I am no mental health expert, but I have always known about the importance of setting goals, having a purpose, nurturing your life. I did this religiously up to the point when I had to put my life on hold while waiting to move to the UK. Moving was our way of creating some stability in our life after having moved to 4 different countries in the past year. Before I got to the stability bit, however, I had to navigate a few excruciating months of paperwork and bureaucracy. You know, standard visa stuff of nightmares.

As I waited for this promised land of actual shelves and belongings, I tried not to get ahead of myself re: hopes, plans, and dreams. So, I paused those thoughts in favour enjoying living in two countries and spending quality time with people I loved. And then, the waiting paid off. I finally moved.

We rented a nice flat in the middle of the city so we could truly explore, and start ticking off things on our bucket lists – owning a house, getting a driving license, seeing my nieces! We moved two days before the whole country shut down. Thanks, Covid.

Anyway, everything about my life has been on pause. I snatched a few victories where I could. I finally got that bookshelf. I became one of those crazy plant parents. And we made the best of a shitty situation. But any audit of life plans I firmly and thoroughly ignored. After a year’s experience of living in limbo and putting things off, I became quite the expert.

<p value="<amp-fit-text layout="fixed-height" min-font-size="6" max-font-size="72" height="80">This pause mode is now coming on to two years. But as with everything, I am being bombarded with content I can no longer ignore. Not one for self-help books, I find myself finding or being sent firm signs that I need to unpause my life goddammit! And while I have to reiterate that I am not an expert, here are things that I found really useful, that are, slowly but surely, kicking me out of my stasis.This pause mode is now coming on to two years. But as with everything, I am being bombarded with content I can no longer ignore. Not one for self-help books, I find myself finding or being sent firm signs that I need to unpause my life goddammit! And while I have to reiterate that I am not an expert, here are things that I found really useful, that are, slowly but surely, kicking me out of my stasis.

Video: Your Theme

This video changed my entire perspective on goals and resolutions in a way that has changed my life.  

Podcast: How To Be The CEO Of Your Life, Not The Employee

This short episode packs a punch. I think I have gone through life, giving my all to project after project. This inspired me to put in the same amount of effort, if not more, on myself.

Instagram: My favourite bite-sized hypeman!

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Video: Lockdown Productivity

While this channel is the YouTube equivalent of a wiki rabbit hole, this video gave me the structure I feel I needed when it came with dealing with the lockdown. I am an introvert and find energy in solitude, but the pandemic has taken a toll on me. This video is a great way to organize your life and focus on the things you can control. My only regret is that I didn’t find this video until a year after the lockdown.

Missing from this list are the people in my life that have truly surprised me and come through for me even at my lowest – the breath-of-fresh air boss at work who has undone a lot of the trauma I’m carrying with me from working in shitty corporates; that person I’ve not yet met in real life but who is a true friend who checks up on me every single day; my partner who accepts that I am now a person who bursts into tears at TikTok videos; and my nieces who don’t know how much their smiles makes my world go round.  This era of my life will be dedicated to you! 😊