Happy June everyone!
It’s so exciting (and weird) to be in June! We were just in January what feels like a couple weeks ago, but here we are, nearly halfway through the year. I’m glad you’ve made it this far, and I can’t wait to see where we go next.
It has been a quick minute since I last wrote a Monday Musings post, and because of that, I feel as though my head is SPINNNING with all the updates I have and things I need to think through via writing.
It’s Summer!
Last night was a full moon, and I saw a post reminding people to set their summer intentions, and it reminded me that I need to make my summer goal list. I’ve made summer goals on and off in past years. To me, June (and summer in general), feels like a perfect time for growth. As a student and now as a teacher, summer is a time where I have what feels like unlimited free time; I don’t want to waste it. I want to use as much of my time to continue being the best Briana I can be and hopefully help take the load off busy Briana of the other months.
This is not my exhaustive goal list but since I’m jotting and I love making my goals, I’ll give myself a chance to indulge.
2023 Summer Goals
- Learn to swim
- Improve my video quality
- Make a project on After Effects
- Reacquaint myself with Final Cut
- Go on a fun trip (Train trip? Thailand? Elsewhere?)
- Make and finish a summer reading list
- Edit and FINALLY POST ALL my video archives
- Practice Chinese everyday
Whew, that was fun. I need to refine and make my actual list, but I’m going to give myself a nice evening or afternoon to get that taken care of.
Job Updates
When I last left you, I believe i mentioned issues with staying at my current job. I was feeling pretty hopeless after dealing with less than helpful recuriters, but now a couple weeks later. Last week, I taught two demo classes. One of them, a history lesson, I think went really well. The other, a drama lesson, I had a lot of fun teaching, but the experience as a whole was not my best. Still, things are looking up. Moves seem to be being made, and I am 75% sure I’ll get to stick around Shenzhen next year.
Morning Routine
I have been “trying” to establish a morning routine for YEARS, and this past week has been a really nice glimpse of what it could look like to give myself my time. I’ve had to wake up earlier (5:33-5:45am range), but I’ve noticed a diffference in my day, and I can’t complain. I’m hoping and praying I can keep it up.
YouTube
Check out my newest videos on YouTube. I made one about my Twelve Hour Layover in Manila as well as one about the first part of my trip to Thailand for 五一。I’m not to the consistency level on YouTube yet that I’d like to be at, but I’m returning to hosting lives and posting more frequently. I feel as though I’m on the right track.
Writing
Speaking of writing, I’ve written quite a bit here already, so I’m going to call it done soon, but I’ve been thinking about my writing life and habits. I know that I enjoy writing. Sitting here typing out these thoughts and things is really enjoyable for me, but somehow, I can’t get that to translate into a proper habit. There’s such a huge hurdle for me to just sit down and start writing. I know it comes from fear of writing something bad, but it’s not like I have to show anyone anything at all, so that doesn’t feel like a valid reason. I’m hoping to find ways to keep me moving forward.
Currently
Reading: Siddhartha (PLEASE I need to finish but I just haven’t picked up in weeks), Quietly Hostile (an ARC that’s lots of fun), The Art of Gathering (which is about to be on hiatus because the book got returned to the library), and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow (reading for a book club, and I keep hearing amazing things, but tbh it’s not really pulling me in at all)
Thinking about: Summer goals, my future, how to make an intentional hang out
Listening to: Nothing really. My “Top Songs of 2022” playlist on Spotify has been on repeat.
Anywho that’s it for me for now
Love ya!
Briana