Last week’s post really helped me frame a lot of things in a different light, and I cannot express how much it has positively affected my life right now.
If you didn’t read it, I will summarize it with a quote from my lifting coach:
“How can you let go of the result and just put energy into it?”
Now, if you have ever followed Coach Bennett (I used to listen to him all the time when I ran a lot), he is known for saying:
This is about Running. This is not about running.
And that’s how I feel about my coach’s quote.
It’s about weightlifting. Yes. But it’s also about so much more than weightlifting!
This idea has helped reframe so many aspects of my life, and I simply feel, well, happier.
For example, work. Anyone in education can tell you it’s a hot mess right now. The culture around academia is broken, and students are beyond frustrating.
However, all I have control over is the energy I put into my classes. At the end of the day, I am not responsible for their result. They are.
That sounds harsh on the surface, but it’s true even if the current culture tells us otherwise. And let me tell you, I pour A LOT of energy into my classes. My online courses are well-designed and active. I moderate discussions daily. I grade fast. I record videos. Provide a bunch of resources. I could go on and on. I know I’m giving 100% and that is all I can do.
The result may not be what I want (failing a bunch of students), but at the end of the day, I know I did my best. And you know what? A handful of students do notice and appreciate the energy I give them. Just today, I had this interaction with an online student:
I’ve been working with this student in my Introduction to Programming course, and she’s thriving because she’s also giving 100%!
This is the result I want for all my students, but that’s not in my control. Only the energy I pour into the class is, so that is what I have to focus on.
Learning to let go of the result while putting my energy into what matters is exactly the mindset I needed, and it’s relieved much of the stress I was carrying about work.
In other news, I decided to pour some energy into vlogging (is that still a word?!) my journey to the December weightlifting meet. It feels a little like going back to my blogging roots. I’ve always enjoyed having an outlet to share what I’m doing and how I’m feeling while documenting the process. Journaling is both fun and therapeutic, and honestly, filming short videos is so much easier than writing.
I still plan to check in here once a week to write because that is also therapeutic, but recording a quick video daily is fun.
Anyway, if you are interested, I’m posting the videos on both TikTok and in a YouTube playlist, and I’m already having a blast with it.
One could say I’m pouring energy into it with no attachment to the result. I’m just enjoying the process and showing up every day, because that’s really the only thing in my control.
2025 Goal Check In
- Blog Weekly.
- so far… ✔️
- Paint More. Don’t overthink it.
- so far… ✔️
- Make a new handmade pasta monthly.
- Jan ✔️ ✔️
- Feb ✔️ ✔️
- March ❌
- April ✔️✔️
- May ✔️
- June ✔️
- July ✔️
- August ✔️
- September ✔️
- October ✔️
- Hike at least twice a month.
- Jan ✔️✔️
- Feb ✔️✔️
- March ✔️ ✔️
- April ✔️✔️
- May ✔️✔️✔️
- June ✔️ ✔️
- July ✔️✔️
- August ✔️✔️
- September ✔️❌
- October ✔️
- Perform one unassisted dip.
- Still training.
- Perform five strict pull-ups.
- Still on singles.
- Handstand walk.
- Still training.
- Take at least three yoga classes a month.
- Jan ✔️✔️✔️
- Feb ✔️✔️✔️
- March ✔️✔️✔️
- April ✔️✔️ ❌
- May ✔️✔️✔️
- June ✔️✔️✔️
- July ✔️ ✔️ ❌
- August ✔️✔️✔️✔️
- September ✔️✔️✔️
- October ✔️✔️✔️
- Make homemade sourdough bread.
- ✔️✔️✔️OMG I did it!✔️✔️✔️
- Take the kids to Iceland.
- Fix the holes in my house (long story, lots of plumbing issues this year).
- Continue my Spanish Streak on Duolingo (I’m on day 1,231!!).
- so far…✔️ day 1529
- Take a Spanish class in person.
- UGH This needs a whole post to talk about!!
- Plan something special for The Husband’s 50th birthday!
- I BOOKED IT!
- Snatch 125lbs.
- More confident in this goal now.
- Compete in at least one weightlifting meet.
- Walk a minimum of half a mile daily with Marsh and, preferably, with the Husband, but I can’t base my goal on him.
- Very rarely miss a night.
- Track my movie-watching on Letterboxd.
- so far…✔️ Click here to see!
- Keep my citrus trees alive!
- so far…✔️ (Just moved them into the house for the winter)
- Host an extended family dinner monthly.
- Jan ✔️
- Feb ✔️
- March ✔️
- April ✔️
- May ✔️
- June ✔️
- July ❌ (But we went out)
- August 👌🏻 (Mom hosted to give me a break)
- September ✔️ Had my Mom and Niece over on Sunday!
- October (planned on Halloween!)
- Clean out and organize my closet and drawers.
- Thrift more and purchase no brand-new clothes.
- so far…❌ I caved and purchased about five new items this year (mostly for the Iceland trip), but I have also visited many second-hand stores and attended my first clothes swap. I now consider myself a thrifter! 🙂
- Take daily supplements more consistently.
- so far…✔️
- Reduce alcohol consumption to once or twice a month.
- Jan ❌ 1/18, 1/23, 1/31 (close!)
- Feb 2/1, 2/15 ✔️
- March 3/22 ✔️
- April 4/25, 4/26 ✔️
- May 5/3, 5/10 ✔️
- June 6/7, 6/19 ✔️
- July 7/14 ✔️
- August 8/9, 8/22 ✔️
- September 9/27 ✔️
- October 10/25 (had a couple of shots at a Halloween party)
- Cook one new recipe/dish a month.
- Jan ✔️
- Feb ✔️
- March ✔️
- April ✔️
- May✔️
- June
- July
- August
- September
- October
- Butternut Squash Soup (Used for inspiration)
- Pecan-Cinnamon Streusel from this recipe