It seemed like yesterday when we were celebrating the New Year.  Now, it’s just a little over a week and we’d be on the last month of the first quarter!  So, how’s your year so far?

Personally, I wasn’t expecting any major change this early in the year from where we left off.  But there’s definitely a higher level of hope as vaccines started rolling out in many countries.  Assuming that enough people get vaccinated and their efficacy is enough, who knows, we might be much closer to retuning to the pre-pandemic normal!  And I really can’t wait to travel again (even just domestically), go to the beach, and bring out the speedos!  So, let’s all hope the vaccines work and enough people gets them before the COVID-19 virus evolves tolerance.

Anyway, going back to what the year is so far for me.  I think the theme is either “getting back on track” or “finding a new track.”  For the former, I’ve started returning back to the gym (the paid one, not the condo’s) albeit just twice weekly for now instead of the at least four times pre-pandemic.  While our condo gym is sufficient, there’s not enough equipment there to get the most out of my very limited workout frequency.  At my paid gym, I can do the things I used to do and compare my current strength with my former.  Currently, I’m just around 50-75% of my pre-pandemic state.

I also got back to minding my budget.  Up until recently, my spending wasn’t really controlled as I consistently thing that my spending helps the establishments survive and keep the economy moving in general.  Sometimes I’d buy thing that I don’t really need or want if it can help (pity purchase).  Sometimes I find myself spending a crazy amount on food as I felt deprived of them during the lock downs.  But as prices started rising again, I’m tightening my belt and be more mindful of my spend.  Only buy what you really need, avoid the wants for now.

And then there’s the part of me that want a fresh start, to find a new track.  The pandemic made me realize a lot of things, and one of them is ironically from a series in Netflix: “this is not a dress-rehearsal, this is real life.”  Our life is very volatile—we can be gone any minute and once it’s over, it’s over!  It would be such a waste if we spent all our limited time doing things that doesn’t give us fulfillment.  I think at this point in my life, it’s not just about the money that work brings—it’s more about how it makes me feel and if I feel like it’s taking me to where I want to be.  As of now, I’m still undecided as I sometimes feel that it’s immoral to think about these things at these times when many who want to work can’t get a job and many are struggling.  Self-actualization during a pandemic.

Overall, I can say that 2021 is good so far in the sense that it’s not sending us major unpleasant surprises.  How it will turn out eventually, hopefully much better than 2020.