How January went?

January was very stressful and full of anxiety and just people who made me feel so bad and caused me loads of anxiety. I even cried a few times because I was so disturbed about their actions and words. Like in a good month I would have not taken it so hard but because I was already so stressed and in a bad place. So that was just the last drop, that broke the camels back, so to say.

I am now also going to a psychologist who is helping me to get a grip on life again. Sometimes you just need someone to talk to who is non-judgemental and doesnt know you and can give her opinion and put things in perspective for you.

For a while I just felt that everything is going badly and everything is just grumbling and couldn’t get a handle of things. But now I feel better, things are moving and also i have taken so of the pressure of off me. I do not have do everything and I dont have to overstressed and overworked myself.

So I want to write a bit about my resolutions for 2018. Lets start it with the positive things. I have been running or exercising at least 3 times a week for the last 5 weeks and I am so proud that I have managed it even in this a bit extreme weather with small snowstorms and ice on the road. It is not bad weather it is bad equipment and laziness.

I have also been learning German, I did not accomplish all my January goals but I did most of them and I am really trying and some days the only things I have done that are productive are running and doing Duolingue. New semester starts in a week and then I will have German lesson twice a week, so it will be easier to learn as I have to go to the lessons and can’t procrastinate until late in the night.

I did a nice facemask today, what I got for “free” because I spent like 15 euros fo some skin care products. I did that Shea butter sheetmask, i have never done sheetmasks before, it was interesting and I really liked it. I do now have a skincare routine that i actually keep but it still can improve a lot, because my skin is quite awful as I have some acne and big pores and some acne scars and really it is not smooth or nice. So I really should improve and experiment some products that might work, but that costs money so we will see.

2017 in 10 questions

1. What makes 2017 year unforgettable?

I was an exchange student in Prague for a term and I think it showed me that, yes I can do this, yes I can thrive in a totally new situation in a place I dont even speak the language. I do find it funny that in a University, that has so many foreign student so few dormitory people actually speak English. But I managed with google translate, with asking help from radome local students and just making myself clear with acting or just pointing at things. I had a few really hard weeks, when I was sick and figuring out the healthcare system and then waiting for hours, so they could find me a doctor who speaks English was well frustrating but in the end I was successful. I finished all my courses, I travelled quite a lot, of course I had planned more traveling but well I think I did good. Now I just have to remember that I CAN.

2. What did you enjoy doing in 2017 year?

I really loved traveling and also just being in a different place and just the whole variety and just all the new things. I just enjoyed being i new places, having new experiences and most of the time I loved the new people (although at one point it just tires you out the meet new people and just answering and asking the same questions)

3. What/who is the one thing/person you’re grateful for?

I am grateful for Skype and my mom. I am so happy that we have the ability to just communicate with people so easily and cheaply. Also I need to thank my mom who just listed to all my breakdowns and just all my wining when thing were hard and just saying that I can do things.

4. What’s your biggest win this year?

My biggest win is that I did not give up when things got hard. I stuck to my guns and i succeeded and I am just proud of myself. I finished the beginners course of German, this is the first language course ( that is not mandatory for my masters) that I started and actually finished.

5. What did you read/watch/listen to that made the most impact this year?

I read a lot of financial books and after that I actually started investing my money. It is still slow going but the start is probably the hardest. I hope to learn a lot more and maybe actually read books not just blogs about investing and money managment.

6. What did you worry about most and how did it turn out?

I worried about my health a lot of this year, mostly because as I was in a foreign country and that added a lot of stress and I was a lot more anxious about my health, and possibly not getting help or them not understanding what I wrong when something happens.. But in the end everything was okey and I am grateful for that.

7. What was your biggest regret and why?

I regret that I did so little considering my master thesis this summer and autumn although I had the time… I just had more excuses, some more valid than other. Like the fact that my adviser was in USA for 2 months and I had zero contact with him. And well… me being lazy and just saying that well… I still I have time.

8. What’s one thing that you changed about yourself?

I tried to stop communications with people who I can see want to spend time with me a lot less than I do with them. Even when they are a friend of mine since 3th grade. I do not have to make all the plans and I do not have to be the only one to ask about how is she doing and whan we can meet up. I am not perfect but I have made some progress.

9. What surprised you the most this year?

That one of my friend is pregnant I find it out a few days ago from Instagramm and She is like probably at least 7 month along. That really was surprising for many reasons.

I think I got a lot more conscious that there a lot of people who just do things that benefit themselves. And a lot of people suprised me in that regard in a negative way, also people who I previously looked ut to.

10. If you could go back to last January 1, what suggestions would you give your past self?

Worry less. If I had worried less, I would have been less anxious and then I Would not have gotten panic attacks.

Source of the questions: https://nosidebar.com/intentionally/

2018- year of self exploration

I love new years resolutions and have made a long list of resolutions for at least the past 7 years. I make smart goals that I know I can accomplish if I put the work into them.  My goals are mostly  SMART (Specific Measurable Achievable Relevant Time bound). And usually I accomplish at least 80% of those, because I make plans and I take actions. Nothing just comes to you, you have to work for it.

I have a few resolutions that I also want to keep track of here.

1. Have one meat-free day a week

I will probably never be a vegetarian and I don’t want to be, but I want to have one meat free day in a week. There main reasons are the fact that I eat way too much meat, it is like I cant imagine a dinner without it and I want to change that. Second I want to lessen my ecological footprint and thirdly I want to get some variety in my food. I feel that I constantly make the same foods, because it is comfortable and easy. I want to push myself out of my comfort zone and try new flavours and textures.

2. Learn about investing and invest 1000 euros

3. Run 3 times a week

I make this resolution every year and some years a more successful than other but running is still my favourite form of exercising.

4. Learn German, abtain level B1 (Intermediate 1)

I took one German beginners course this term and will take another next term. Also I am using Duolingo and a few other learning sites for German. When I have finished with German I want to start relearning Russian (not really waiting for that).

5. Visit 5 new countries.

I have already made a plans to visit Ukraine this year. I ahve no other concrete plans.

6. Go tho the hairdresser 3 times and to a cosmetic 8 times.

I am notoriously bad at going to a haridresses, last year I went just once and the year before I did not go at all. I am really low maintenance with my hair. I need a style that I can just brush once in the morning and then I can just go out . I want to go to the cosmetics because my skin is very problematic and I would like it to be better so I dont have to put on makeup every time I go out.

7.No hangovers ( also one alcohol free month)

I ma a student and I should drink less. also I should not drink so much that I have a hangover the next day. I need to find my sweet spot:Good mood for the evening but not on the expense of tomorrow.

I have my resolutions  and also every month I have monthly goals, sometimes they are connected to my resolutions and sometimes not. I think that having both works best for me, so I dont forget my resolutions but can also set smaller goals just for the month.

I do actually ahve more, but these are just the ones I want to talk about in my blog and are not too personal :).