep up with my daily reading goal in April. However, I know that reading is beneficial and helps me unwind at night. Moving forward, I’ll turn off my phone from 8 PM to 6 AM and read books to calm my mind before bed instead of listen to podcasts and scroll the internet. Last night, I was we working on this blog post from my laptop and staring at another screen late at night, even though my inner voice says not to do it. Unrelated, but I almost used this cover photo for my blog a while ago because it’s calming and pleasant to look at.

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Am I Evolving? •̩̩͙*˚＊

I had my last physical therapy appointment at the end of April and “graduated” from physiotherapy. PT told me that I’m allowed to return anytime, but for now, I don’t have any more appointments scheduled. Does this mean I passed? Yes and no. I know what I need to do, but I’m not as diligent as I should be, so more work can be done in this area. I have to still work on my core exercises and drink more water.

Lately, I have been sleeping a lot, but that’s not new for me. I do tend to sleep a lot, but I have been exceptionally tired lately. Sleeping during the day wastes a lot of time, so I’m not accomplishing what I want to. In terms of exercise, I do what I can, but I don’t have a set schedule these days. When it comes to diet, my weight has stayed the same, and I seem to have reached a plateau. I’m not very hungry these days and only eat when I’m hungry, so I don’t eat much. The biggest problem I had with HCLF was that I had to eat often and frequently, and I eventually got so sick and tired of eating sugary, sweet foods all the time. It was “too much of a good thing” as they say. These days, I’m not counting calories and try to cook at home as often as possible. Any treats I buy are heavily discounted, and I stopped shopping at Dollarama because I was no longer getting a good deal there.

I want to continue cutting back on expenses as much as possible because: a) I hate debt if any kind (this includes mortgage which is my only debt right now); b) clutter/junk gives me anxiety; and c) we are headed towards a recession if we aren’t already in one.

April Recap 2024

Career Goals:

  • Bid for shifts for the second half of April I ended up getting more shifts without having to bid on them. I ended up with 7 shifts for the month of April which is below my goal of 10+ shifts/month. I don’t get nearly as many shifts as I did last year.
  • Catch up on emails if there are any I am pretty much caught up and to-date on emails.
  • Have 100 sticker designs in my #Redbubble shop I am currently at 97 sticker designs and am still working on reaching this goal. Sticker designs were not my priority during the month of April and I only added 1 new sticker design in April. Btw, it’s cherry blossom season and a kind soul from Spain just bought 2 large cherry blossom themed stickers. Thank you~! 😊🌸
  • Promote my cherry blossom stickers Twitter/𝕏 → From $1.63 CAD (Ignore the $1.98 price) I didn’t do much promoting during the month of April but once I add some new designs to the shop, I plan on posting more often on Twitter/𝕏.

🌸 My Redbubble Shop: @sereneluna 🌸

♡ You can browse my designs here: http://shorturl.at/otvxQ

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts I published 3 blog posts this month, in addition to the usual monthly goals and blog recaps. I didn’t see a significant boost in engagement, but it’s encouraging to have frequent readers. You can catch up on these blog posts below ↓ and yes they are clickable links:
  1. “Spot the Gnome” Game
  2. Blog Posts Left Unwritten
  3. Is Blogging Right For You?
  • Write 1 personal development article for #Medium I don’t think I added any new articles to Medium. Instead, I focused more on blogging.
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments I somehow manage by using my phone calendar. My son’s forms for Montessori were sent and SLP received the necessary paperwork they needed. Also, my husband and I finally got our medical forms completed and sent them to SW.
  • Read 10 pages of a personal development book each day Nope, it did not happen. I miss reading but my current personal development book is boring. I still plan on finishing it before moving on to the next book.
  • Purchase tickets for Otafest 2024 I bought tickets and I will be bringing my family with me to Otafest this year. I have no idea what to expect, so expect the unexpected I guess?

🌸 I’ve never been to a convention but always wanted to go to one! 🌸

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day I have been averaging 4,500 – 6,000 steps/day which isn’t great. Some days, it’s much less than 4,500 steps.
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee I already do this but started adding very diluted 100% fruit juice for some more variety.
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app My water intake really suffered during the month of April but this app still helps me when I’m actively tracking hydration. It takes caffeine and different beverages into account.
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app The app helps keep me motivated, and I still recommend this free app to anyone who likes to gamify fitness. You can read my review about this app here.
  • HCLF diet 90% of the time No more HCLF dieting for me 🙅‍♀️ In the beginning, I loved it but I got tired of it real quick. It’s definitely not for me but was fun while it lasted. Also, having no overt oils doesn’t work with my family’s diet and lifestyle.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I also want to mention that I completely forgot about my “Power List” again, so this system isn’t going to work for me long-term. My husband suggested that I try blocking time out of my day, so I might try that and see if it works better. Has anyone tried block scheduling other than in university? Is that what it’s called…block scheduling? Here is an example of what I’m talking about.

Source: https://www.deskbird.com/blog/time-block-schedules

Finally, I am curious to know what your goals were for the month of April and whether or not you accomplished what you were hoping to. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter/𝕏 (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is harder than ever to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

April Goals | Spring 2024

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First and foremost, thank you for reading my blog posts month after month. To my loyal readers, I see you and appreciate all of you. I also value new readers and even the ones who lurk – you know, the ones who read my blog posts but never leave a like or comment. I’m aware of the lurkers based on my stats, even though there hasn’t been much engagement lately. I take responsibility for this lack of engagement as I haven’t been very active here. Nevertheless, I truly appreciate those who come across my blog and take the time to read my content.

For those following me on Twitter/𝕏, I’m still active there, sharing my current hobbies and interests. If you have an account, feel free to follow me, and I’ll follow you back! I’m also open to DMs. Twitter/𝕏 is where I feel comfortable expressing my thoughts daily. You can follow me using the link below:

♡ Quick Link: https://mobile.twitter.com/serene_hilz

𝒜𝓅𝓇𝒾𝓁 𝓈𝒽💮𝓌𝑒𝓇𝓈, 𝒷𝓇𝒾𝓃𝑔 𝑀𝒶𝓎 𝒻𝓁💮𝓌𝑒𝓇𝓈.

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Who I Want to Become •̩̩͙*˚＊

I know I should be working on hobbies during my free time, but when is there ever free time? lol You know what I mean. I find myself struggling to work on hobbies, which includes writing blog posts, posting recipes (I have a bunch that I want to share with you), and building and creating things. Instead of creating things, I often find myself trying to fill a void – a shopping void. Yikes. I try not to be materialistic, but lately, I have found some comfort there. It’s weird, and I need to pause, breathe, and reflect. I have tons of crafting supplies, so it’s just a matter of starting. Instead, I keep wanting to accumulate more supplies because I am afraid to start, and this is my way of distracting myself. When I am not browsing the internet, window shopping, or wanting to buy things to fill this empty void in my life, I just want to sleep, play a dumb game on my phone, or do some other mindless activity.

Building and creating things brings me joy, so why is it such a struggle? I need to work through this resistance, and there is no better time than now. So there’s that, and possibly revisiting my Power List. I do need to find my planner, so perhaps I can start with that, and monthly goals of course.

April Goals 2024

Career Goals:

  • Bid for shifts for second half of April
  • Catch up on emails if there are any
  • Have 100 sticker designs in my #Redbubble shop
  • promote my cherry blossom stickers Twitter/𝕏 → From $1.63 CAD (Ignore the $1.98 price)
♡ You can browse my designs here: http://shorturl.at/otvxQ

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts
  • Catch up on #Medium articles, comments, etc.
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments
  • Get forms from Montessori for SLP
  • Complete medical forms for SW → Appt April 10, 2024
  • Purchase tickets for Otafest 2024
🌸 I’ve never been to a convention but always wanted to go to one! 🌸

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day → leave the house at least once/day ☀️
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app (3000mL water/day)
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app
  • HCLF diet 90% of the time
Photo is my own. Pineapples are life! 🍍🍍

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

My mental health has been questionable lately, but I find comfort in writing on WP. I don’t know why I don’t do it more often, to be honest. Putting my thoughts into writing helps me process emotions and solve problems. I don’t feel like I’m talking to a wall because I know people are reading my blog posts, and that brings me comfort. Just knowing that there’s someone out there who cares, even if we don’t talk face-to-face, helps me feel less alone. I hope I can pull through this slump and thrive for the rest of April.

I am curious to know what your goals are for the month of April. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is so hard to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

(っ◔◡◔)っ You can find all of my links and socials here!👉 https://linktr.ee/sereneluna

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

March Recap | Spring 2024

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Continuing from where I left off last month, I didn’t keep up with my daily goal of reading 10 pages a day because I chose to spend that time on other things. If I were to resume reading, I would prefer to do it at bedtime rather than first thing in the morning. The book I had been reading before I stopped this habit was a bit boring, but I do intend to finish it eventually. It’s not a terrible book; I just don’t want to invest too much mental energy into it right now.

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Who I Am Becoming •̩̩͙*˚＊

Ever since my PT appointment at the end of February, I have been struggling to maintain my strict daily routine of two 45-minute workouts, having a clean diet, reading 10 pages, and drinking close to a gallon of water. I managed to follow a program called 75 Hard for 30 days (I won’t go into detail about it here), but I did learn a lot from it. I discovered what doesn’t work for me and what is beneficial, even if it’s not what I feel like doing. Wanting to do something and actually doing it are two different things. It’s important not to make decisions based solely on emotions and feelings.

I had another PT appointment at the end of March, and I need to start tracking my water intake because the headaches have returned with a vengeance. Drinking 2-3 large bottles of water is non-negotiable for me, even though I struggle to drink plain water if I’m not actively tracking it. I’ve also started adding 5-calorie drink mixes to my water, which makes it much more palatable for me. However, the artificial sugars and food coloring in these drinks could be making my headaches worse. I also tried cutting out caffeine, but I experienced withdrawal headaches, so I’m back to drinking orange pekoe tea again. The goal here is to stay hydrated. Speaking of goals, here is a recap of my monthly goals for March 2024:

March Recap 2024

Career Goals:

  • Bid for shifts for March as they become available When it came time to bid on shifts, the shift callouts were super last minute so I decided not to bid on them.
  • Catch up on emails if there are any I am mostly caught up on emails. There is a random MLL course that I need to take though.
  • Add 5 new designs on #Redbubble Redbubble fixed the pricing issue, so I’m not sure what was up with that. All of my stickers are priced from $1.63 if you buy any 10 stickers in my shop. I don’t know how many designs I added in March because I got distracted by another hobby. I currently have 96 designs in my Redbubble shop. Btw, it’s cherry blossom season and I’ve added several cherry blossom sticker designs to my shop!
  • Design more art for my Ko-fi gallery + do more research I’ve decided to pivot away from this and focus more on local markets. I’ll start locally and see how it goes from there. I want to test the waters first, so I’ll probably try Facebook Marketplace, even though I haven’t used my FB account since 2017. Before I start selling anything, I need to build my inventory, so that’s what I will be working on in the upcoming months.

🌸 My Redbubble Shop: @sereneluna 🌸

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts I’m not doing much extra in terms of blogging because I make $0 from blogging. It doesn’t seem like a good use of my time. That being said, blogging helps keep me accountable so that’s why I upload blog posts month after month.
  • Write 1 personal development article for #Medium Yes! I actually did this mainly because you have to stay active if you’re part of the Medium Partner Program (MPP). Because my article is about writing for Medium, I didn’t share the article separately on my blog. However, if you would like to read my article, you can read it here.
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments I somehow manage by using my phone calendar. Tomorrow will try and get forms from the Montessori that I need to fill out for my toddler.
  • Read 10 pages of a personal development book each day Nope, it did not happen. I miss reading but my current personal development book is boring so I’m not too eager to read right now.
  • Send snail mail before end of the month Yes! I sent snail mail and everyone got their mail by the end of the month so that makes me happy.

(っ◔◡◔)っ Want to buy me a coffee? Now you can! 👉 https://ko-fi.com/sereneluna

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day I have been averaging 4,500 – 6,000 steps/day which isn’t great.
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee I’m pretty good with this, but I do struggle to drink plain water. I much rather drink orange pekoe tea. The 5-cal drink mixes help me drink more water but I try to drink plain water most days.
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app I frequently forget to monitor my water consumption, but my physiotherapist has advised me to track it regularly and be more diligent about it.
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app The app helps keep me motivated, and I still recommend this free app to anyone who likes to gamify fitness. You can read my review about this app here.
  • Healthy/clean eating 80% of the time I follow a HCLF diet these days. If you’re not familiar with this acronym, please google it. I’m tired of constantly having to explain myself and deal with others’ opinions. This diet may not be popular, but it’s common in Asia and Africa. I’ve noticed that many people in the Western world are overweight or obese, so I’m making an effort to distance myself as much as possible from the Standard American Diet (SAD) and trendy diets like low carb, paleo, keto, etc. By default, my diet is mostly vegan but I do eat meat and dairy as long as it qualifies as low fat.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I also want to mention that I completely forgot about my “Power List” because I don’t like writing things down in a notebook and often forget to write things down in a notepad on my phone. The power list absolutely does work if you’re actively keeping on top of your critical tasks. For me, it’s remembering to do the thing that I’m struggling with the most. I have tried productivity apps. I have tried sticky notes. I have tried a notebook only to lose the notebook on multiple occasions. I wish my ADD brain would remember to do things without needing constant reminders. I need to find a better way to remember everything each day. I tend to get fixated on one or two things and forget about everything else. That’s the unmedicated ADD brain for you, minus the hyperactivity. I don’t have the hyperactive aspect of ADHD.

👉 This is my 💩 to do notebook, where I write down my tasks. Doing the tasks is still hard for me.

Finally, I am curious to know what your goals were for the month of March and whether or not you accomplished what you were hoping to. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter/𝕏 (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is harder than ever to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

March Goals | Spring 2024

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I apologize for the delay in writing this blog post; I’ve been preoccupied with tasks other than what I should have been doing. Lately, I’ve been catching up on sleep and playing a mobile game called Eatventure, which has taken over my life since the devs added the “Clubs” feature. Having reached level 120 and completed two full rounds of this game, I think I’ll be taking a break for a while. I’ve also managed to catch up on sleep, although I tend to crash and sleep for 10-12 hours at a time. My energy levels fluctuate between being wide awake and completely exhausted.

For those following me on #Twitter, I’ll be sharing updates on my workouts, water intake, daily steps, and occasionally posting creative works like poems, unpopular opinions, and photos. Twitter/𝕏 is where I feel comfortable opening up and sharing my thoughts on a daily basis. You can follow me using the link below:

♡ Quick Link: https://mobile.twitter.com/serene_hilz

ℑ𝔱’𝔰 𝔱𝔥𝔢 𝔩𝔲𝔠𝔨 𝔬𝔣 𝔱𝔥𝔢 ℑ𝔯𝔦𝔰𝔥🍀

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Who I Want to Become •̩̩͙*˚＊

I still have the dream of becoming the person I want to be. I aspire to be a confident girl who feels comfortable in her own skin. While I don’t care much about becoming a social media influencer, I do want to inspire others to take accountability and responsibility in their lives. I may not be a leader as I am more of a follower, but I have creative ideas and gifts that I want to share with the world. I believe that if I don’t share my gifts, it would be a waste not to use my talents. It’s frustrating to try to stand out when everyone else is competing for the same thing. Sometimes, I feel like my thoughts get lost in a sea of words.

Lately, I haven’t been sticking to my water goals and fitness goals. Instead, I have been doing whatever I please to try and figure out what brings me joy. Moving forward, I believe that a daily to-do list (aka. Power List) is honestly the way to go. As exhausting as it may be (I have tried this in the past), I feel like it is the most sustainable option long-term because it would not be a generic list but rather a personalized list. I need to find a way to incorporate all three areas of my life (career, personal, and health) into a list that I can check off each day to help move the needle forward. These are just my thoughts—I am thinking out loud!

March Goals 2024

Career Goals:

  • Bid for shifts for March as they become available
  • Catch up on emails if there are any
  • Add 5 new sticker designs to my #Redbubble shop
  • Design more art for my Ko-fi gallery + do more research
♡ You can browse my designs here: http://shorturl.at/otvxQ

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts
  • Write 1 personal development article for #Medium
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments
  • Read 10 pages of a personal development book each day
  • Send snail mail before end of the month
I miss sending snail mail to pen pals who live far away 😓

Health Goals:

  • Aim for 10,000 steps/day
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app (3000mL water/day)
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app
  • Clean eating 80% of the time

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I feel like I have lost my way since the beginning of March and am still trying to find balance in my life. Most days, I feel too tired, and on other days, too lazy to tackle big projects. I also sense that things have changed on WordPress, and I’m not sure if it’s due to a recent update, but I am not getting the same level of engagement as before. I acknowledge that I have been MIA, so this is probably my fault. It’s strangely quiet here these days. Perhaps I need to reach out to more people and see if I can boost the algorithm or something.

I am curious to know what your goals are for the month of March. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is so hard to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

(っ◔◡◔)っ Like what I do? Your support goes a long way! 👉 https://ko-fi.com/sereneluna

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

February Recap | Winter 2024

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Where have I been, you might ask? I have been busy during the month of February because I have been working out and reading books instead of writing blog posts and reviews. It seems odd, but I actually read 2 self-help books and have just started reading my third book. This is even surprising to me, considering that I haven’t picked up a book to read since I was in University.

  1. You Are a Badass” by Jen Sincero was just okay. The author comes across as overly happy, full of sunshine, rainbows, and feel-good vibes. While I used to resonate with her book, I find it less appealing now. Some readers may not mind the use of made-up words like “Source Energy” instead of God and “The Big Snooze” instead of ego, but to me, it dilutes the concepts and major points she is trying to convey.
  2. “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” by Marie Kondo was a better book overall, but it took me a total of four attempts to read the whole thing. Instilling the habit of reading 10 pages a day forced me to finish her book, which turned out to be a good thing. I believe she introduces many fresh ideas to an otherwise mundane topic, but there were a few aspects that bothered me. Not everyone can clean their homes in one go as she suggests. I later discovered that she has an online shop selling storage items and trinkets, which seems hypocritical to me, given that the goal is to declutter and eliminate excess items that do not spark joy.

＊˚*•̩̩͙ Who I Want to Become •̩̩͙*˚＊

I have been focusing on my word this year, which is discipline, but it has grown to be much more than that. I am working on cultivating healthier habits that need to stick long-term. This isn’t just for vanity reasons, but I would be lying if I said it wasn’t. This is for overall health and well-being, and more importantly, to hopefully slow down the progression of my health issues. I started going to physiotherapy as an adult and was told that it is very rare to see someone as young as me seeking therapy for vestibular/balance issues. Also, my eyesight is absolutely terrible and I just recently had to get even stronger prescription glasses. I have astigmatism and a few other issues that had the eye doctors stumped for weeks.

During the month of February, my main focus was health and fitness, which unfortunately led to neglecting my blog. Moving forward, I believe I should return to using a “Power List” instead of a task list solely focused on mental toughness. I felt burnt out from completing tasks, which affected my motivation for blogging, my sticker side hustle, and exploring other avenues to earn money. Additionally, my work shifts were reduced, resulting in inconsistent work hours compared to before. Anyways, here is a recap of how February 2024 went down:

February Recap 2024

Career Goals:

  • Try to aim for 9-12 shifts this month I thought I had enough shifts but a couple of them were cancelled. I am a bit disappointed that I didn’t get nearly as many shifts as I would have liked.
  • Catch up on emails if there are any I often I check my emails even if it takes a long time to reply to them.
  • Bid on shifts for February as they become available There haven’t really been shifts to bid on and any shifts that are available don’t work with my schedule.
  • Add 1-2 new designs on #Redbubble Redbubble just increased their prices without telling me and I am not happy about it. It has killed my motivation to upload new designs. Prices now start around $2.00 CAD but it seems to change on a daily basis depending on how the Canadian dollar is doing….
🌸 Follow me on Redbubble: @sereneluna 🌸

Personal Goals:

  • Publish 1-2 blog posts + monthly goals/recap blog posts Like I said above, I have been busy focusing on working out and other life commitments that I haven’t had time to blog. I hope to blog more next month.
  • Figure out a posting schedule for #Medium I actually want to start uploading articles to Medium again, especially since work is so slow and I need to find other ways to earn money.
  • Keep tabs on doctor’s appointments/pending appointments I have been doing surprisingly well at this despite not using a planner. I track all appointments on my phone, which I know isn’t a good idea but it’s what I’m using for now.
  • Read 10 pages of a personal development book each day Yes! I have stuck with this habit and am really enjoying it so far.

(っ◔◡◔)っ Want to buy me a coffee? Now you can! 👉 https://ko-fi.com/sereneluna

Health Goals:

  • Two 45-min workouts per day + upload progress on Twitter Yes! I have been exercising on a daily basis. It is exhausting and I might cut back on the 90min workouts or just aim for 10,000 steps/day since two 45-min workouts isn’t really sustainable long-term.
  • Limit drinks to water, tea, and coffee Yes! I have been really diligent about this. Also, I finally used up those Nuun tablets btw.
  • Track hydration on Water Llama app Yes! I have been doing this consistently and I’m happy with my progress so far. I seem to forget to track my water intake if I’m not sticking to a routine, so I need to remember this for next month.
  • Track steps on Pikmin Bloom app Yes! I use the app everyday and have finally moved up to Level 45 (insert blog post)
  • Healthy/clean eating 90% of the time Um, more like 80%. Even though I cut out take-out food and processed snacks, Tim Horton’s donuts, and all food from MCDs, I still eat Asian processed snacks which I know makes no sense. I really like the Pineapple tarts and White Rabbit Candy and Lucky Strawberry Candy, m’kay? My husband is Singaporean and buys the snacks, and then I eat the snacks.

(っ◔◡◔)っ ♥ FINAL THOUGHTS ♥

I know I am not perfect, nor am I trying to be perfect. I am doing my best. I am aware that I still have a sugar addiction that may be hindering my weight loss goals. I’ll know that I have reached my goals when my clothes fit comfortably again. This journey can be frustrating, so I am focusing on how I feel internally and making decisions based on that, rather than living by strict rules.

Sadly, my infinity hoop keeps breaking so I am afraid to use it now. Once the last remaining piece breaks, I can’t replace my hoop. I have decided to get a weighted hula hoop but not sure where to get one. My husband wants me to buy one from the store rather than purchase one from Amazon, but I can’t find one anywhere. So if anyone happens to know where I can get a weighted hula hoop or an adult-sized hula hoop that I can use for workouts, please let me know.

Finally, I am curious to know what your goals were for the month of February and whether or not you accomplished what you were hoping to. Feel free to let me know in the comments section below ↓ Also, I would really appreciate it if you followed me on Twitter (@serene_hilz), that is, if you aren’t already a follower. It is harder than ever to grow on that platform but I really do enjoy using it to connect with like-minded bloggers.

Thanks for stopping by! ♥

Less Talking, More Listening

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⭐Paradoxes are literally EVERYWHERE in life⭐

What is a paradox? A paradox is a statement that may seem absurd or contradictory but yet can be true, or at least makes sense.

pict--arrow-loop-sales-arrows---vector-stencils-library.png--diagram-flowchart-exampleFunny thing that I learned about the universe is that life is a paradox with many smaller paradoxes. The littlest, most mundane (and sometimes most annoying) things in life may actually be trying to subtly teach you something. If you are a believer in God, then he is truly a master in disguise.

So I have been #not-blessed with this sickness after recovering from conjunctivitis last week. Being sick with one thing after another is far from pleasant. Anyways, my awful sore throat decided that my body would play host to it last Thursday while I was just starting to recover form conjunctivitis. See my last post for the full story. Unfortunately, I have not had a restful sleep in several days and this sore throat has no plans to leave any time soon. After finding out that I have laryngitis AND tracheitis (like is this really a thing?), the doctor told not to talk for the next 2-3 weeks to avoid agitating my larynx which will prevent coughing fits and lead to easier breathing. Because this sickness is probably viral, no OTC meds are going to help me recover any faster no matter how hard I try. Lovely, eh? Knowing that I have little control over my sickness and my health it seems, and that I should just STFU to make everything better, I know this recovery won’t be easy. Talking is part of my job as a student and part of my existence on this planet. I guess what God is trying to teach me is that I will need to do some deep introspective thinking about my life and the people who I interact with which isn’t necessarily a bad thing.

pexels-photo-312839

Maybe its’s time to personally reflect on my own shortcomings to gain a deeper understanding of life | Photo sourced from https://www.pexels.com/photo/amazing-balance-blur-boulder-312839/

Ont thing that I am certain of in life is that everything happens for a reason or is somehow supposed to teach you lessons. So what is my lesson here? To become an active listener. Since I shouldn’t be talking, I will be forced to listen to others and think before I open my mouth.🤐

What lessons are you learning today? This month? Please join the conversation and leave a comment below↓

Thanks for stopping by!

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