The Month of April Review

This post was inspired by HappyBlackWoman.com and the monthly evaluation she conducts. I like this exercise because it has really forced me to drill down and think about the life that I want to have. What are my goals? What am I really doing in order to attain my desired lifestyle?

One word to describe the month of April: Hibernation

I’ve been dealing with a lot of stagnant energy in my life the past few months and it’s been beyond frustrating! I’ve also been dealing with a lot of stress as well. February and March were very stressful and unhappy months for me. I’ve been trying to make changes and do different things but I still feel stuck! So like a bear I’ve been hiding out for the winter.

For this exercise I decided to focus on the areas of: finance, health and wellness, social and leisure. In April I:

Financially:
I paid off a major bill and Inspired by Alphanista.com, made a list of all of my current and potential income streams

Health and Wellness
I made progress toward my get hot(er) before it gets hot goals. Bikini season is fast approaching! I have plenty of confidence but there are still things I am insecure about. I’m learning to not get so caught up on the numbers on the scale but to also take note of other indicators like body fat percentage, BMI, measurements, and how my clothes are fitting. I’m focused on building more muscle to lean up.

Inspired by this article I decided to start and keep a gratitude journal. At the end of each day I compile a list of at least 5 good things that happened that day and 5 things that I am grateful for in my life- you can list more of course. Doing this has definitely helped me to be more positive, grounded, and appreciative of all of the wonderful things I have in my life already.  

Social
I attended Easter service at my church and volunteered in the nursery with the babies. This challenged my comfort zone as I’m used to greeting- the adults- at church. I was disappointed that the other aids didn’t trust me at first with the babies. Granted it was my first time in the nursery and they didn’t know me but, my baby instincts proved to be good! 


I also joined two new Meet Up groups this month, on focusing on hiking and outdoor activities and the other focused on wine tasting. Both things I enjoy.

I’m an avid reader- and I had a lot of books to clear from my reading cue- so I was able to read:

1. The Art of Intuition
2. Life Is Not A Reality Show
3. I Thought It Would Never Come
4. How To Get Married in a Year or Less

I usually don’t take to Penelope Trunk’s writing, I find her a bit harsh for my tastes; but, this comment from this article really hit home:

"Getting a spouse is the first big test of your networking abilities. If you’re really well networked, like George Percy, then you can look around at who you know and who your friends know and pick someone."

Wow! You know the adage “you are who you hang with” and this article really made me think about and take a look at the people around me and what I was doing about it. I know what I want in a mate- we’ve got that down- it’s finding it that’s the hard part.  


Spring/Summer are MY seasons. I am happy that winter is finally over so that I can come out of hibernation. So for the month of May I expect to:

1. Moratorium on books for the month! I'm done with my reading cue.
2. Make a list of the neighborhoods I'd like to move to.
3. Develop a plan of attack for finding a new job and developing a side hustle.
4. Lose 5 lbs (that's 1 lb per week).
5. Maintain my gratitude journal until at least May 15th.
6. Devote 1 to 2 nights per week to going out and socializing more.
7. Go on at least 2 Meet Up outings, so far they've conflicted with my schedule.

I think these 7 things are doable. Wish me luck!