Today marks 12 years since I moved to Santiago.
As I type that, it’s hard to believe that that much time has gone by. Facebook kindly reminds me of fond memories with photos and previous posts from over the years, and I’ve found myself reminiscing about “the good old days” when I traveled and was more carefree.
Looking at the past few years, the pandemic really affected me much more than I originally realized. I got into the habit of staying in, not socializing, and spending too much time in front of a screen. I also let exercise, physical activity, and healthy eating fall off of my list of priorities. Worst of all, when faced with some challenges I let my self-doubt take over and hold me back from taking risks and moving forward.
Anyone that knows me knows that I’m a huge fan of Gretchen Rubin and her lists of goals for each year. As a part of my 22 goals for 2022, I put the goal of moving to a new apartment right at the top. My current apartment was meant to be a place to live for a few years until I could find a larger space, but then the pandemic hit. I’m grateful that I had my current apartment to myself with a balcony, steady internet connection, relatively quiet neighbors, and a supermarket across the street. Despite that, it’s time for me to move on.
In a few weeks I’m moving to a new apartment, just a few kilometers away. It has 2 bedrooms and 2 bathrooms, an open concept kitchen/living area, two balconies, and a nice view facing the south. It’s near a subway station, across from a supermarket, and a 5-minute walk from a mall, so it’s a great location with everything I need. It’s also much lighter inside, which I think will be a nice change from the dark features of my current apartment.
I’m looking forward to the move for so many reasons. Starting anew with a new apartment will be like a clean slate in terms of my habits and routines. I’ve been able to sort through things I’ve been hanging onto for one reason or another, and now I can either sell or donate things I’m not using. I’m also able to sell old furniture and redecorate based on a space with much lighter colors. I will finally have a dedicated office space that is separate from my bedroom as well as a guest bathroom for friends (or if/when I go back to in-person classes for students).
Reflecting back on these 12 years makes me realize that I am capable of so much more than I give myself credit for. I tend to minimize my achievements and compare myself to others, letting that inner critic take control of how I talk to myself. I’m letting go of the self-doubt, perfectionism, and some traumatic experiences related to the business acceleration program from last year. I’m learning to worry less about what others think of me and potentially failing; it’s a part of being your own boss and a part of life. I’ve also decided that my word for 2022 is ACTION. I tend to spend lots of time thinking about what I could do, but then not following through.
I don’t know that every project that I decide to launch is going to work, but I’m learning to be ok with taking small steps, (no matter how imperfect) towards my goals.
Just as I’m working on embracing imperfection, here is a photo I just took now. I’m not clean-shaven at the moment, and my skin isn’t in the best condition right now. My last haircut was a buzz cut that I gave myself since my barber caught covid the day before my appointment, and he does a much better job than I do. Despite all that, I’m ok with being imperfect and sharing it with the world.
Thanks for reading this, and I hope some of what I shared resonates with you.
