La Vida Bohème Reflections: 2021

Goals

This is not a comprehensive list - just a select few I chose for the purpose of this site.

Ongoing life-long journey to improve myself, practice self respect, and seek freedom from things that don't build me 🌻👣
I work on this one everyday. One thing that has helped is "Brave, Not Perfect."
Learn to code 👩🏻‍💻
Yas! I am learning. Did a three-month Python and SQL course earlier this year, am re-building the CMS pricing dashboard on the side, and now I know HTML, CSS, and Java Script basics. And the best part is that I find it très divertissement!
Books > 20 📚
Yep - I am always reading. But an evolution of this goal next year is to write more about the things I read. I want to be more intentional in applying what I learn.
Get a promotion and renegotiate salary -- know what you're worth 🤓💪
I did it! Got two promotions this year and renegotiated my salary. Talk about being your best advocate and empowering yourself. Also, I love to lead, and have committed a lot of hours this year to become a better leader.
Make $1 from something outside your day job💡✨
Check! Building a website for a friend. I got the downpayment in 2021 and will then deliver the website in 2022.
Improve debating & public speaking skills 🗣️🎶
I didn't enroll in an official course, but with my new role at work, I am constantly leading meetings and presenting. I don't feel anxious like I used to (though I still pace and go on long walks to mentally prepare...but that's okay)...I am enjoying the spotlight and love influencing where I want conversations to go.
Don't trap yourself within static definitions. Stay fluid 💦🏃🏻
Working on this one every day. Watching my thoughts more and being more intentional with what I choose to think about. This is water (cue DFW).
Make it a habit to create. Build. Innovate. Write. Find little and big ways to develop infrastructure, to bring color to the world, to tickle both sides of your brain 🎨
Finished a couple projects this year and have several up my sleeve for 2022.

A Couple Lessons

In the words of Kierkegaard: "Life can only be understood backwards; but it must be lived forwards."

Life shrinks or expands in proportion to your courage. (Inspired by Anaïs Nin)
All benefits in life come from compounded interest. Invest for the longterm - in people, skills, experiences, yourself.
Love is a risk. Do it anyway.
Being a leader means managing your own psychology.
Do you want to know what's sexy? Smart is sexy. Grit and strength of character is sexy. Sentimental and kind is beautiful. Crurious, creative, courageous and vulnerable drive me wild. Self-built individuals with a strong moral compass - now that gives me awe. Seduce the mind.
The point is, to live everything. Live the questions now. Perhaps then, someday far in the future, you will gradually, without even noticing, live your way into the answer. (Inspired by Rilke)
If you can't inspire trust, you can't inspire progress.
The closer you want to be to me, the better your values need to be. (Inspired by Naval)
I need a life that's fluid, with porous borders. Grounded, strong friendships and relationships that know no limits in depth, but I need to be able to move and engage deeply with novel things. It's when I feel most alive.
Those not willing to stay when things get hard are not worth your investment for life will always give you struggles. Those who you need to constantly reach out to first are not worth your time - let them go. As The Killers sing - you got soul, but you're not a soldier. No need to fight for people who don't see your value, it's okay to let them go.
I'll need coffee shops, bookstores, planes, and puzzles, but above all, I'll need people. Build your family of friends and kin. Invest in people.
You have no limit. Always do what you're afraid to do.
Live, create and shed your skin. You are meant to restart, to re-do, to re-envision and re-evaluate. Build new hobbies, learn new skills, meet new souls.
And those who were dancing were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music. (Inspired by Nietzsche)
Anybody can play. The note is only 20 percent. The attitude of the motherfucker who plays it is 80 percent. (Inspired by Miles Davis)