Dearest readers,
Happy December! Can you believe we made it to the last month of the year? Hallelujah!
This year has been a trying one, but it’s been equally as formative. All the lessons I’ve learned through my challenges– mental illness, substance use, dating plights– have rendered me wiser and stronger, and I can effectively say I am not the same person I was 11 months ago. I have changed for the better, and I’m grateful to be writing to you from a more stable, peaceful mental state.
So… every year I embark on a writing journey during the month of December called “Blogmas”. A blog a day, for the next 31 days! I write about anything that comes to mind: personal reflections, existential musings, life and career updates. If you feel compelled to join me on this challenge, by all means, do so! It is a great way to grow your writing chops, engage in self-reflection during the most festive month of the year, and stay grounded amidst holiday hustle, cheer, and maybe even blues.
I’ll start off today’s Blogmas by talking about yesterday, the Sabbath Day, my day of service. Every Sunday, I run an expressive writing group from 1:30-2:30pm and a mental health peer support group 3-4pm. Offering these free online community events has been one of the most fulfilling things I’ve ever done. I’m happy to report that my groups are growing in size! People are more inclined to participate in my mental health group, and they’re so brave to share their challenges with a group of strangers and ask for support. This Zoom room is a declaration of humanity– a place where total strangers with shared challenges come together and join hands in solidarity and support. We share self-care strategies and advice, and extend empathy to fellow soldiers in suffering. Rarely can we combat life’s myriad travails alone, which is why I’ve started this group, to help others feel less alone in their pain.
It’s all great work, and I feel like I’m really making a difference in my community. I’ve had people reach out to me offline and ask for more advice, and I really get to put my peer support specialist certification to use, harnessing my lived experience to inspire hope and resilience in others. Maybe I’ll start offering life coaching services one day; I certainly love connecting with other people and helping them through their challenges.
My podcast is growing as well! As of today, I’ve filmed 5 episodes, and I launch new episodes every Tuesday. You can find the podcast on YouTube and Spotify. Feel free to take a listen to these interviews– I’ve certainly learned a lot from my brave, resilient guests, and hopefully you can, too.
4:07pm
It’s been a relaxing day so far. I had acupuncture from 11:30am-12:30pm, and my acupuncturist, a dear family friend named Auntie Mickey (nicknamed such because she loves Mickey Mouse), sticks one needle in my head and two more on my low back (targeting the kidneys), and I leave each session feeling relaxed and drowsy. It takes a bit of time for me to wake up from my post-acupuncture trance, but by the time I made it home, I was ready to hit my first workout of the day. Before heading to the gym, I carbo-loaded with leftover sticky rice from last night’s dinner at Cheung Hing, my family’s go-to Chinese restaurant in Belmont. I can’t believe I finished the entire box of leftovers by myself! It was my first meal of the day, and I needed energy to hit an intense 1-hour workout. I targeted legs with pistol squats, kettlebell squats/swings, bulgarian split squats, and stairmaster. I also hit upper body with pushups, seated shoulder press, dumbbell overhead tricep extension, and rowing machine. My brother saw me at the gym last night and said my back looked “ripped”. Indeed, I work hard on my back, since that’s the most important muscle group amongst Latin ballroom dancers. My weak spots where I tend to carry fat are my abdomen and triceps, and most of the toning of these muscle groups come from diet. I’ll admit that my diet hasn’t been the healthiest, lately. I’ve been going through a carb-fiending phase, and I enjoy cheating with ramen noodles, rice and coconut curry, and blueberry muffins. Carbs and sugar are my weakness, and one of my goals moving forward is to lower my carb intake and increase my protein, fruits, and veggies.
The rest of the day I aim to do some studying for my peer support specialist exam (I am officially certified as a peer support specialist, but if I want to call myself a MEDI-CAL peer support specialist, I must pass an exam). I will plan out my content calendar for the rest of the week so I don’t have to worry about it during my busy teaching days. Also gonna do more outreach for podcast guests and get them on my calendar. I’m watching the movie, “The Hangover 2”, on Netflix, so that’ll be my way of unwinding before bed. How I enjoy low-stress days where I don’t have anywhere to be. If I’m feeling sufficiently energetic, I will hit a second workout, which is gonna be more cardio focused, and I’ll also film some more gym content for Move With Bel.
That’s a wrap on Blogmas Day 1! Have a great rest of your Monday, and I’ll talk to you guys tomorrow!
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