Micro-Victories: January In Retrospect

January was a roller-coaster of a month, which began with extreme optimism and spiraled down into mild disappointment. However, the theme of the month turned out to be micro-victories. In spite of a pervasive and crushing sense of worry and my hapless grasping for control, I did make some progress.

Self-Growth Wins

• Maintained a daily journal.
• Listen to podcasts while driving and cooking, so I’m able to learn while doing other things.
• Posted 8 blog posts on this little corner of the internet.

Health & Well-being Wins

• Completed a five mile hike. Though I pushed myself too hard and am still paying for it two weeks later, it felt like such an incredible victory and I don’t regret it one bit.
• Attended a beautiful yoga class, led by an older woman named Nyla who offered the perfect alignment cuing and reminders to breathe. It drives me nuts when people call yoga classes “delicious,” but that’s exactly what this was for my body–the sweet spot between effort and ease.
• Spent 90 minutes chatting with an Integrative Physician, as she asked about my health history and goals.
• Started following the Anti-Inflammatory diet and incorporated several high-quality supplements into my diet (multi-vitamin, fish oil, and evening primrose oil)
• Completed endocrine, micro-biome testing, and micro-nutrient testing.

Career & Purpose Wins

• Hit the two-month mark in my new job and feel like I’m finding my groove.
• My boss is impressed with my work performance and has put a lot on my plate as an opportunity for me to prove myself and boost my salary.
• Attended an MBA information session, though the jury is still out on whether it’s really worth the $70,000 and 24-month investment.

Home & Environment

• Bought a under-bed wrapping paper storage contain, which has changed my life.
• Accidentally stained the kitchen counter with turmeric, which makes me chuckle every time I see it.

Spirituality & Life Purpose

• Have begun each morning with a grounding meditation.
• Have paid extra close attention to things in nature–the flight patterns of geese, the fluttering of aspen leaves, the colorful sunset, or the distant lightning–as a reminder of my smallness in the grand scheme of things.
• Set my goals and dreams for 2019.

Financial Wins

• My net worth increased by $3,346 in January due to decent performances from my IRA accounts (and despite significantly reduced income). Score!
  
• I moved $10,000 in emergency savings from a money market account where it was earning 0.025% to a high-yield savings account where it will earn 2.2% annually.
• My boyfriend and I have been putting any $5 bills we acquire into a jar, and we (well, mostly he) have already accumulated $180.

Social Wins

• I ran into an old friend I haven’t talked to in over a year, so we’re planning to meet up to catch up soon.
• I attended my work’s holiday party and got to know a few coworkers better.
• I attended a meetup group where we discussed the long-term effects of childhood trauma, as well as the action needed to protect children from adversity during the early years.