March, For Me

Main Highlights

Online

• 📝 On the blog, I wrote a post about finding inspiration from yourself, the things that you need to create content and how my iPhone home screen is organised.
• 🎙 On the podcast, I published an episode about that one time I was an extra in the film, “X+Y”. I also collaborated on an upcoming episode for the podcast, I’m super excited about!

Career / Learning

• 👩🏻‍💻 2 months into my new role. There are still lots of learning but I’m taking my time and being mindful of my capacity!
• 😎 Did a company Hackathon where I rediscovered my love for Terraform
• ☁️ Became an AWS Community Builder 🎉 (and you can too, applications close 31st of March 2021)

Community

• 📱 Spoke on my first Clubhouse event with some women in tech talking about various different technologies and our experiences of how we got to where we are today
• 📱 Spoke on my first Twitter Spaces where I spoke about the importance of well-being whilst working in tech to avoid burnout and be as healthy as we can be.
• 🗣 Got access to Twitter Spaces too, I’m hoping to host conversations in the future!

Personal

• 📝 Began physically journalling again using Papier’s Wellness Journal
• 💪🏼 Switched up my exercise routine and taking it easy on my obsession with fitness metrics
• ❤️ Virtual catch-ups with friends
• ☀️ Sunnier days!
• 👩🏻‍🔧 I took my iPad to the Apple Store and got a replacement because my old iPad had a broken port. I can finally charge it normally now.
• 🎨 Drew Raya from “Raya and The Last Dragon” on Procreate

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Things that made me happy

I completely forgot how therapeutic writing in a physical journal can be.

Up until this month, I’ve been writing ad-hoc entries on my Bear app on my phone but it wasn’t really effective for what I would call “intentional reflection.” There is something about writing on paper that I enjoy and overall, I believe that writing has benefited my mental health greatly. It’s difficult to feel optimistic during these times, but journalling reminded that there are some things to be grateful for and plenty that I can look forward to.

I acknowledge that I have a lot of feelings to write about. But after journalling frequently, I’ve realised that I have a lot more personal thoughts that I don’t necessarily share on my blog or wider platforms. For once, it’s actually freeing knowing that no one apart from me will ever read my journal.

Additionally this month I’ve spent some time dedicated to helping people with “informal” mentorship via calls. Because I don’t actively mentor or help with the vast initiatives that are about much anymore, I often forget how much paying it forward and giving back makes me feel. Knowing that you have contributed to someone’s life even in the tiniest way always feels really, really great. I’m glad to have re-discovered this. ❤️

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March in Photos

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March Favourites

• 🍿 ’Raya and the Last Dragon’ I was so excited by this film. I mean, I’m excited when Disney releases anything but this one in particular was close to my heart. It resonated with me and my Filipino roots as I watched Raya’s adventure! Highly recommend. It is up there with Moana, for me. 😊
• 📺 The Office (US) I’m officially a super fan. I’m fully obsessed with the Office – I’m on my second re-watch. Yep, it’s that good.
• 🎙 The Office Ladies Podcast has helped me through this lockdown and reminded me of how much I enjoy deep dives and behind the scenes of how my favourite films and TV shows are made. Jenna and Angela are also so down-to-earth and humble, it has been lovely to listen to them.
• 🎧 Sony WH-1000XM4 Headphones! I replaced my broken Bose headphones and so far really enjoying my new headphones. I almost got the Apple AirPods Max but couldn’t live with the fact that the charging case is the way it is. 😂
• 📝 Papier Wellness Journal. This is where I’ve been writing my journal entries, it’s such a gorgeous journal as well as having all the structured pages that help me cultivate more gratitude and mindfulness on my wellness.

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Quote of the Month