Achieving Your Goals (A Look Back to the Best of 2015)

"My favourite thing is to go where I've never been." – Diane Arbus

As we grow older, we want our lives to lead in a certain kind of way sufficing our wants and needs. We wanted to improve. We all wanted to gain (money.. experience... memories..) And so my friend has convinced me to jot down 100 specific dreams or goals last year. Should be easy, right? That's until I realised it isn't. I only came up with 52. And out of 52, only nine came into fruition. I think it is not so bad knowing how I don't really keep track of the things that I wrote on it, until I was just reminded to check my old stuff and saw the old notebook and read its content It may not have happened exactly how I wrote it back then (I cannot even remember writing some of it) but the fact that some of it really became a reality and went even better than how I would have wanted it to happen is something to be grateful for. God is just so good and He always provides the best.

Here I am to share the nine.

1. Find a new job before June ends.

2015 is a year of transition and adjustments. Sometimes even when we enjoy what we do professionally, there will come a time that it will all feel either too much or stagnant as heck. Also, when it is not being in line to the career path that we wanted to pursue. Not that staying would have been a bad choice because the stay is really great, but leaving felt like the right choice. And so I did leave my work for two years to pursue greater things (the Canadian application) and learnings (new company of the same field as we wait for the results). I was a proper bum for three straight months. It was the most laidback that I have been since I started working back in 2012. I feel so well-rested and the fire to learn is back and burning. I've never felt so refreshed.

2. Pass the IELTS and be able to submit all the needed requirements for Canada within July.

I did pass the IELTS (with an average score of 7.0, with 9 being the highest score one can get) but the application is still pending due to other requirements. Still it's a good start, right?

3. Write on a magazine/book.

I used to write on a friend's magazine but it doesn't feel quite "real", if you know what I mean, so I quitted. But I feel like being limited artistically and that I could not help but compare the quality to the local magazines that we have and felt like doing more. It was a great opportunity and I am forever grateful for the chance to be a part of her publication, though.

The opportunity to write came late last year and I am really overwhelmed. One, with a compilation book project that I am not sure if it is going to be released this year and the other, upon winning a free pass to an annual rock music festival, was given a chance to get published on the country's leading broadsheet (Philippine Daily Inquirer)'s website.

4. Buy a new phone.

It was just an LG Magna because I am not really a tech person and I am cool with anything for as long as I can call/text my family and friends with it. Communication is the cellphone's major purpose, for me at least, after all.

5. Pray as much as I can.

6. Read the Bible everyday.

7. Attend as much of eucharistic masses/celebrations as I can.

We've all been so busy at some point that we don't get to do these things even when it is very basic for a woman of Christ to actually do. The whole "bum life" / break from work has anchored me back and has put things into perspective and somehow, I have been closer to Him in all sense. It's something that I have been working on for quite some time (even before this 100 things project) and it is nice to find some progress in it.

8. Meet Joey Thunder / Andy Skib in person and tell him/them that they are awesome.

No Andy Skib for me yet but JOEY FREAKING THUNDER. Remember the said festival where I won free tickets? Little did I  know that he will be playing for one of the bands in there and I actually get to meet him. One of the highlights of 2015, really. It's just that I never would have expected that I would get the chance after The Cab (the band he is originally in) has low-key disbanded. But the universe has other better plans for us, apparently. Thank God.

9. Visit a cat cafe.

OH yes I did. It was also great to have been there and played with these cute felines with some of my best-est friends.

2016, I do not know what you are to offer and as usual I am not keeping track of the things that I wrote in the notebook but I am pretty optimistic. What's life without a few twists and turns and surprises, right? Time to fill up the remaining pages.

April x