For the past few months I've been feeling plateaued; feeling like my personal growth has almost come to a screeching halt. Luckily, the last few weeks have been filled with positive changes and I definitely feel like I'm breaking out of that "coasting" feeling, but still.... that plateau sparked some serious introspection and questioning.
I kept wondering -- how did I get to this plateau? I started to think about what changes have happened over the past year: what I've learned, who I've met, new things I've tried, and places I've been.
Upon reflecting, I realized I had become desensitized to how much has indeed -- changed, and how much I have indeed -- grown, over the past year. So I took some time to marinade in some gratitude, and I made a comprehensive list of what has changed over the past year.
Over the past year I:
- Went from being unemployed to having a full time job.
- Moved from Berkeley to an entirely new place.
- Broke my usual routine of college and stepped into "adult-hood."
- Learned an entire new profession and job that I didn't study for during my undergrad.
- Relearned how to use a compass
- Relearned how to orient myself in the woods, while using a map.
- Learned how to walk with strength, speed, and balance when walking through the woods (off trail)
- Learned tree identification
- Learned how to use a chainsaw
- Learned how to drive and load/unload a quad.
- Learned how to live by myself in a tiny town.
- Learned how to rock climb and boulder.
- Went from having my parents pay for absolutely everything, to financially supporting myself more than I ever have before.
- Learned how to work completely by myself in the woods on a daily basis.
- Learned how to make executive decisions in a profession that I wasn't that familiar with.
- Learned how to survey an endangered species (Northern Spotted Owl).
- Learned how to do stream monitoring for salmon restoration projects.
- Learned (and am still learning) the practice of Silviculture.
- Learned how to navigate the woods at night, by myself.
- Learned how to drive a massive truck, with a 600 pound quad loaded in the back, on tiny, tiny dirt roads.
- Overcame high anxiety.
- Overcame hives and anxiety-induced acne.
- Met new people and developed a community full of some of the most incredible people I've ever met, when I had originally thought I would meet absolutely NO ONE in this town.
- Went to Coachella.
- Am now 100% comfortable with driving in SF by myself (and I do it calmly).
- Was apart of many reforestation projects, and was able to plant hundreds of redwood seedlings.
- Started painting again.
- Started reading for pleasure again.
- Hiked Half-Dome.
- Tried lake surfing.
- Became CPR and First-Aid certified.
- Saw Above and Beyond with incredible people.
- Completed the 100 Happy Days Challenge
- Had my brother return from deployment.
- Had my nephew born into the world.
And so much more. Looking forward to more challenges and adventures in the future months to come.
I kept wondering -- how did I get to this plateau? I started to think about what changes have happened over the past year: what I've learned, who I've met, new things I've tried, and places I've been.
Upon reflecting, I realized I had become desensitized to how much has indeed -- changed, and how much I have indeed -- grown, over the past year. So I took some time to marinade in some gratitude, and I made a comprehensive list of what has changed over the past year.
Over the past year I:
- Went from being unemployed to having a full time job.
- Moved from Berkeley to an entirely new place.
- Broke my usual routine of college and stepped into "adult-hood."
- Learned an entire new profession and job that I didn't study for during my undergrad.
- Relearned how to use a compass
- Relearned how to orient myself in the woods, while using a map.
- Learned how to walk with strength, speed, and balance when walking through the woods (off trail)
- Learned tree identification
- Learned how to use a chainsaw
- Learned how to drive and load/unload a quad.
- Learned how to live by myself in a tiny town.
- Learned how to rock climb and boulder.
- Went from having my parents pay for absolutely everything, to financially supporting myself more than I ever have before.
- Learned how to work completely by myself in the woods on a daily basis.
- Learned how to make executive decisions in a profession that I wasn't that familiar with.
- Learned how to survey an endangered species (Northern Spotted Owl).
- Learned how to do stream monitoring for salmon restoration projects.
- Learned (and am still learning) the practice of Silviculture.
- Learned how to navigate the woods at night, by myself.
- Learned how to drive a massive truck, with a 600 pound quad loaded in the back, on tiny, tiny dirt roads.
- Overcame high anxiety.
- Overcame hives and anxiety-induced acne.
- Met new people and developed a community full of some of the most incredible people I've ever met, when I had originally thought I would meet absolutely NO ONE in this town.
- Went to Coachella.
- Am now 100% comfortable with driving in SF by myself (and I do it calmly).
- Was apart of many reforestation projects, and was able to plant hundreds of redwood seedlings.
- Started painting again.
- Started reading for pleasure again.
- Hiked Half-Dome.
- Tried lake surfing.
- Became CPR and First-Aid certified.
- Saw Above and Beyond with incredible people.
- Completed the 100 Happy Days Challenge
- Had my brother return from deployment.
- Had my nephew born into the world.
And so much more. Looking forward to more challenges and adventures in the future months to come.
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