“Focusing on what you don’t do discounts all you’ve already done.” — Dory Noriega, aka my sister.
As much as I’d like to say I overestimated myself this month, I’ll settle for the truth: I’m learning. And if Jöön has given me nothing else, it’s given me the humility to admit I don’t know all that there is to know about me — but I want to.
It’s an out-of-body experience, really, to acknowledge my disappointment without letting it bury my progress. I feel like I’m starting to look at myself like a business. You know, I run the numbers, view this month’s goal and its outcome, realize the follow-through could have been better, and then make the decision to try again tomorrow. It’s this newfound attitude that makes me believe maturity not only exists, but it’s tangible; I can feel it, I can see it, I am it. I’m adulting y’all, and it feels good.
Now, why am I rambling on about this, you ask? Well, what I had hoped to be a rather fruitful month of reading turned out to be a standstill. My original goal of reading a minimum of 10 pages a day swiftly turned into 5, then 2, until quickly it turned into none.
And the problem wasn’t the book, because the book was good. So good, in fact, that I didn’t want to read anymore; I wanted the words on the page to marinate, to grow legs and walk among me. A chapter in the book I was reading became so pertinent to my life in real time that I couldn’t bring myself to continue reading until something in my life had changed.
And it did, but that’s a story for The Growth & Grind Report.
Of course, looking back now, I realize I could’ve just reread the same 10 pages each day instead of deciding to stop reading all together, but you know what they say, hindsight’s 20/20.
And that’s the beauty of it all. From this “failure,” I learned something new. I learned how to pivot. Now, if I want to take a pause in my reading, I know it’s not a literal pause, but a productive rewind. And just like that, I achieve a way to keep moving forward, even without knowing exactly where forward is.
It’s just as I’ve said before in Chapter One: Mei —
“This is mess, this is nonlinear, this is me.”
If I can’t embrace that, then what am I doing here? What is any of this for?
It’s for me, so here’s to showing up, running the numbers, acknowledging the outcome, and deciding to be better.
And next month will be better, so I need to stick around to tell the tale.
Let’s get into the reports.
The Reading & Rhythm Report
UNFINISHED: The 5 Levels of Leadership by John C. Maxwell
And the line that stopped me in my tracks:
“The bottom line is that an invitation to lead people is an invitation to make a difference. Good leadership changes individual lives. It forms teams. It builds organizations. It impacts communities. It has the potential to impact the world. But never forget that position is only the starting point.”
2. Greenlights by Matthew McConaughey. I did end up finishing his audiobook and I LOVED it. 10/10 would read again. McConaughey’s an amazing storyteller and is constantly leaving pieces of advice throughout the book, if not on every other page. I’ve come to find I really like autobiographies. It might actually be my favorite reading niche because a majority of them pay forward valuable life lessons and self-development is my bread and butter. So, don’t be surprised if I start adding more of them to my reading list, you have been warned.
Now, on to the bops.
Jöön’s Line-Up, Spotify style:
1. Gasoline & Matches by Cameron Whitcomb 2. MAGPIE by Khushi 3. Dance With You by Family and Friends 4. What You Know by Two Door Cinema Club 5. doing my best by Hazlett
Despite the shortcomings, I’m really proud of this month. I gained a better understanding of myself and for that, I am eternally grateful.
What are you walking away this month with?
That’s a wrap on The Reading & Rhythm Report, stick around for The Growth & Grind Report.
Truth be told, at the moment I’m at a loss for words. I don’t know how to begin this blog post because I genuinely don’t know what I want out of it. I know I want to be productive, but how can I tell when I’m actually being productive or if I’m just being busy?
What’s my why? What do I want? What is it that I’m looking for?
In asking these questions, I’ve compiled a list of the things I’d like to do with my time and ideally by the time Mei comes back around next year, I will have achieved at least… some of them.
And I know what you’re thinking, that just by using the word some implies I’m already playing it safe so that at the end of the day I can say at least I tried, but I mean, shouldn’t I try to be realistic? Or is that sentence alone setting me up for failure? I’ll admit, I’m afraid of daring to dream because on one hand, I know myself and how lazy I can be, but on the other, I know I have the potential and the will to experience life in a more deliberate way; plus, with 365 days a year, 24 hours per day, how could that possibly not be enough time to attempt all the things I’d like to see through? So I asked myself, what would Tomiee Cruise do?
And I guess there’s only one true way to handle this situation… tap into that reward system!
Insert a mischievous smirk.
“By completing this project, I’ll give myself permission to…” *Insert a celebratory dinner, or maybe something from my wish list (but it has to be useful, something I’ll actually use — something that represents me —and aid in one of my four target categories that I’m looking to enhance this year on the blog).
or
“If I see this through, I’ll reward myself with…”
*Insert a trip… to Italy* Ha! Bet you didn’t see that coming.
What, too childish? For what it’s worth, I promise to make the prizes both obtainable and well-earned. That said, I should probably compile a whole thought-out victory blueprint so on the off chance I actually do succeed in whatever it is I’m tackling, I’ll know exactly what comes next and how to celebrate. Take the trip to Italy, for instance. How long should I stay? When will I go? Once I touchdown, what will I do? I’ll need a whole itinerary mapped out—one that makes the journey feel just as intentional as the destination—because a victory that big deserves a celebration just as grand. Of course, at the end of the day, the goal itself is already worth the fight. I just need a little extra push to step beyond the comfort of complacency and into the version of myself I know I’m fully capable of becoming.
I mean it though about that trip to Italy; Eliseo, husband, are you listening? Of course, this reward would only be assigned to the most difficult, most unlikely task to ever be completed or kept up with. Can anyone guess what that task could possibly be?
Okay, pause. For the record, if you manage to get this answer right, it’s only because you truly know me and if so, I both hate you and love you. Because the truth isn’t pretty and I rarely finish what I start.
So, the answer to the question is… this blog.
This idea. This concept of a dream. This real-time account of growth and change. This untainted, untouched, unaltered version of myself I hope to emerge out from underneath the shadows.
It’s scary and the stakes are high. But if I manage to stay true to this blog and consistently post (at least 2x/week) for a YEAR – all while being intentional in all categories that make up this blog (weight, stimulation, productivity, and finance); i.e. the shopping ban, developing real saving habits, the cultivation of a better community that both nurtures and stimulates me, and the maintenance of healthier habits – including daily activity and mindful food choices .
The problem is there’s so much I want to do and despite me just starting out, I already feel so deeply behind. It’s hard for me to believe I’ll be able to manage getting all these things done, but I think that’s what makes using the reward system so endearing. Because at the end of it all, though I hope it won’t actually be the end, not only will I have improved my life in such a significant way, but I’ll get to celebrate by stepping outside of the country for the very first time!
Sounds Tomiee Cruise to me. Bup-bup-bup — Tomiee Cruise.
Tomiee Cruise.
So here they are: my hopes, my dreams, my aspirations.
Little things that would genuinely make me happy to do:
I want to dance again, and I especially want to learn the choreography to the scene in Better Man that absolutely EXPLODES to the song, Rock DJ. However, if I manage to get out at least once a month and strut my stuff, I’m sure that would suffice.
I want to score a position in the Supervisor in Training program (SIT) at my work. I feel like once I do that, opportunities will start coming at me every which way and I’ll finally get to be involved in the way we raise our next generation leaders.
I want to learn the ASL version of a song I really like — the song Feel, from Better Man. In case you haven’t guessed it already, I really, really like the movie Better Man.
I want to post consistently on this blog (say, 2-3 times a week), sharing insight into my shopping ban, my savings venture, my commitment to a more energized and mindful lifestyle, and my pursuit of a community that regularly stimulates and supports me. This is easily going to be the most challenging for me as I’ve mentioned before, but I truly believe it’ll serve to be the most beneficial.
I would like to be more intentional with the way I speak Spanish; I’m tired of learning it, I just want to speak it already, but I know there’s more work to be done on my end in order to live that reality, so here’s to hoping I can commit to practicing and studying more regularly.
I want to improve my vocals for the purpose of sharing my music. I can hear the voice of my soul telling me to get out more, but I’ve never been confident in my ability to sing. I know everyone has an audience and mine is out there, just waiting for me to get over this hurdle and step outside my comfort zone. So, I think I’d like to look into getting vocal lessons — just like the way Tom Cruise did for his film, Rock of Ages… Oh, Tommy. Swoon.
Then, I want to gather the courage to perform at a karaoke night, open mic night, or perhaps even a poetry night. And of course, if I like it, I would like to implement these events more regularly into my life (doesn’t have to be daily, maybe not even weekly, but oftenenough to where I can say, “Yeah! I do that.”). I want to be part of the scene.
I want to go on more hikes that include the green side of nature and at the same time, I’d like to practice the art of stillness. I want to acknowledge everything within arm’s reach and that takes time; I want to breathe in the air, feel its molecules enter my lungs and stare at the little details in the trees, the rocks, and the water. I want to just, be.
I want to travel more, and I’d like to find more opportunities to be independent because therein lies self-discovery and I’d like to make it a point to know who I am.
And lastly — for now — I want to run a half-marathon. I always pride myself on my stamina, but I’ve never ran for that long before. So, before this first year on the blog is up, I will.
Personal Check-In: What do YOU want? What would make YOU happy?
God knows I could keep going. In fact, something I’ve been struggling with this week is the balance between starting up the brain and turning it off; like I said earlier, I’m already overwhelmed with all the avenues and rabbit holes I’ve allowed myself to go down and fall into throughout the making of this blog. So much to do, but how to do it? What to tackle first and for how long. Should I set dates? How do I manage it all?
Questions I still don’t know all the answers to, but here’s how I’ve been starting.
Road Map to Productivity:
The Forest App: Focus for Productivity. An app that allows you to stay focused with a forest-growing take on the Pomodoro Technique (a practice of breaking work down into 25-minute intervals). This app keeps me off my phone and challenges me to remain consistent with my work.
Routine, and a Daily Tracker Checklist — A typical day for me now looks like this:
Wake up at 6 a.m. and prepare my son to go to school and I to the gym.
Gym, 30 minutes minimum. Some days, basketball, others running, perhaps one day a class, but on average, I tend to spend an hour participating in activity.
Home, shower, eat, breathe.
1-2 hours of intentional blogging, content creation, or reading
Work (≈6-8 hrs)
Home, shower, eat
Tuck my son into bed
1-2 hours of intentional activity: reading, blogging, content creation
Bed by 10 p.m.
This routine has been essential for me as I take a major step back from being overly consumed by television. However, here are some tactics I will be utilizing going forward, along with the strategies I’ve been implementing so far.
1. Use the “Core Four” Method(Body, Mind, Heart, Pocket) I’ll ask myself things like:
What can I do today that supports my health (Body)? What will challenge or stimulate my thoughts (Mind)? How can I build stronger relationships (Heart)? What helps me secure my future (Pocket)?
2. Create Non-Negotiables
Choose 1 thing per category each week to commit to doing no matter what. Everything else is flexible.
For example:
Body
Go to the gym 5x/week minimum
Mind
Read 10-20 pages of a book daily
Heart
Call one friend or go to a social event
Pocket
Continue shopping ban
Everything else I do in those areas can be flexible or spontaneous, but those four actions will act as my anchors — keeping me grounded and steadily moving forward in the right direction.
3. Track What Moves Me Forward
If it’s not leading toward my growth, aka the list of aspirations I composed earlier in this post, I need to ask myself why it’s on my plate. This will keep me accountable and ensure I’m being productive and not just ‘busy’.
So that’s where I’m starting. Not with perfection, but with purpose. This blog isn’t just a place for me to track my progress — it’s a safe space where I’ll get to process all the avenues embedded in my mind, to push myself, and to play. I’m not expecting every goal to be met right away, but I am committing to showing up, documenting the growth, the grind, and everything else in-between. If you’re reading this, maybe you’re on a similar journey — or maybe you’re just curious. Either way, thanks for being here.
Here’s to showing up, starting messy, and seeing it through. — B.
When I was younger, I used to look forward to the end of the year – and don’t get me wrong, I still do, but growing up, I used to love receiving these cards in the mail from family members that essentially rounded up the highlights of their year all in one sitting.
I used to read those cards with so much thrill and excitement. It was the thought of putting together all of our greatest achievements over an extended period of time that made me feel like people were truly acknowledging the year and what it had done for us and that to me, was so cool. I didn’t know it then, but that is what we call highlights.
I’ve always loved time, loved it because of what it meant for us. Time gifts us opportunities and experience, growth and change, mental shifts and maturity; I mean, time is the embodiment of the phrase, the world is your oyster… though, not quite sure what that means, just felt right to say – what does an oyster have to do with this anyway?
OH, okay. So, I just checked, and it turns out the world represents an oyster because oysters have pearls, and the pearls represent our greatest potential, so it’s up to us to go out into the world and find our “pearl,” aka our greatest potential. Seems easy enough. Hey, don’t judge. At least I knew how to use it. And just like that, time made me 1% smarter. I wasn’t that smart yesterday. Now, I’m smarter. Ha.
Anyway, I digress.
Those cards don’t come in the mail much anymore but that’s something I’ve always found myself wanting to do. However, wanting to do it and actually doing it are two completely different things; something I hope to change in the coming months.
In fact, that’s actually what brings me here today.
Welcome to what I’m going to call, The Curated Drop, featuring two main categories: The Reading & Rhythm Report, as well as The Growth & Grind Report, the blog post to follow.
The Reading & Rhythm Report will be my cozy monthly round-up where I’ll share the books I’ve finished and the soundtrack that scored my days — whether or not the playlist was directly tied to the reading.
The Growth & Grind Report will recap any victories or milestones I achieved over the course of the month that directly impacts my mission to better myself and my environment (specifically in these areas: weight, productivity, stimulation, and finances). It will also provide sources of encouragement to potentially push YOU to be better, as well as any goals I have set for the month that follows.
It’s the end of Mei, and I’m only just getting started. There’s so much to do and fill you in on but before the month is out, let us dive into this Curated Drop.
Not me trying to be a written youtuber over here – is it working, though?
The Reading & Rhythm Report
the year of less by Cait Flanders Summary: Flanders goes on a shopping ban, minimizes her belongings, and works through her life-challenges in real-time, sober. 3 star – I liked that this book was under 200 pages. I haven’t read a book in I don’t know how long and anything over this amount would have been too daunting for me to the extent that I don’t believe I would have finished it. I liked that the book cover had an abundance of color and that the title was under cased, as well as the fact that the synopsis centered around minimalism – something I gravitate towards and would like to embody someday. Flanders writing flowed with each passing page, and I especially give her kudos for being so raw. She offered, in my opinion, a few gems that I will take away and even continue to ask myself as I pursue my own form of declutter.
Top Lines “I had to let go of the stuff I wanted the ideal version of myself to use and accept myself for who I really was.” “I… asked myself a question I never considered the answer to before: Who are you buying this for: the person you are, or the person you want to be?”
I rated this book 3 stars because I liked three things about it: the way she structures her shopping ban, the flow of the work and her rawness, and the fact that she had a Your Guide to Less inside, allowing her readers to try it on for size, something I actually intend on doing.
This was the only book I read this month.
Now, onto the bops.
I’m a slow-tuned girlie here, ngl. I listen to a lot of lo-fi artists like Bon Iver, Novo Amor, and Hazlett; though you can also find me dancing to the bops of Chappell Roan, The Chainsmokers, and of course the one and only, Andy Grammer. However, you won’t find many of them on this month’s lineup.
Drop your favorites, and if you listened to any of mine, let me know what you thought!
Otherwise, big shout out to Mei. Although we butted heads at first, you proved to be a rather motivational month for me, and I look forward to seeing these hovering effects on my life a year from now.
Up next on the chopping board, The Growth & Grind Report
The Processing Mind 