2021 Masterlist (Life Plans, New Year’s Resolutions, Advice, Top 4 Goals, etc.)

Posted on by theageofthediary

Note: Some are from previous entries, namely My Life Plans As of Right Now (2012), I want a P50,000 monthly income (2013), Life Plans Progress Report (2014), My Life Plans as of Right Now (2015 version), Finally Realized My Top 3 Principles (2016), Rereading My Diary For Year End Insights (2016), My Life Plans as of Right Now (2016),Top 3 things I want to do in 2017, My Audacious Life Plans As Of Right Now (2017), My Life Plans as of Right Now (2018), 52 Week Money Challenge: (2018), New Year’s Resolutions (2018), Trying to stop buying too many books, I’m acting??? Anong balak ko sa buhay?, 2019 Masterlist (Life Plans, New Year’s Resolutions, Advice, Top 2 Goals, etc.), 2020 Masterlist (Life Plans, New Year’s Resolutions, Advice, Top 2 Goals, etc.)

Reflections About This Year and Past Lists:

I almost forgot about doing this, and I can’t believe another year is about to begin. Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and making these plans for my future is one of the things that I love about this time of the year.

I was able to organize my writing life a little. I threw out a lot of old stories that I wasn’t going to finish anymore, so I Marie Kondo-ed my writing life, leaving only the essential ones.

When I was younger, I wanted to be famous like the pop stars. Later on, I realized that something like that will be toxic, so I decided to revise it to “calibrated fame”, which means being famous in a certain community as I would like to be recognized for my skills and abilities. Now, I have erased that part. Yes, it would still be nice to be recognized for my skills and abilities, but recognition, validation, and fame are never the reason for why I do what I do. I love learning, writing, performance, music, and creativity, and I will continue to do it with or without validation from society. That’s kind of my new realization these days: a rejection of my need to be validated, especially for my writing skills.

2021 Goals:

For my writing life, maybe I should really get more serious about blogging. Seriously, I love my blog. This is the most meaningful writing outlet that I have ever had. Nothing is as fun as working on my blog. It’s more fun that getting published, or maybe it can even be a way to get published.

For school, decide on language exam for masters

For other activities, work on L.D.A. and B.O.S.

My financial challenge last year, which is to not buy any books, did not happen. I decided to put all 2020 bought books in a pile, then at the end of the year if I don’t feel like reading them, I would get rid of them or give them as gifts. I gave some of them as gifts and put a few in bags for donation or selling.

My financial challenge this year is to buy only second hand books and swap books with friends.

Top 4 goals for 2021:

  • Study Blogging
  • Continue B.O.S
  • Start L.D.A.
  • Decide on language for masters

Challenge for 2021:

  • Only buy second hand books

Life direction: the confluence of writing, performance, activism (especially feminism), education, and creativity

My definition of a good person: Someone who is brave and honest enough to do the right thing.

My definition of a good life: Lots of personal pursuits, responsible minimum amount of work, more purpose than obligation, able to independently financially sustain my life, necessary periods of fun and relaxation, full of love and deep relationships with friends and family.

My definition of a good job: A good working environment where I can learn a lot, is aligned with my principles, is able to financially sustain me, gives me the freedom to express myself, butts out of my personal life

Top 3 principles:

  • honesty
  • bravery
    • 2018 update: Bravery at your own pace and at your own specific level of contribution based on your readiness
  • freedom

Masterlist of Dreams as of the End of 2020:

  • Life Vision-Mission:
    • creative and intellectual job
    • to speak at conferences (from my 2017 life plan: inspirational TED talks, speaking gigs allow me to travel across the Philippines)
    • to be in a positive working environment
    • to do something related to Filipino culture
    • to do something related to feminism and anti-discrimination in general
    • to do something related to self-help
    • to do something related to comedy
    • to form genuine connections with others
    • to be confident enough to sing
    • to become a caring person
    • to become confident
    • to become brave
  • Income Generation
    • earn P50,000 a month
    • multiple income streams
    • investments and passive income
    • stand up gigs
    • improv gigs
    • teaching improv gigs
    • teaching gigs
    • selling at local bazaars (after the pandemic)
    • monetize this blog
    • organizing writing workshops, especially a feminist writing workshop
    • having my own shop (my products: crafty merchandise; books and zines I wrote about Philippine psychology, politics, personal essays; and politically-charged merchandise like t-shirts with feminist slogans and stuff)
  • Saving
    • Buy only second hand books for an entire year
    • Borrow books from the library (check out the online borrowing)
    • Swap books with people
    • go to book cafes (after the pandemic)
    • reread books I have
    • read my unread books
    • Spend less money on eating out
  • Journalism
    • I want to write about the new high school groups that are combatting sexual harassment in campuses
  • Creative Writing
    • Write fiction (in wattpad)
    • Write poetry
    • Write creative non-fiction
    • Write songs
    • Perform songs
    • Upload songs on YouTube
    • Make podcasts
    • Write stand up
    • Perform stand up
    • Upload stand up video podcasts
    • Write humorous pieces
    • Write political pieces
    • Write scripts
    • Make a play
    • Make a movie
    • Make zines
    • Organize my writing life
    • Organize the information from the things I read
    • Make a list of the stuff I’ve written
    • Submit more to publishers (submit 100 times a year)
    • Blog everyday
  • Relationships
    • Listen more, talk less
  • Health
    • Walk twice a day
    • Jump rope
    • Hula-hoop
    • Eat more vegan food
    • Cook more: Cook tomato soup
    • Do more outdoorsy stuff. (after the pandemic)
  • Learn
    • photography classes
    • improv
    • piano improv
    • musical improv
    • ballet
    • art classes
    • printmaking
    • jewelry making
    • sewing
  • Masters/ study
    • psychology
    • Journalism
    • Feminism
    • Comparative Literature
    • Improv
    • Political Science
    • Sociology
    • Leadership
    • Philosophy
    • Art Therapy
    • Happiness
    • Theater
    • Law/ Feminist Lawyer
  • Activism and charity
    • run an ACLU-ish organization for the Philippines
    • regularly donate to charity
    • Do something related to activism
    • Do something related to feminism
  • Fashion
    • DIY jewelry
    • Buy a sewing machine
    • Study sewing
    • Study jewelry making
  • Improv
    • feminist improv workshop
  • Singing/ Songwriting
    • Sing everyday
    • Listen to music everyday. Explore Spotify, YouTube, or listen to my favorite songs
    • Write more songs
    • Perform in open mics (after the pandemic, or if they allow video submissions)
    • upload recorded songs on this blog
  • Miscellaneous

2020 Accomplishments (Check out what I wrote in 2019):

  1. Performed in Ampalaya Monologues in Feb
  2. Taught a journal writing workshop (dealing with trauma, and documenting the historical through the personal)
  3. Taught improv workshops (for two feminist groups, for podcast session, for political female leaders Christmas party)
  4. My poem LOL was accepted in Gantala Press’ online event for IDEVAW
  5. Got training work
  6. Moderating online events at work
  7. Finished Yale Coursera course on Happiness
  8. Deleted some social media apps and accounts, lessening use of Facebook
  9. Finished first masteral class after finished prerequisites
  10. Finished zine and gave to friends
  11. Finished 1,000 words a day challenge for two weeks
  12. Finished SEAPoWriMo challenge
  13. Became part of a new group
  14. First podcast
  15. Became part of community care committee
  16. Decision to work with R.F.K
  17. Wrote important things

My Top 100 for 2020:

  1. Got paid P1080 for short story. This is the first time I got paid for a short story. I’ve only been previously paid for publishing a poem and I had a salary when I was an art reporter and I got paid for freelance work as an art reporter.
  2. Was able to get printed copies of my short story.
  3. We are safe from the ashfall
  4. Free yoga at the office before the pandemic
  5. Friend was so happy about the 2019 Christmas gift and Christmas card I have her in January 2020. I was kind of surprised, but it was nice that she was happy about it.
  6. Discovered Scrivener
  7. Eating at restaurant near work
  8. Running with classmates to our classroom
  9. Went to watch movie with friends
  10. Had fun reading Chinese folk tales for Asian Lit class
  11. Musical theater teacher praised my singing
  12. Was a documenter for feminist summit
  13. New whale earrings
  14. Titas care about me
  15. Learned about myself through the characters test from Coursera course on happiness
  16. Calm app
  17. Work at home is an option during this pandemic
  18. Set up my home office
  19. My cat and understanding him better
  20. Group chat with friends
  21. Poem exchange email thread
  22. Began my purple notebook for thoughts
  23. Checking in with Susan David podcast
  24. The Happiness Lab with Dr. Laurie Santos podcast
  25. Despite the pandemic, my family is healthy and safe
  26. Friend asked for advice about job
  27. Read Talking About Jane Austen in Baghdad
  28. Friend sent me a funny thing from a student publication
  29. New friends
  30. Disney diaries
  31. Read How to Break Up With Your Phone
  32. Read Ten Arguments for Deleting Your Social Media Accounts Right Now
  33. Not using gadgets before 8am and after 8pm or earlier
  34. Seeing the website
  35. Writing workshop for performance
  36. First Zoom e-numan with friends
  37. Writing workshop for script
  38. Started writing a script
  39. Cooking sushi bake
  40. Activities in the group
  41. Letters to survivors
  42. Art/photo workshop for survivors
  43. Activist event
  44. Friend said people still talk about my investigative article on art auctions
  45. UK Online conference on addressing Sexual Misconduct
  46. Got a cake from a friend
  47. Identified myself as a survivor in a social media campaign
  48. Online book discussion
  49. Online movie watching and discussion
  50. International feature for the group
  51. First community night
  52. Win for the group
  53. October online event
  54. Internal event of group, remembering last year
  55. Seeing the October campaign
  56. Seeing the November campaign
  57. Partnerships for the group
  58. First general assembly
  59. Group got into international network
  60. Group got leadership grant
  61. November online event
  62. Learned to sew letters
  63. New curtains
  64. Pink stationary organizer
  65. New alarm clocks
  66. First official partnership for an event for group
  67. Another article about the group
  68. Singing lessons
  69. Confronted people at an event
  70. Friends at art event
  71. Read Dance of Anger
  72. Read again Man’s Search for Meaning
  73. Shipped books
  74. Asked friend to buy me Steal Like an Artist
  75. Inspired by Knock Down the House on new respect for “stupid work”
  76. Talked to a survivor at an event
  77. People love our podcast
  78. Watched Queen’s Gambit
  79. Friend gave me The Vegetarian
  80. Sometimes I leave my phone when I go out
  81. Poet friends liked my poems on Instagram
  82. Friend said I was resilient and pretty
  83. Interesting meetings
  84. Friend said that it seems like I’ve moved on while my enemy is nagwawala pa rin in a corner
  85. Jump rope
  86. Hula-hoop
  87. Walking with mama
  88. Friend gave me a dish he cooked
  89. Many interesting online events
  90. There were people who liked my poems in SEAPoWriMo
  91. Mama liked my poem “LOL”
  92. Group liked my poem “LOL”
  93. Watched Fleabag
  94. Watched The Social Dilemma
  95. Learning about Taoism
  96. Friend noted my birthday
  97. I have friends who I work on projects I am passionate about
  98. Cat’s new collar
  99. New book ends
  100. Watching the Christmas lights

Top 4 Greatest Decisions I Made in 2020:

  1. Began project with R.F.K.
  2. Began B.O.S.
  3. Continue working on my masters even if it’s a pandemic
  4. Upcoming L.D.A.

Things I learned in 2020:

  1. I often suppress negative feelings. Acknowledging that I was upset about something helps me through that emotion.
  2. I often thing about what I should do or what I should feel. Instead, I’m going to try to ask myself: what do you want or what do you feel?
  3. It’s never over until it’s over
  4. Learning something new makes me happy
  5. “Stupid work” is something one should respect. There’s no such thing as “stupid work”. All kinds of work contribute to something important.
  6. I’m learning how to notice when I’m upset, recognize it, deem it as valid, express it, don’t judge it

Funny moments 2020:

  1. Friend said natawa siya sa mga anti-A posts ko
  2. Funny moment when I thought my teacher was going to perform a dance when she said she will “perform” but then she said “…my duty”, which turned out to be giving us ampao for Chinese New Year
  3. Made a fail joke involving Melanie Marquez and Vandolf

My 2020 Lists (put if accomplished the goal):

Not accomplished

  • Donated: 14 (goal: 24)
  • Times I performed: 1 (goal: 3)
  • Published / Workshops/ Accepted: 2 (goal: 3)
  • Books I bought: lots (goal: 0)
  • Submit: 33 (goal: 100)

Accomplished:

  • Songs I listened to: 82 (goal: 20)
  • Songs I’ve sung: 35 (goal: 20)
  • Artist Dates: 1 (no goal)
  • Books I read again: 12 (goal: 7)
  • Books I read: 28 (goal: 25)Happiness elective: 3 (goal: 2)
  • Compliment people: 19 (goal: 10)
  • Compliments I got: 38 (no goal)
  • Education: 13 (goal: 2)
  • Plays/movies/tv I watched: 61 (goal: 5)
  • Events (post pandemic were all online) I went to: 87 (goal: 10)
  • Work on my songs: 10 (goal: 10)
  • Crafts I made: 2 (goal: 7)
  • Achievements: 17 (goal: 2)

My 2021 Lists goals:

  • Donated: (goal: 12)
  • Times I performed: (goal: 1)
  • Artist Dates: (goal: 3)
  • Books I read again: (goal: 7)
  • Books I read: (goal: 25)
  • Published / Workshops/ Accepted: (goal: 1)
  • Happiness elective: (goal: 1)
  • Compliment people: (goal: 10)
  • Compliments I got: (no goal)
  • Education: (goal: 2)
  • Plays/movies/tv I watched: (goal: 5)
  • Events (post pandemic were all online) I went to: (goal: 8)
  • Books I bought: (goal: only second hand books)
  • Songs I listened to: (goal: 50)
  • Songs I’ve sung: (goal: 30)
  • Work on my songs: (goal: 10)
  • Submit: (goal: 100)
  • Crafts I made: (goal: 1)
  • Achievements: (goal: 3)

Facets of Who I Am:

  • Singer
  • Songwriter
  • Teacher
  • Journalist
  • Creative Non-fiction writer
  • Poet
  • Fiction writer
  • Improviser
  • Activist
  • Feminist
  • Visual artist
  • Humanist
  • Jewelry maker
  • Maker of recyclable art

Advice from My Blog and Diary:

Inspiring books:

Self-reflection and Habit Tools:

  • My Favorite Happiness Tracker
  • Facebook and YouTube Detox Week (Nov 2017)
  • Rereading My Diary For Year End Insights (2016)
  • For Two Hours a Day, I Think about the Future
  • Writing affirmations and recording blurts (I forgot where I got this from but I rread it in a book). Then turn blurts into affirmations. Pick what was the hardest affirmation and reflect why it was so hard to say to yourself.
  • Autopsy (from Necessary Endings by Henry Cloud)
    • What was good about it?/ What good can you make of it?
    • What did you learn?
    • What new skills have you attained?
    • What are the role models that you saw?
    • What new knowledge did you gain?
    • What are my strengths?
    • What should you eliminate?
    • Do you need to make amends?
    • What are the mistakes you have made?
    • What are the things you saw that you need to let go of?
    • What are the things you did that you need to let go of?
    • What were the things that were done to you that you need to let go of?
    • What are the weaknesses that you discovered that you did not know you had?
    • Eliminate the negative by: talk them out, cry, feel feelings, express feelings, forgive, let it all go, Ja: write it out

More Goals and Dreams:

Check out my other blog categories.

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Note: For some entries in this blog, a few names and details have been deliberately and willingly changed by the author. This is a personal decision made by the author for specific reasons known to her and is not an endorsement for censorship.

All the opinions expressed in this page and in this blog are my own and do not represent the official stances of the companies, institutions, and organizations that I am affiliated with. I am a person. I’m not just a manifestation of corporate interests. I have an identity that is separate from my company because even if human beings are paid for a service by corporations, human beings are not owned by corporations.