Revisiting my Personal Statement

I made a new routine of reading the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People at the end of the year and the start of new year to instill some structure in my chaotic world. Last year, I wrote my nine-point personal statement, so now, I reviewed it based on how I lived my life in 2024. 

Commitment	Success	Needs Improvement	Remarks
Downsize & Upgrade	😁		I didn’t buy a lot of clothes or material possessions in 2024. I focused on purchasing timeless items and avoided fast fashion.
Reward my present self as much as I reward my future self	😁		Exercised regularly and reduced alcohol consumption. My diet still needs attention.
Manage my time well		🙂	Still needs to work on my daydreaming
Stay humble, curious		🙂	I’ve embraced humility well, but curiosity needs to be nurtured further.
Listen emphatically	😁		People noticed this change, and it positively impacted my relationships. My romantic connection also flourished.
Perform all of my duties with consistency and honesty		🙂	I need to further qualify good work by focusing on creativity and efficiency.
Be brave enough to make mistakes in the spirit of learning		🙂	Still scared to look like a moron and fail
Form, nurture, and mend valuable relationships through trust and respect	😁		Active listening has helped people trust me more, and I’ve built better relationships, including a renewed connection with my mom.
Kindly let go of the relationships which are harmful to the self		🙂	This is a work-in-progress. But at least all of my relationships have been enriching.

Reflections on the Past Year

Out of my nine commitments, I successfully delivered on four, while the remaining five needed more calibration. I’ve realized that while my personal statement serves as a good day-to-day guide, it lacks a clear vision of the kind of person I want to become. Without a defined destination, my present self struggles to align fully with my future aspirations.

I admire people who have found their calling and purpose. Unfortunately, I’ve grown too comfortable with life and have delayed pursuing my purpose. However, 2024 was about inner work, healing, and love. The previous two years were chaotic: 2022 was a wake-up call, and 2023 was when my mom’s illness temporarily shifted my focus from healing to caregiving. Her ordeal, though challenging, helped me rediscover my core values and who I am as a person and as a woman.

There is nothing wrong with my nine-point statement—it’s a roadmap that needs a clear destination. So, in 2025, I’ll ask myself: What do I want to become? And am I ready to face hardships to achieve that?

Setting a Vision for 2025

I read somewhere that identity is not about achieving or becoming, but about embracing who you are and aligning it with who you want to be. Now that I’ve accepted myself more, it’s time to answer these questions.

The answer is:

I want to be someone who can travel and teach, earning a living from it while staying healthy and vibrant. I want to live a long, fulfilling life.

Voyaging Mentor: Thriving, Teaching, and Living a Long, Vibrant Life

I have two major projects for this year to tactically jumpstart this intention. But I will save it for another blog. 

Happy New Year! Cheers to a peaceful, joyful, and abundant 2025!