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October has arrived in California, marked by gloomy mornings, cool evenings, and the darkened petals of my favorite tree outside our bedroom window. It’s unmistakable, the turn of the season. Within my own body, I feel an inward shift of my mental state, as I start to yearn for the smell of comfort foods, the soft glow of reading lamps, and the softness of cozy rugs and blanket forts.
There is still a bit of left-over unrest from the summer days – pent-up energy that is manifesting as anxiety. Anxiety worth sharing, in case you feel it too – over the upcoming resumption of student loans, over the holiday season around the bend, over the general lack of progress or feeling of stagnation now that we’ve finished our international travels for the year… I chalk the blend of emotions up to the changing of seasons.
I have noticed that my goals this month are extremely ambitious, with a number of productive goals intertwined with tasks to keep me creative, learning, and relaxing too. Sometimes, it can all seem a bit much, but I do tend to shoot for the stars, so that even if I fall short, I’ll still be somewhere up there. I know that it’s dangerous to pen so many expectations, but if I don’t, I wouldn’t necessarily feel like myself. I recognize that I fall to the cadence of cycles, with periods of lull and burnout, but I’ve come to accept my ways rather than resist of be ashamed of the roller coaster ride I call life.
Here is what I’ve got to look forward to in October.
Ways to Improve the Blog
- Apply to 20 affiliates.
- Publish 20 blog posts.
- Make 50 Pinterest posts.
- Add excerpts for past posts.
- Internally link related posts.
- Reach out to 10 collaborations and secure a few partnerships.
- Review Making Sense of Affiliate Marketing (my favorite course).
Ways to Improve My Finances
- Start to prepare for the Student Loan Repayment resuming in February.
- Use my Fold card to stash away bitcoin.
- Use my favorite frugal tactics in my Mastering a Budget Course.
- Make more money through side hustles.
Ways to Continue Learning
- Finish reading two books.
- Listen to 10 podcasts about bitcoin and finance.
- Complete 5 SEO courses on Skillshare.
- Complete 5 Continuing Education Courses in Dentistry.
Ways to Have Fun and Relax
- Commit to one digital sabbath a week.
- Limit social media time to 30 minutes a day.
- Practice turning off my phone wholly, whenever possible.
- Enjoy our two trips this month – to Arizona and Norcal.
- Bake a new recipe each week (four total) including participating in the PIEOMETRY challenge in our Bake Club.
- Be more connected with Mikey by listening to the same podcasts, reading the same books, and learning new hobbies.
- Time block relaxing activities every single day.
Ways to Stay Healthy
- Exercise 5 days a week.
- Less dairy, less processed foods.
- Get 8 hours of sleep a night.
This photograph was taken by the amazing Chadwick Gantes! The scrubs are from Figs, and the shoes are from Clove.
