journeytoachieving

[journeytoachieving]

Reflective Time of the Year

It is the time of the year where I sit and think about how I have grown as a person and changes I still want to make. This year has definitely not been an easy one. Having to teach virtual for an entire quarter was not easy. Then going to a new school where I am the only teacher of my content area has made me go crazy. On top of that having to teach both virtual students and students in person has not been an easy task. I haven’t been this stressed since finals in college. I am constantly exhausted and overworked. Plus I still have a lot of things to do to even continue teaching; it’s like this never ends.

Despite all of that, I think good has come from this year. 

I really think Noah and I have grown closer and stronger in our relationship. It is definitely not perfect, but it will never be but that is okay because relationships are never meant to be perfect. Moving away together where it is just the two of us has been an interesting experience, but honestly needed. I really know what I contribute to the relationship and what he contributes.

I am continuing to try to read as much as possible. Towards the end of the year I have definitely lost motivation for reading due to how stressed and busy I am with preparing teaching content. I have been forcing myself so that I can accomplish my reading goal for the year, but also because I want to keep my brain active and growing. 

This year I have continued to grow as a person. Again, I am not perfect but I am always striving to be my best even when I don’t feel like I am accomplishing that. There are moments where I felt I was at complete bottom and not the greatest person. I believe that everybody has those moments and if we didn’t we wouldn’t be motivated to continue growing as a person.

Goals for 2021:

Read at least 36 books (average 3 per month)

By the end of the year have at least $1,000 in savings that I do not use

Pay off credit card debt (it is very high right now)

Have student loans down to 75,000 (Kind of hoping the government continues to have a hold on loan payments for the first half of the year)

Stop spending less money

Continue to be creative in any way possible

Become more active (I want to lose weight but I don’t have a goal right now)

Become better with cleaning

Create healthy habits

Find ways to reduce stress

[journeytoachieving]

The Boy Who Dared (Susan Campbell Bartoletti)

Courageous: A Novel of Dunkirk (Yona Zeldis McDonough)

The War Below (Marsha Forchuk Skrypuch)

Origin (Dan Brown)

The Muslims of Bosnia-Herzegovina: Their Historic Development from the Middle Ages to the Dissolution of Yugoslavia 

Books Read 2018 Edition

The Looking Glass War (John le Carre)

The Last Days of Magic (Mark Tompkins)

A Murder of Quality (John le Carre)

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The 1916 Irish Rebellion (Braiona Nic Dhimarmada)

Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View (Stephen G. Breyer)

I Learned a New Word Today Called Genocide (Elizabeth Hankins)

A Most Wanted Man (John le Carre)

A Delicate Truth (John le Carre)

Autumn (Karl Ove Knausgard)

[journeytoachieving]

Books Read 2018 Edition

The Looking Glass War (John le Carre)

The Last Days of Magic (Mark Tompkins)

A Murder of Quality (John le Carre)

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The 1916 Irish Rebellion (Braiona Nic Dhimarmada)

Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View (Stephen G. Breyer)

I Learned a New Word Today Called Genocide (Elizabeth Hankins)

A Most Wanted Man (John le Carre)

A Delicate Truth (John le Carre)

Autumn (Karl Ove Knausgard)

[journeytoachieving]

31.10.2018

So much has happened since making the decision not to move to Maryland. I am now teaching middle school history. It has its ups and downs but overall I enjoy it. The pay may not be the greatest to some people but for me, it is wonderful after working for no more than $10 an hour and rarely having 40 hours each week. I am also thankful that I pay so little in rent plus utilities. I have been able to pay more on my student loans while also paying off credit card debt. I’m hoping that by the end of December I will be able to get a car. I want to start the new year with a new car (it doesn’t have to be brand new). I am able to make my money last longer. While I am still spending more than I should I am becoming more responsible.

[journeytoachieving]

20.7.2018

I have already made some progress in containing my debt. I have paid off one credit card and have put it safely away. I don’t plan to use it for the next few months. I have also paid off my payment for my phone so now my phone bill will go down $21. This means that amount can go towards either my savings or credit cards. I’ll probably hold off on putting more money into my savings just so I can pay off as much of the credit cards as fast as possible. My goal is to be free of all credit card debt by the end of the year. That gives me five months. It may be difficult but I believe I can do it.

[journeytoachieving]

Well, the move isn’t happening now. Financially it is not the right decision at the moment and we don’t want to ruin our future before it truly begins. This gives us more time to try to save up and figure out all of our plans. In the meantime, I have a list of things I want to accomplish.

1. Have a $1500 emergency fund. (I’m at $1000 in savings right now)

2. Save more than just the $1500

3. Get license 

4. Buy a moped to get around

5. Get out of credit card debt

These are the five main things I want to accomplish. Four of the five are money based and will be difficult to accomplish but I am determined. The first step is to get out of the credit card debt. I plan on having one paid off by the end of the week and I’m not going to touch it unless it is for buying food or gas. In order to accomplish these, I have to spend very little money and it has to be on something that is useful or essential. I can’t just spend money because I want to, there has to be a purpose.

[journeytoachieving]

What is History? (Edward Hallett Carr)

Soccer Under the Swastika: Stories of Survival and Resistance During the Holocaust (Kevin E Simpson)

A Clash of Kings (George R.R. Martin)

Elmet (Fiona Mozley)

Dubliners (James Joyce)

Munich (Robert Harris)

Winter (Karl Ove Knausgard)

Spring (Karl Ove Knausgard)

Machete Season: The Killers in Rwanda Speak (Jean Hatzfeld)

Books Read 2018 Edition

The Looking Glass War (John le Carre)

The Last Days of Magic (Mark Tompkins)

A Murder of Quality (John le Carre)

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The 1916 Irish Rebellion (Braiona Nic Dhimarmada)

Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View (Stephen G. Breyer)

I Learned a New Word Today Called Genocide (Elizabeth Hankins)

A Most Wanted Man (John le Carre)

A Delicate Truth (John le Carre)

Autumn (Karl Ove Knausgard)

[journeytoachieving]

7/2/18

I reached my first savings goal of the year. I wish that the money was staying in my bank account but it’s all for moving. I’m proud of myself that I actually accomplished this goal. Now on to the next savings goal.

[journeytoachieving]

6.14.18

I have successfully paid off one credit card and do not plan to use it unless for moving. I am also $50 away from my first savings goal of the year. I am very low on money right now and still have a week until I get paid. The only thing I know I need to spend money on is food for work. I work long shifts this weekend and next weekend so I need to get something to leave at work (which let’s be real will be mac and cheese because why not?). Here’s to hoping that $45 dollars will last me until next week.

[journeytoachieving]

I’m working on becoming more responsible with my money and how I spend it. Right now I am in a lot of debt so each paycheck I’ve been paying as much as possible to try to make a dent in getting caught up. This debt includes my student loans which are crazy high. Thanks seven years worth of school.

Because of trying to pay off everything I have very little money to spend. I usually try to make $100 last for two weeks, which can be difficult at times. I know in the end it will all be worth it when I can get caught up on everything except my student loans (that is going to take a while). 

Here’s to looking at the future and trying to make it less stressful.

[journeytoachieving]

I bought a new bike. This is probably one of my best decisions in a while. I feel more independent again and I’m excited about getting back in shape and hopefully losing the weight that I want to.

[journeytoachieving]

Books Read 2018 Edition

The Looking Glass War (John le Carre)

The Last Days of Magic (Mark Tompkins)

A Murder of Quality (John le Carre)

The Hobbit (J.R.R. Tolkien)

The 1916 Irish Rebellion (Braiona Nic Dhimarmada)

Making Our Democracy Work: A Judge’s View (Stephen G. Breyer)

I Learned a New Word Today Called Genocide (Elizabeth Hankins)

A Most Wanted Man (John le Carre)

A Delicate Truth (John le Carre)

Autumn (Karl Ove Knausgard)

[journeytoachieving]

Books Read 2017 Edition

In the Woods (finished 8/16/17)

Not on Our Watch: The Mission to End Genocide in Darfur and Beyond (finished 8/27/17)

The Tree Girl

A Game of Thrones

Murder on the Orient Express

The Spy Who Came in from the Cold

[journeytoachieving]

Starting today I am beginning the process of becoming a better me. This involves eating healthy and making sure to exercise more. This is not only to lose the weight I'm uncomfortable with, but to also create more energy for myself. I plan to read more and watch less tv. I am going to get back into my every day writing prompts. I want to spend time completely cut off from my phone and computer each day besides when I'm at work or showering. I'm going to give meditation a try. I'm going to set aside time each day to think about my future and figure things out like location, schools, money, and jobs. I want to become a better person who looks at the positives and possibilities rather than the negative and the impossibles. By the time the new year rolls around I want to be able to see both physical and mental changes for myself. I can't move somewhere new and remain the same person I am, I know this will lead me to be unsuccessful.

[journeytoachieving]

HMH

Houston was amazing! I met so many wonderful people who have changed me and the way I look at things. I will never be able to express in words just how thankful I really am for this experience. I cried, I laughed, I yawned ( a lot) but it was all worth it in the end. I heard stories from survivors, their families, refugees, and immigrants. I learned different ways difficult subjects can be taught to children. I learned that it doesn’t matter the age, sometimes the best thing we as humans can do to make a change is talk and inform. I really needed this experience in my life to understand what I want to achieve while I am alive, and I believe I have. Now I need to take the next step in making that dream a reality. I may not be in the area I need to be in but I will get there one day. Until then all I can do is learn and teach others.

[journeytoachieving]

Travel

United States:

California

Delaware

District of Columbia

Florida

Georgia

Maryland

Michigan

North Carolina

Ohio

Oregon

Pennsylvania

South Carolina

Tennessee

Texas

Virginia

West Virginia