August, For Me

Main Highlights

Online

• 📝 On the blog, I wrote about how I’m currently figuring it out and want I’ve learned 5 years on from my health and wellness journey.
• 🎂 My podcast turned 1 years old! I’m taking a slight creating break so no episode this month. I’ll be back soon!
• 😩 Felt a little unmotivated to post things if I’m being honest, so taking my time once again.

Career & Learning

• 🧡 I can’t believe I’ve reached the second month at Gitpod. The saying is true: time flies when you’re having fun. I’m having quite a lot of fun right now! Shoutout to all my fellow Gitpodders for cultivating such a wonderful working environment that actually make me excited to start Monday 🎉
• 🍊 I got involved with some cool things at work: recorded new screencasts, published a newsletter on developer experience (DevX) and have done a few collaborative livestreams. I like to document all this on my Polywork – so feel free to follow me on there!

Personal

• 🙏 It’s difficult for me to openly talk about but despite enjoying my life right now, I’ve strangely dropped into a phase of depression. I’m working through it day-by-day, going to therapy and dealing with everything the way that I always do.
• 💖 Finally started a private Twitter account, @nofilterpaw. This is mostly for close friends, it’s been nice truly being no filter.
• 📸 I’ve been on a long IG break! A whole month! A big deal for me.
• 🌳 Stayed in Sheffield for a month which was again a much needed mental reset
• 💪 Reached 5 years of consistent training!
• 💉 I’m fully vaccinated!

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Things that made me happy

I’m happy and proud of myself for identifying that a platform, in my case, Instagram was causing me to feel bad about myself and made me feel overwhelmed with the number of DMs that I got. On other platforms, I get DMs too – but on IG some folks forget the meaning of personal boundaries. So I took a step back!

I’ve been going strong with a month off the platform and honestly, I feel a lot better. I do miss actively sharing on there, but it was definitely a much-needed break.

I had thought of returning back to my usual posting in September, but you know what? I like the peace for now, so I’m in no rush to pressure myself to ‘perform’.

It’s been nice not scrolling as often too. Twitter doesn’t have much of an effect on me compared to Instagram for some reason 🙈

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My favourite August photo

Because of my Instagram break, I have actually been “living in the moment” more often and snapping photos less.

So I decided to change this section to my favourite photo this month! For August 2021, it’s this one of my brother, Clark and me on one of our daily walks.

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August Favourites

• 📺 I started re-watching Brooklyn 99 in prep for the final season, I remembered why I loved it so much 😂
• 🍎 I’ve been using my iPad Air 3 as a secondary monitor on the go and it’s been fantastic. That Apple Ecosystem! 🤤
• 🕴🏼I’ve massively improved my set-up when I’m in Sheffield with a small standing desk. It’s made a huge difference already!
• 📚 Your Brain at Work: Strategies for Overcoming Distraction, Regaining Focus and Working Smarter All Day Long by David Rock 🧠

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Quote of the Month

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Next month, my intentions are to…

• 🌴 Try to fully rest and recharge on my trip next week!
• 🙏 Continue to take care of myself and not drain my batteries too much
• 💯 Keep trying my best at all the things that I do!