• The Recovering Pessimist | Achieve in 2022 | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    Achieve in 2022

    When I brainstormed my mantra for 2022, I wanted to choose a word that would shift my mindset:

    Achieve

    To achieve a goal, I not only have to make a plan, but I also have to follow through on the plan. Oftentimes, I tend to not follow through on my plans. Not this year. This year, I’m getting my shit together.

    What’s so special about this year?

    I’m doing a lot of things this year that are long overdue, one being that I’m going back to school for another bachelor’s degree (I’ll talk about that later at some point). It’s not going to be easy by any means, but it’s a key component of a bigger plan.

    To sum it all up, I want to hold myself accountable this year. No more excuses, no matter how much it scares me.

    Until next time,

    Joy

     

  • The Recovering Pessimist | My 2021 Wrap Up | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    My 2021 Wrap Up

     

    I’m not sure if it’s the pandemic, global warming, or the audacity of people, but 2021 was on some bullshit. It was a hard year with good moments sprinkled throughout. Anyway, despite the chaos, I want to wrap up 2021 with some highlights and lessons I learned.

    Highlights
    • I refinanced my house for a much lower interest rate + monthly payment.
    • Won bitcoin and stock from CashApp.
    • Prioritized my mental health.
    • FINALLY found bareMinerals Gen Nude Matte Liquid Lipcolor in Scandal.
      • I’ve been trying to find this lipcolor for at least 2 years. Thank you, Ulta!
    • I applied and got accepted to WGU‘s B.S. Health Information Management program! I start on January 1, 2022. I need all the well wishes I can get, lol!
    • Ordered an outdoor sectional sofa set from Home Depot.
      • This may not seem major, but considering how quickly outdoor furniture has sold out the last 2 years, I’m very happy about this, lol!
    Lessons Learned

    Don’t overthink time management

    • I can get a lot done in 15-30 minutes than I can in an hour, where I can get sidetracked and end up wasting time.

    Boundaries

    • Something I learned in therapy was to create and maintain boundaries to protect my peace. By no means was it easy, but it sure has changed my life for the better.
    • Also, you’d be surprised how people react when you tell them “No”. Quite interesting to say the least.

    Trust your intuition

    • Lemme tell you something, my intuition has saved my ass several times this year alone.
    • I can’t say this enough, when your intuition taps you on the shoulder, LISTEN TO IT! It won’t steer you wrong, I promise you.

    Rest

    • Screw the hustle mentality. When I’m tired, I’m resting.
    • When I plan out my week, I make sure that at least one day out of the week is a rest day.

    Pour into those who pour into you

    • I’m forever grateful to my circle of friends and family. They’re very special to me. I love them to the moon and back.

    Cheers to the end of 2021 and welcome 2022. What are your 2021 highlights and lessons learned? I’d love to hear about them. If you want to check out my previous wrap-ups, click here.

    See you in 2022!

    Joy

  • The Recovering Pessimist | Rip Off the Bandage | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    Rip Off the Bandage

    There’s a difference between helping someone & someone depending on you for help.

    We can’t do it all on our own. At some point, we’re going to need to seek some sort of help (e.g., financial, encouragement, time, etc.). Understandable.

    However…

    …there are times when you get tired of someone expecting you to help them. It’s happened to me several times. I felt conflicted because I didn’t want them to struggle but I also didn’t want to help them out anymore.

    I ripped off the bandage.

    I had to have a Come to Jesus meeting with them to explain that I was no longer going to help them out. I wish I could tell you that the person was receptive, but that would be a lie. They were pissed. Probably are still pissed to this day.

    Nothing lasts forever, including depending on others.

    Until next time,

    Joy

     

     

  • The Recovering Pessimist | 5 Pieces of Advice I Swear By | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    5 Pieces of Advice I Swear By

    Adulting is complex. There are some things that we’re advised often about such as life insurance and paying yourself first. But there are so many things that we don’t know about unless we’re told about them. Below are 5 pieces of advice that I swear by:

    Get Aflac

    I love Aflac! It’s not insurance, but it’s so worth having. They can pay you for doctor’s visits, medical procedures, etc. & their customer service is outstanding. TIt’s so easy to file claims. You can always add policies as you go, so don’t feel pressured to buy all of the policies at one time.

    Get comprehensive car insurance

    You can’t cut costs on a lot of things, but car insurance isn’t one of them. Regardless of the year of your vehicle, always keep comprehensive insurance on your vehicle. It may cost more, but in the unfortunate event of an accident, it can save you a lot of money and potential headaches.

    Get your yearly health checkups

    If you have coverage for yearly health checkups, please get them. These checkups can alert you to any issues before they become problems. Don’t take these checkups for granted.

    Use your PTO

    Take time off for yourself to do whatever you want to do. It’s yours.

    Price match (when available)

    I love to save a coin when possible. Nothing hurts more than to spend money or something just to find out soon after that it was cheaper elsewhere. Taking a little time to price match can save you money.

    Are there any nuggets of advice that you would like to share? I would love to hear about it.

    Until next time,

    Joy

  • The Recovering Pessimist | Back to Center: Update 8 | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist #backtocenter
    Back to Center,  The Complexities of Life

    Back to Center: Update 8

    It’s been a minute, but I’m back with a long-overdue Back to Center update.

    One of the best things I’ve discovered this year thus far is the song “Go Lay Down” by NaJe.

    Lemme tell you something. This song is a testimony that stirs my spirit. This song is also a reminder that self-care doesn’t always been to be about material things. Sometimes, all you need to do is rest.

    Grab a blanket and go lay down friend.

    Until next time,

    Joy

     

     

  • The Recovering Pessimist | Being Special Ain't Enough | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    Being Special Ain’t Enough

    There was a time where I thought I was going to be the exception. I was going to be the one that inspired them to change their ways. I wasn’t going to put up with the BS like the others before me.  

    I was special.

     

    I wasn’t the exception. I didn’t inspire them to change their ways. I put with their BS (for a short amount of time, but I digress). During this experience, I was reminded of two lessons:

    People have to want to change for themselves. 

    People really do show you who they are. 

    Oftentimes, we tend to ignore what’s in front of us because it interrupts the potential we see in the person. In addition, when someone shows you who they are and you continue to engage with them, how can you then ask them to change? They didn’t need to change when you met them right? 

    Make good choices.

    Until next time,

    Joy

     

     

     

     

     

  • The Recovering Pessimist | Make Good Choices | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    Make Good Choices

    Make good choices.

    Sounds easy enough right?

    Yes and no.

    Some decisions are easy to make because the alternative is a no-go. Take wearing a seat belt. I wear a seat belt because the alternative to not wearing one can be fatal. 

    I just want you to make good choices. 

    Make the choices with a full understanding of what the consequences may be, including the unfavorable ones. 

    Don’t make full coverage choices with liability consideration.

    Until next time,

    Joy

  • The Recovering Pessimist | My Pandemic Reflections | www.therecoveringpessmist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optmisticpessimist
    The Complexities of Life

    My Pandemic Reflections

    2020 was a hot mess express. We witnessed the cleaning/paper product version of The Hunger Games, being at home more than usual, and becoming (un)comfortable with wearing masks. Oh, and there was figuring out how to keep ourselves entertained when outside wasn’t an option.

    After a year of living in the Upside Down, I wanted to share a few thoughts. But before I start, I have some fantastic news to share with you:

    Ya girl is fully vaccinated!! #PokedByPfizer

     

     

    While living in the Upside Down, I’ve gained an appreciation for some things & learned a lil’ somethin’ somethin’ too. And since sharing is caring, here we go:

    What I Appreciate
    • Wearing a mask
      • I haven’t been sick in over a year.
    • Starbucks Iced Brown Sugar Oatmilk Shaken Espresso
      • One of the highlights of the Upside Down was the release of this drink. It’s delicious, but it’s REALLY good with 2 pumps of simple syrup. It cuts out the blandness of the oat milk just enough to be a bit sweet & also brings out the brown sugar of the drink.
    • Houseplants
      • Buying houseplants lifted my spirits when we weren’t able to go many places. They also added pizazz to my home. Total win-win.
    • Teleworking
      • Being able to work from home is a true blessing. There’s nothing like wearing comfy loungewear and listening to audiobooks and podcasts in peace.
    What I’ve Learned
    • Wear it now
      • Pre-2020, I had a few items that I rarely wore because either I was saving them for a certain occasion or, I didn’t have the right items to make an outfit. Nowadays, I don’t care. I’m wearing the sequin sneakers with the sweatpants.
    • Listen to myself
      • When my body wants to rest, I rest. When my intuition warns me, I pay attention. Fighting against myself doesn’t work. It just makes things worse.

     

    Now that things are opening up, I’m looking forward to spending time outside…cautiously. What have you learned and/or appreciated from the pandemic? I’d love to hear about it.

    Until next time,

    Joy

     

     

     

  • The Complexities of Life

    Random Thought #2

    The Recovering Pessimist | Random Thought #2 | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimist
    Photo by Bruno Emmanuelle on Unsplash.

    Pay attention to what’s being said

    Pay close attention to what isn’t being said.

    The actions

    The silence that says so much while saying nothing at all.

    Your intuition when it tries to warn you

    That something isn’t right.

     

     

  • The Complexities of Life

    Stop Giving A F*ck

    The Recovering Pessimist | Stop Giving A F*ck | www.therecoveringpessimist.me | #amwriting #recoveringpessimist #optimisticpessimistThe moment I stopped giving a f*ck was a relief.

    I could fill my lungs to capacity with air with no interruptions.

    I made decisions with concern for other’s feelings/thoughts.

    I was able to let go of the limitations I imposed on myself.

    I didn’t have to make compromises on how I chose to live my life out of worry.

    Time is one of the things that isn’t promised.

    At any moment we’re here…and then we aren’t.

    Why spend that time living according to the agenda of others?

    That drum that you always hear?

    Don’t just listen to it.

    Move to the beat of it.

    And while you’re at it, stop giving a f*ck.

    I promise you, it feels damn good.