1-1-1: hard truths to swallow
read about what prioritization really means and how I juggle it all.
january, 2023
edition 02.
hi all, I am exhausted.
I wish I had something more fun to add here but truthfully, the pressure of the job search has taken so much out of me.
that’s why this newsletter is about hard things I’ve had to learn. things I’ve had to let go of. and things I’ve had to contemplate recently. if you’re in the same boat, I hope you know you’re not alone. much love x
you can expect one email from me every two weeks containing:
one quote that has been inspiring me
one journal prompt
one piece of advice*
* = if you want to submit a question for my upcoming emails, you can find the form here.
announcements
you heard that right! my podcast, solidarity on the bench, just dropped. listen to the first episode here on spotify and apple podcasts.
one quote
“destroy the idea that you have to be constantly working or grinding in order to be successful. embrace the concept that rest, recovery, and reflection are essential parts of the progress towards a successful and happy life.”
— unknown
one journal prompt
what do I need more of in my life?
one piece of advice
“How do you juggle social media, exercise, school & friends all at the same time?”
let me distill what I’ve learned into one phrase: your priorities matter.
we have all heard the phrase “albert einstein had 24 hours in a day and look at what he did with it! if he can do it, so can you!” in my opinion, it’s toxic motivation. however, the one takeaway I have from the quote is this: what is your priority?
for me, I’d order my priorities as this:
my mental health (which includes exercise, as that is a huge stress reliever/coping mechanism)
academics + friendships (same level of priority)
social media/content creation/etc
if given a choice, I will always put my mental health in front of school or friendships — I have an obligation to myself first. (and no, that is not selfish. read that again. putting your wellbeing first is not selfish. don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.)
my mental health, and therefore the gym, being the top priority in my life allows me to wake up early and dedicate those 1-2 hours every other day to exercise.
other ways I am able to incorporate balance into my life: I treat school like a 9-5 in that I don’t start working until I’ve completed my morning routine* and I stop working right before dinner (unless it’s a study group or a last-minute assignment I HAVE to get done). I reserve those times before and after “work” as my me-time — the mornings are for the gym, a long shower, and catching up with friends over breakfast; the nights are for reading, journaling, and recharging my social battery.
*- I’ve intentionally scheduled my classes in the late morning/early afternoon!
finally, social media fits into all of this. I take pictures of my everyday life, I upload new posts when I wake up, and I try to find chunks of time to reply to comments/DMs/emails/etc. I also record my podcasts and write my how to posts at night!
by using my time at night for ‘me time’ (i.e. working on my creative projects and self care), I rarely hang out with friends at night. this is a sacrifice I find to be worth it. not only does it recharge my social battery, it allows me to concentrate on things that really matter to me.
balance isn’t giving everything in your life an equal amount of attention, it’s giving everything the appropriate amount of attention based on your priorities.
so ultimately this is the takeaway:
you can’t do it all, all the time. you have to figure out what your priorities are and allocate time in your week to spend on those things.
until we meet again,
katie