How to Set Goals for 2020
A newsletter about writing, art and living more creatively
Content warning: mental health
I've been thinking a lot about planning for the year ahead and while I love a good goal list (Virgo rising here), there was one thing I wanted to keep in mind: how could I create a list of goals for 2020 in a way that prevented burnout?
A couple years ago Glory Edim, founder of Well Read Black Girl, was kind of enough to get coffee with me after a panel she was on. I asked her a question during the Q&A section about how she balanced a full-time job with a side gig without burning out. She said it was a good question, but that she wanted to chat more about it.
During our coffee date, she told me to try and think about time in quarters: maybe one quarter you'd focus solely on travel, the next quarter on an event you were planning, the next on moving to a new place, etc.
Ever since that conversation I've been trying to heed her advice but then the COMPARE AND DESPAIR game starts again. And I do what I do best: I take on too much work. My inner critic gets really loud and I don't sleep well, I get headaches, my anxiety gets worse. I try to tell myself I need to go to ALL of the events and read ALL the books and write ALL the things.
Here's the thing: that's not a purposeful way to go about chasing career goals. And, most importantly, it's not a good way to live. I've made the mistake of overlooking my mental and physical health for the sake of work and I know I'm not alone.
Here's an example: While I was adjusting to a new goal and new apartment (the former great, the latter not so much), I pushed myself to go to a networking event. It was fun and I don't regret it but I DO regret the state I was in. I'd been feeling dizzy and tired for the last few days. At one point I looked up too quickly and felt like the room was spinning. I sat next to a friend and as I pulled my chair closer to her, TWO of my nails broke. The tops of them broke cleanly off, not just a little corner. For the past couple weeks, I had trouble keeping anything in my system due to stomach issues, but I'd been ignoring it all alone.
The rest of the night I felt like I was talking to people while floating outside of my body.
A few weeks later, I had a big challenge in my writing. And it made me question my ability. I couldn't seem to get over it and at the worst of it, I very briefly considered restricting (food) again (something I hadn't done since college).
I mention this because I did something important next: I went to the doctor for the first time in a while. They found a stomach issue I didn't know I had (I knew I had IBS but this was different), and they put me on antibiotics. I found a new therapist and I started talking to friends more openly when I had tough days.
Last weekend, I sat down to write out my goals — quarter by quarter. But it wasn't about filling up the page. It was about choosing the projects I really wanted to focus on and leaving time to take care of myself so incidents like this didn't happen again. I whittled it down to major things I wanted: to finish my manuscript, find time for helping others and look for a new apartment. There are other goals in there, but they are smaller and more manageable. The list isn't long, and I wanted it to be that way.
Here's hoping this can inspire you to take a look at the year ahead in a way that also incorporates living a full live. Or, to slow down and just let yourself savor the rest of 2019.
xoxo,
Your favorite small but feisty writer
Eva
PS If you missed the downloadable wallpapers available so far, click here.
Banner design by Ludi Leiva ✨
Recent Work
Melanie Abrantes
I talk to Designer Melanie Abrantes about her craft and her studio and home spaces.
Artsy gift ideas
Some fun suggestions for gift ideas for the creative person in your life, since the holidays are here.
Art deco architecture
A quick look at the major characteristic of art deco buildings. Image Flickr Creative Commons / Mr.Tin DC
What I'm Reading
Articles:
Colombian Artist Seeks Justice for the Natural World
What I Learned When I Set Out to Write an "Authentic" Latina Character
Fostering a Community for Healing
Learning Spanish at a Boyle Heights Hair Salon Reminds Me of What I Love About L.A.
Books:
Patsy by Nicole Dennis-Benn (fiction) // A really empathic, sad yet relatable story about immigration, motherhood, queer identity and gender expectations.
Opportunity of the Week
More info here.
Quote of the Week
"We realize the importance of our voices only when we are silenced."
— Malala Yousafzai
Keep in Touch
⭐ Instagram⭐
⭐Twitter⭐
⭐ Website⭐